Four stars for Epica

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) awarded the mid-sized Korean-made car four stars for its occupant safety systems including side head protecting airbags on all models.

However, RACQ vehicle technologies manager Steve Spalding said it missed out on five stars because it did not have Electronic Stability Control (ESC) available on any Epica variant.

Spalding said the Epica result was reasonable but fell short of the top five-star rating now being achieved by many similar vehicles.

ESC has been shown to be highly effective in a recent study by Monash University, which found a reduction in risk of injury of up to 66 per cent in single-vehicle crashes involving a driver injury.

From January next year, ANCAP will require ESC to be fitted to vehicles as a prerequisite to scoring five-star safety ratings. Spalding said this highlighted the importance ANCAP attached to stability control which stops a vehicle from sliding.

He said it was encouraging to see an increasing number of vehicles now scoring five stars for occupant protection in ANCAP tests.

“However, as ANCAP has pointed out before, many vehicles that are fitted with the equipment to score five stars in Europe and New Zealand do not always have this same equipment installed in cars sold in Australia,” he said.

“RACQ believes all new vehicles should have front, side and head protecting airbags, and ESC, as standard equipment."

“We encourage consumers to demand the highest levels of safety features and manufacturers to make them available.”

ANCAP is supported by all Australian and New Zealand motoring clubs, all Australian state governments, and the New Zealand government.