Most people know about car safety ratings and many take them seriously when choosing a new car.
In Australia and New Zealand, safety ratings are issued by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), a non-regulatory, not-for-profit organisation that tests new vehicles and publishes results.
ANCAP has announced significant changes from 2026.
Here’s how the ratings have traditionally been determined, what is changing and what it all means for safety on our roads.
How car safety rating works
A majority of Australians say they wouldn’t buy a car that hasn’t…
