SUV competition heats up in NZ market with latest ANCAP ratings

Competition is now even stronger within the New Zealand SUV market with the latest release of 5 star ANCAP ratings for the BMW X1 and the new Volkswagen Tiguan.

Both models come equipped with an active bonnet, which in a crash raises the hood of the car to reduce the risk of serious injury to pedestrians.

AA Network Support Manager Philip Collings says the way manufacturers are approaching vehicle safety is evolving to include pedestrians as well.

‘‘It’s great to see that features that protect our most vulnerable road users are not just limited to vehicles at the higher end of the spectrum, but increasingly coming through in mid-range cars,’’ he says.

The BMW X1 takes that approach one step further with the inclusion of automatic emergency call (e-call), which alerts emergency services if the vehicle is involved in a crash through its telematics and intelligent navigation systems.

‘‘We’re going to see a lot more of this feature, particularly with vehicles coming out of Europe, which again adds another edge to the competition in new vehicles,’’ Collings says.

Both vehicles come equipped with an impressive range of safety features including emergency brake assist (EBA), electronic stability control (ESC) and electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD).

The full list of ANCAP’s vehicle safety ratings, other vehicle safety information and the specifications of the rated vehicles are available online at ancap.co.nz or rightcar.govt.nz.

ANCAP is supported by all Australian motoring clubs, the New Zealand Automobile Association, the Australian Government, the New Zealand Government, Australian state and territory governments, the Victorian Transport Accident Commission, NRMA Insurance and the FIA Foundation.