Smart Returns Down Under With Five-Star Safety
Words NZ Autocar | Images ANCAP
ANCAP has released five-star safety ratings for two new arrivals, Smart #1 and Smart #3. These are the first ANCAP safety ratings for the Smart brand in 16 years. They are also the first vehicles with a Smart badge to attain a five-star rating.
Both battery electric vehicles achieved solid scores across ANCAP’s assessment regimen, placing them well within five-star bounds.
Smart #3 small car results
The Smart #3 small car was assessed against current 2023-2025 criteria and scores for the four main criteria ranged from 84 to 90 per cent. The vehicle demonstrated high levels of occupant protection in physical crash tests. It achieved a mix of Good and Adequate results for adult and child protection across the majority of crash scenarios. A Poor result was noted for occupant-to-occupant contact in the oblique pole test. This was because the centre airbag did not prevent contact between the heads of the driver and front passenger.
Additional assessments examining the performance of its direct driver monitoring system, cyclist anti-dooring warning, and motorcycle-detecting autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system were undertaken on the Smart #3. Good results were seen in the AEB Motorcycle tests.
Tests were also undertaken regarding the ability of the vehicle to detect motorcycles in lane keeping scenarios. A Good performance was seen across the majority of test scenarios. But a Poor performance was registered for the lower speed overtaking motorcycle test.
Smart #1 small SUV results
For the Smart #1 small SUV, Adequate and Good occupant protection results were seen in crash tests. Scores for the four main criteria ranged from 87 to 96 per cent. Full points were awarded for driver protection in the full width frontal and side impact tests, and for both child occupants in the frontal offset test. This performance contributed to a high Adult Occupant Protection score of 96 per cent. However, the Smart #1 was assessed against the earlier 2020-2022 rating criteria, as it was introduced into the European market ahead of the Smart #3.
AEB Backover, the ability to detect pedestrians and autonomously brake when reversing, is not fitted to either of the Smart vehicles.
Commenting on these results, Carla Hoorweg, ANCAP Chief Executive Officer said: “These five-star results for the Smart #1 and Smart #3 will be reassuring to buyers looking to purchase a new car from this unique brand. A pair of very sound safety results”.
Five-star ANCAP safety ratings apply to all Smart #1 and Smart #3 vehicles.
