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  The Camry has claimed the five-star score together with the latest Subaru Impreza and XV

The Subaru XV scores a five-star ANCAP safety rating.

In fact, the all-new Subaru Impreza and XV crossover received a five-star tick a week before they hit the road in Australia.

The new babies joined the latest Toyota Camry in scoring the top five-star ranking from the Australasian New-Car Assessment Program, although it calls on both Subaru and Toyota to lift their work on pedestrian protection.

The press preview of the XV is held this week in Tasmania but Carsguide will not drive the new Impreza until the second half of February. 

The newcomers continue Subaru's five-star push and also complete a five-star passenger lineup for Toyota, although some of its commercial and SUV models lag on occupant safety.

But ANCAP is now pushing pedestrian protection as well as active-safety systems - such as active cruise controls - to stretch its reach beyond the results of crash tests. 

"Many manufacturers are now scoring in the top category for occupant protection but more attention must be paid to protecting pedestrians as well," says Lachlan McIntosh, chair of ANCAP.

“Both Subaru and Toyota now need to work on getting the top ratings for pedestrian protection."

The Subaru and Toyota results are the first for 2012 and come after a dozen cars hit the five-star target in December, led by the COTY winning Kia Rio. But ANCAP is lifting its bar this year as it demands more protection for new-car buyers. 

It intends adding assessment of anti-whiplash seats and head restraints and will also assess safety-assist technologies for a revised set of standards expected by the middle of this year. "In 2008 we said you have to have ESC to get in the game. Now they'll need to have some of safety assist technologies," says McIntosh.