The safest new vehicles in Australia are almost all electric, with the top performers delivering consistently across the various areas of testing.
Electric cars are proving to be the safest vehicles in Australia, with battery-powered models making up six of the seven strongest crash test performers.
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) revealed its list of safest vehicles for 2025 on Thursday, in which Tesla’s revised Model Y claimed top spot.
Only one fuel-powered vehicle made the list, the Toyota HiLux ute, which ranked in last place.
Automotive experts say the results should help to quash misinformation about the safety of electric vehicles and boost consumer confidence in low-emission options.
ANCAP’s list is based on tests conducted in 2025 across four measures: adult and child occupant protection, the safety of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, and safety assistance features.
Tesla’s redesigned SUV scored the highest ratings in almost all categories to top the 2025 list, three years after its older variant was named Australia’s safest vehicle.
The US automaker’s Model 3 ranked in second place, with slightly lower scores for its safety assistance features, followed by Volvo’s EX90 electric SUV and MG’s IM5 electric sedan.
Two smaller electric vehicles, the MGS5 EV and the Mini Cooper E, ranked in fifth and sixth place, before Toyota’s HiLux ute rounded out the field.
All vehicles in the list featured sophisticated safety systems, ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg said, designed to address multiple on-road risks.
“The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area,” she said.
“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist.”
Autonomous and semi-autonomous features contributed to the safety ratings of the top-rated vehicles, she said, and the breadth of vehicles listed proved they were available to a wide range of motorists.
“Improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection in everyday driving,” Ms Hoorweg said.
Electric cars made up 8.3 per cent of all new vehicles sold in Australia during 2025, up from 7.4 per cent the year before, after exceeding 103,000 sales during the year.
Their growing popularity and test results should boost consumer confidence and bust any lingering myths about their safety, Electric Vehicle Council policy head Aman Gaur said.
“There are several reasons why EVs are safer, including a lower centre of gravity, meaning less chance of a roll-over,” he told AAP.
“They’re also not carrying highly flammable liquids, like petrol or diesel, and are much less likely to catch fire.”
AAP