Safety

The Federal Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts has issued a safety recall notice impacting 16,578 BMWs sold new in Australia from 2020 to 2023.It confirms that examples of the 2,3,4,5,7 Series (G12, G2x, G3x, G42) , X3 (G01) , X4 (G02), X5 (G05) and Z4 (G29) have been impacted and said, “Due to a manufacturing defect, the starter motor solenoid switch can experience increased wear that could cause an internal short circuit.“If this occurs, the driver may be unable to start the engine, and in the worst case, the overheating can lead to a fire during vehicle operation,” the notice said. The department added, “A vehicle fire or the driver being unable to restart the engine could increase the risk of injury to vehicle occupants, and/or damage to property.”All grades of the nominated models are included, although for reference, close to 65,000 vehicles across those BMW model groups were sold in Australia during the recall period.The department says owners of affected vehicles will be contacted by BMW requesting they schedule an appointment with their preferred authorised BMW dealer for the free of charge starter motor replacement.Alternatively, BMW can be contacted on 1800 243 675 or via www.recall.bmw.com.au. 

Commercial van specialist LDV has recalled thousands of its vans for repairs after a defect relating to the airbags was discovered.

The Denza B8 large plug-in hybrid off-roader and Hyundai’s Elexio mid-size EV SUV are the latest pair of vehicles to be awarded a maximum five ANCAP stars.

The Leapmotor B10 and Zeekr 7X are among several models that have received top marks in their Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) safety tests. The B10 is an all-electric small SUV, which went on sale in November 2025. The BYD Atto 3, Hyundai Kona and Kia EV3 rival received some stand out results, including 93 per cent for adult protection and 95 per cent for child protection.Those two results equalled the highest score for those areas under ANCAP’s now outgoing 2023-2025 testing criteria.  The Zeekr 7X (the current 2026 CarsGuide Car of the Year best medium SUV under $60,000), also received five stars and was awarded 91 per cent for adult protection and 87 per cent child protection. The 7X offers a new alternative to big sellers in the mid-size SUV market, such as the Tesla Model Y and BYD Sealion 7.Another car to receive a five-star rating was the Geely Starray EM-i, the second Geely model to launch in Australia after the EX5 SUV. The recently-introduced Kia EV4 has also been rated, receiving five stars. The all-electric sedan arrived in Australia this month, ahead of the hatch variants joining later this year. The other car to pick up a five-star rating, was the Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe, which rated at 93 per cent for adult protection and 86 per cent for child protection. ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg said this latest batch of ratings highlights the importance of maintaining car safety as more brands continue to be introduced to the market. “As more new models and emerging brands arrive on our roads, independent safety assessment remains critical,” Hoorweg said. “ANCAP testing provides consumers with clear, comparable information, and ensures vehicles meet the highest standards for protection, regardless of badge or price point.”ANCAP also announced that the MG HS small SUV’s five-star rating now extended to hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants in addition to petrol offerings.There was also an updated five-star rating for the Toyota bZ4X and its sister car the Subaru Solterra.This latest round of rest results will be the final set of cars tested under the previous criteria, with all new cars to be using the four-stage ‘Stages of Safety’ system. This will examine safe driving, crash avoidance, crash protection and post-crash, but a rating out of five stars will still be awarded for each car. 

Have you ever felt like things are spiralling out of control lately? That horrible feeling that you know something is wrong and people are standing idly by and allowing it to happen regardless?I have increasingly felt that way about new car safety, so much so I feel the time has come to draw a line in the sand.Let me be clear from the beginning — safety should be everyone’s top priority in the car industry. Whether it’s engineers, designers, salespeople and even us motoring writers - we should all be doing our best to ensure that you (the new car buyer) get the safest car possible.However, in recent years I have started to feel that new car safety has not only stopped improving consistently, but has actually begun to regress. Why? The over-reliance on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and the seemingly inconsistent way it is applied to new vehicles and equally inconsistent ways cars with poor technology are applauded by third parties and hailed as superior.I am fortunate enough to drive dozens of new cars every year and increasingly the difference between good active safety systems and bad ones are becoming more and more apparent, frankly annoying and distracting.The systems I’m talking about are ones like ‘driver attention monitoring’, ‘speed limit recognition’, ‘active lane keeping assistance’ and similar. Good versions of these systems keep you alert, informed and safe. Bad versions of these systems are distracting to the point of dangerous.That’s because, unfortunately, for many brands adding these active safety systems became a box ticking exercise, simply having them was enough as they weren’t tested in the real world by safety authorities, even though brands were punished for not having them.As Peter Matkin, Chery’s Director of International Engineering for International Programs, told me last year, many of these systems are developed by third-party suppliers who are simply working to a theoretical range and aren’t practically applying it to real-world situations.“When we started with all of the ADAS work, we were effectively just meeting legislation,” Matkins conceded. “We told the suppliers, this is the legal requirement, we need to meet this. So from a supplier perspective, he doesn't care whether the car bounces between the lanes. He doesn't care. When I drive the car, I say, ‘this is shit, we're not selling this.’ So, you know, we now give a lot more targets now, to the supplier.”That’s a refreshingly honest answer from a car company engineer and it’s good to know that people like Matkin are working to ensure that systems actually work for customers on the road and not just on a piece of paper.Recently I drove a new vehicle that beeped incessantly, any time the speed limit changed or if I didn’t slow down fast enough, or even if I just looked away. Literally, on several occasions it beeped to warn me that I was ‘mildly distracted’ at which point I looked down to see what the beeping was about (in case it was something dangerous) only for the system to then beep again and tell me I was ‘moderately distracted’ — by the car’s own beeps! The end result of poorly calibrated ADAS is drivers will find a way to turn it off, which unfortunately tends to be required every time you start the car - which is a deliberate requirement from legislators that typically travel in the back seats, rather than the driver’s seat…What’s the difference between a car that doesn’t have active lane keeping and one that does, but has such a bad system the driver turns it off every time they start the car? Both cars operate the majority of the time without the system, so a sub-standard system is effectively useless. ANCAP, to its credit, has updated its testing protocols for 2026 to try and address some of these issues. Its testing will now try and provide a more detailed analysis of how the various active safety systems work and encourage more seamless operation.Because, make no mistake, properly calibrated ADAS can work and when it does it’s brilliant. Some brands are clearly spending more time on these systems than others, and the net result is a safer experience for the driver without any of the irritating distraction of endless beeps and warnings.Unfortunately, the recent rush to ensure all these systems were installed regardless of functionality means there will be a generation of dangerous distracting cars on our roads for the foreseeable future.

Jaecoo J7 recalled for potential "sudden loss of motive power."

Toyota will offer steering locks as part of its battle to maintain security on its new vehicles.Late last year, 60 high-end Toyota vehicles were allegedly stolen, including LandCruiser four-wheel drive and LandCruiser Prado models, with a total estimated value of $9.0m.Many of these have individual starting prices at or above $100,000 mark.They are also some of the best-selling cars in Australia.Several were recovered in Melbourne and Queensland, before they were meant to be shipped overseas.Toyota Australia released a statement earlier this month and said security enhancements have been implemented. “Toyota is committed to continuously improving vehicle security and has progressively introduced advanced protective measures across its range. “In 2025, Toyota took further steps to enhance security on several models, including the New HiLux, LandCruiser 300 and LandCruiser Prado providing owners with even greater peace of mind,” the statement said.It looks like Toyota have now beefed up its physical prevention with the addition of a steering lock as an optional accessory.The steering locks are available as a genuine Toyota accessory on all models, and in the past few decades were used as a deterrent to car thieves.“Constructed from automotive-grade steel for strength and durability. An internal spring system ensures the arm extends smoothly with minimal effort, while the four-point contact technology delivers a secure and consistent grip on the steering wheel,” Sydney City Toyota’s website reads.“The locking system is designed with anti-tampering features to enhance security and reliability. The surface is coated with a soft resin finish that helps prevent scratches or damage during use.“The bright red body improves visibility and serves as a clear deterrent.”The steering lock is likely to be the first of several new features to be provided by Toyota for increased security.The brand is currently developing an additional engine immobiliser to combat the issue. 

Volvo has issued a dire recall notice for one of its popular electric SUVs, but there is no fix in sight.The brand has put a notice out for thousands of its EX30 compact SUV due to a high-voltage battery defect, which could cause a vehicle fire.The recall affects 2815 units of the 2024 model year.According to the recall notice issued via the Federal Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development Communications, Sport and the Arts, a manufacturing issue can cause the cell modules installed in the battery to overheat at high charge levels, which could lead to vehicle fire.Without a remedy as of yet, “battery charge level should be kept below 70 per cent,” the notice reads.This can be done through the charging setting menu on the vehicle display.“A vehicle fire could increase the risk of injury or death to vehicle occupants, other road users and bystanders, and/or damage to property,” the recall notice said.Volvo Australia said there have been no reported incidents locally.Volvo Cars has identified a potential issue with high-voltage battery cells manufactured by a particular supplier on certain model year 2024-2026 EX30 Single Motor Extended Range and Twin Motor Performance cars," a spokesperson said."In rare cases, the battery can overheat when charged to a high level, which could in a worst-case scenario lead to a fire starting in the battery. Safety is a top priority for Volvo Cars, and while the number of reported incidents is very small – representing around 0.02% of the cars we have identified as potentially affected – and we have no reports of related personal injuries, we are treating it very seriously. "We plan to roll out a recall as soon as possible to fix the cars in question. In the meantime, we are contacting all affected owners to ask them to limit their cars’ maximum charge level to 70%. We will contact them again as soon as a fix is available. Other models are not affected by this notice, and not all variants of EX30 are affected."Owners of affected vehicles will be contacted by Volvo requesting to schedule an appointment to have the repair work carried out free of charge.The EX30 has proved a solid seller in the compact SUV space in Australia, following its launch in 2024, starting from $59,990 (before on-road costs).Volvo launched a cross country version of the EX30 back in September 2025.

Some of Australia's favourite models will see their safety ratings lapse in 2026.

Suzuki Australia is urging customers to not use the rear seats of its new Fronx small SUV until a fix can be identified.The Japanese carmaker is now officially recalling certain examples of the Fronx following a major safety defect that was uncovered during crash testing by independent Australian safety authority ANCAP.A total of 324 examples of the Fronx are being recalled due to a manufacturing defect that may cause the rear left seat belt retractor mechanism to not work as intended.As a result, excessive seat belt lengths may be released in the event of crash or hard braking.A total of 324 vehicles are affectedVehicles were produced during 2025VIN lists are attached here and hereIf you own an affected vehicle, Suzuki Australia advises customers to “immediately cease” using the rear seats.The Japanese carmaker is still undertaking “urgent investigations of this phenomenon”. It will detail any further actions required from affected customers at a later date.This follows the Fronx receiving a one-star safety rating from ANCAP.It received 48 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, 40 per cent for Child Occupant Protection, 65 per cent for Vulnerable Road User Protection and 55 per cent for Safety Assist.Due to a number of issues noted in the frontal offset physical crash test, the Fronx received zero points in the test.Protection for the driver’s chest was weak and adequate for lower legs, rearward displacement of the pedals was excessive and protection of the driver’s feet marginal, plus structures in the instrument panel and dashboard were found to be potential sources of injury to occupants.Additionally, rear passenger chest protection was poor, with high chest deflection and high seatbelt load.“What concerns us is that this particular vehicle could have been purchased by an ordinary consumer, and in an on-road crash this failure could have had serious consequences for the person sitting in the back seat,” ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said.“ANCAP’s view is that adult and child passengers should not travel in the rear seats of the Suzuki Fronx until the reason for the failure has been determined and relevant rectifications have been carried out.”Suzuki, at least at surface level, has been struggling to achieve high ANCAP safety ratings over the past few years.Before the Fronx’s one-star rating, the Swift had a one-star rating that was then revised in 2025 to a three-star rating following additional front-end reinforcement to align it with the European-specification model.The Jimny and Vitara are now unrated as it has been over seven years since they were last crash-tested.Earlier this year Suzuki Australia Managing Director Michael Pachota weighed in on the company’s relationship with ANCAP and whether the scores are affecting sales.“Obviously, ANCAP exists, and it's an independent body that does crash testing for Australian consumer knowledge,” Pachota told CarsGuide in August 2025.“But with that said, our safety features, the safety suite, are constantly advancing, and accident avoidance or prevention technology is getting better and better.“Our, for example, Swift is a much safer car than the previous car, but with the goal posts moving so quickly on the ANCAP ruling, the previous car outgoing was a five-star safety rating, and all of a sudden the new one was a one-star. So tell me how that works.“Look, safety is a high priority, absolutely,” added Pachota.“But with that said, we believe our vehicles are definitely safe and fit for purpose. Otherwise they wouldn't be allowed into the country. ADR, strictly has requirements to make sure the vehicle is safe. “So the vehicles allowed in the country, and ADRs in Australia, as you know, are quite, quite strict in terms of comparison to other countries.“Then tell me that car’s not safe.”When asked about the differences in specifications between Australia and the rest of the world, and whether our cars were up to scratch in the global context, Pachota pointed to the average age of cars on Australian roads.“Absolutely. It's funny, you know, like you can get a car that a decade ago got a five-star safety rating, five years ago got a five-star safety rating and wouldn't even be eligible for a one star or even a zero at this stage. “ majority of the Australian car park is nowhere near ANCAP’s ratings now. Nowhere near. So tell me, is everyone not safe now? Should we be scared?”According to the most recent Australian Motor Vehicle Census released in 2021 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average age of vehicles registered at the time was 10.6 years, a figure unlikely to have changed dramatically in the time since, given previous similar figures.Pachota added, “I think it's not about if it's important to Suzuki or not, it's whether or not it's important to the customer, and if the customer can see the safety features and understand what's in the vehicle, and if they need to go to a third party source to get an evaluation, that is entirely up to the customer, and we respect that in the customer's journey.”