1 month ago
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Australia's new-car safety authority has awarded the all-new MG ZS small SUV four out of five stars for its overall safety.
The 2025 MG ZS has been labeled with a four-star safety rating by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program – better known as ANCAP.
The four stars apply to all hybrid ZS models built after September 2024, with the small MG SUV falling short of the full five stars due to its score in the Adult Occupant Protection evaluation.
According to ANCAP, vehicles are required to receive a score of 80 per cent – with the ZS reaching 75 per cent – to achieve five stars.
The independent government-funded program specifically called out the SUV's lack of a centre airbag, which can help the two front occupants from colliding with each other in the event of a side impact.
However, the ZS missed out on scoring up to four points for Adult Occupant Protection with the Far Side Impact test, due to the test not being conducted by ANCAP's sister organisation, Euro NCAP.
The ZS also scored poorly for its AEB Backover test, due to the system not reacting to vulnerable road users when in reverse.
Of the other main categories of assessment, the MG scored 79 per cent for Safety Assist and 73 per cent for Vulnerable Road User Protection (meaning cyclists and pedestrians) – but received its highest score of 84 per cent for Child Occupant Protection.
Across the many individual tests which make up each section, the small SUV scored highly in Adult Occupant Protection when in a Full Width Frontal impact, as well as scoring near full points for Oblique Pole and Whiplash Protection tests, and receiving a perfect score for Side Impact.
In the Vulnerable Road User Protection section, the MG received a perfect score for Knee and Tibia Protection, with decent scores for both AEB Motorcycle and LSS motorcycle tests.
For Child Occupant Protection, ANCAP awarded full points for Restraint Installation, and 1.46 out of 16 for Dynamic Test (Front).
"The MG ZS’s four-star rating underscores the need for strong and balanced safety performance across all crash protection and prevention areas," said ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg.
"While the vehicle demonstrated strong performance in certain crash tests, improvements in Adult Occupant Protection – such as incorporating features like a centre airbag and enhancing rear seatbelt performance – would help elevate its safety outcomes to better meet the expectations of today’s market," she said.
The MG ZS comes standard with six airbags, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, radar cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition with overspeed alert, low-speed rear collision warning, door exit warning, driver fatigue warning, and passenger seatbelt warning.
Ben Zachariah is an experienced writer and motoring journalist from Melbourne, having worked in the automotive industry for more than two decades. Ben began writing professionally more than 15 years ago and was previously an interstate truck driver. He completed his MBA in Finance in early 2021 and is considered an expert on classic car investment.
