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The latest Australasia New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP) safety ratings are out, and they show the two latest Alfa Romeo models have received a top rating, while the Citroen C3 achieved four stars.
According to the New Zealand Automobile Association (AA), the Alfa Romeo Giulia, a mid-sized sedan, and Alfa Romeo Stelvio, a medium-sized SUV both performed well across the crash tests, notably achieving the equal highest scores to date – 98% and 97% respectively – for adult occupation protection.
Meanwhile, the Citroen C3 received a score of just 59% for pedestrian safety, as a result of its inability to actively detect and prevent pedestrian contact combined with head injury risk.
“Safety standards are rising, and it’s no longer the case that having just a few basic safety features will satisfy consumers,” the AA monitoring services general manager Stella Stocks said.
“The Alfa Romeo 5 star safety ratings apply to all 2.0 litre petrol and 2.2 litre diesel Giulia and Stelvio variants,” the AA said. “Both Alfa Romeo models have autonomous emergency braking (AEB), which can go a long way in preventing a crash by automatically engaging the brakes of a vehicle when it senses a hazard within critical range.
“When tested, the AEB performed well on both vehicles at high speeds typical of highways, and at low speeds typical of city driving,” it added.
For New Zealand models of the Citroen C3 built after March 2018, it is optional to have AEB systems. The vehicle’s AEB was not tested as a part of ANCAP’s crash tests.
