Tesla dominates ANCAP’s safest 2025 vehicles list

Tesla has claimed the top two positions in ANCAP’s annual list of the safest new vehicles for 2025, with the Model Y leading overall rankings and the Model 3 taking second place.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) released its safety awards covering vehicles tested during 2025, with the Tesla Model Y achieving an average score of 91% across the organisation’s four assessment pillars. The Model Y also won the medium SUV category.

The Tesla Model 3 followed closely with an average score of 90.5%, earning the title of safest medium car.

ANCAP’s assessment covers four key areas: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection and Safety Assist.

Beyond Tesla’s strong performance, the awards recognised top performers across multiple vehicle segments. The Volvo EX90 claimed the large SUV category with an average score of 88%, while the MG IM 5 took the large car title with 86%.

In the small SUV segment, the MG S5 EV averaged 84.25%, matching the score achieved by the updated Toyota Hilux in the ute category. The Mini Cooper E rounded out the category winners as the safest small car with an average score of 83%.

ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg says the results demonstrate a shift towards comprehensive safety design rather than isolated features.

“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist,” Hoorweg says.

“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.”

Hoorweg says the results show increasing alignment between ANCAP’s test requirements and real-world safety technologies relevant to Australian and New Zealand roads.

“Improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection in everyday driving,” she says.

“The breadth of top performers this year shows that high levels of safety are achievable across multiple vehicle segments, giving consumers clearer choices when safety is a priority.”

The awards highlight the strong performance of electric vehicles in safety testing, with Tesla, MG and Mini’s electric models featuring prominently alongside traditional manufacturers like Volvo and Toyota.