C5 Aircross misses out on five stars

Citroen’s new C5 Aircross mid-size SUV has tripped up on tough new Australasian New Car Assessment Program, ANCAP, rules that mark down a vehicle’s safety rating for not having a cyclist anti-collision detection system.

Even though most five-star-rated vehicles on Australian roads do not have such a system that applies the brakes when a cyclist is detected on a collision course with the vehicle, it is now part of the mandatory test procedure from the independent safety watchdog.

The C5 Aircross ended up with four stars.

By contrast, sister company Peugeot’s newer 508 large sedan – to be launched in Australia next week – has

such a cyclist detection system and sailed through the latest round of tests with five stars.

Other cars to win five-star stamps include the Mercedes-benz B-class and Cla-class, and the upgraded Ford Focus.

A spokesman for Peugeot and Citroen importer Inchcape said the cyclist detection system was available in Australia for the newer 508 but not for the C5 Aircross that has been on overseas markets for up to 18 months.

“This is a new technology that is only just being rolled out,” he said.

“If it was available to us on Aircross, of course we would take it.”

Like the 508, data used by ANCAP for the C5 Aircross was taken from tests by ANCAP’S European counterparts, Euro NCAP, who also gave it four stars. Apart from losing a possible six points for not having cyclist detection, the C5 Aircross was also marked down for its autonomous emergency braking performance for pedestrians, receiving just 2.2 points out of six – a score regarded as marginal.

The overall score for the vulnerable road user testing came to 27.92 points out of a possible 48, or 58 percent, which was enough to cost it a fivestar assessment. By contrast, the 508 scored 71 percent.

In other test segments, the C5 Aircross fared better, awarded 87 percent for adult occupant protection, 88 percent for child occupant protection and 73 percent for safety assist.