It might be brand-new, but that doesn’t mean your chosen mid-size SUV is as safe as other models in its class
Building in a basic basket of safety technologies across every new model range is a given for todays’ automotive industry. Yet independent safety ratings are not as straightforward as they seem when comparing similar models, such as the contenders for carsales’ Best Mid-Size SUV 2022. Advances in safety tech are routinely introduced into new models, but can’t easily be added to existing models – sometimes leaving a safety gap between older and new releases. What’s more, some car-makers now use safety as a key point of difference, and it really shows in this group.
There are certain safety features you can expect as standard in all 14 contenders for carsales’ Best Mid-Size SUV 2022, and it’s worth remembering that some of this now-expected safety tech wasn’t even available on any vehicle just 10 years ago.
The industry really has made some very big advances in automotive safety in recent times.
All models in contention for this year’s award are fitted with an anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), electronic brake assist (EBA), forward collision warning (FCW), autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and LED headlights.
Above and beyond these safety features there are some important differences – the most significant concerning their crash safety ratings as judged by the independent Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).
But having a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating doesn’t place a new car on an equal footing with another if it was not tested under exactly the same assessment criteria, which has become increasingly stringent over the years.
In particular, there was a major uptick in testing protocols in 2017, and then again in 2020.
So you can be confident that five-star-rated models tested since 2020 are among the safest in their class, whereas the same cannot be said for those tested before then.
With that in mind, the Volkswagen Tiguan has a five-star safety rating which dates back to 2016, while the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Nissan X-TRAIL and Skoda Karoq have a five-star rating awarded under tougher testing introduced in 2017.
Where the Ford Escape, MG HS, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4 all have five-star results from 2019, the Hyundai Tucson achieved its five-star marker under the latest 2021 assessment.
Similarly, the Haval H6 and Mitsubishi Outlander are the freshest of the five-star players, both with a rating awarded this year.
Notably, the Kia Sportage has not been tested by ANCAP yet; Kia says an ANCAP rating announcement is due around July. Given its extensive safety spec, a five-star result is anticipated.
Elsewhere, the five-star rating for the Renault Koleos awarded in 2017 only relates to front-drive models, not the AWD Intens we have here; it is therefore classed as unrated – and unlikely to ever be assessed under the current regime, given the Koleos is deep into its current lifecycle.
All the models in this contest have at least six airbags as standard, including front, front side and side curtain airbags.
In addition, the H6, Tucson and Sportage have a centre front airbag, while the Karoq, Forester, RAV4 and Tiguan include a driver’s knee airbag. The new Outlander has both a centre front and driver’s knee airbag on board, making for a total of eight airbags – the highest number among all 14 contenders.
Moving onto advanced driver assist systems, the full suite of inter-urban AEB – with vulnerable road user and junction protection – plus rear back-over protection (auto braking), is not a given here.
Only the Haval, Hyundai, Kia and Mitsubishi cover off all these safety particulars.
Furthermore, rear cross traffic alert is fitted to most models, but there are three models that go without – the Honda, Renault and Skoda.
The Karoq is also the only vehicle in this group of high-spec mid-size SUVs to not have lane departure warning (LDW) and lane keep assist (LKA) as standard; buyers need to tick an option package to obtain these features.
Blind spot monitoring (BSM) gets a big tick for all except the Honda and Skoda. Honda fits the CR-V with ‘Lane Watch’, which provides a camera view behind and to the (left) side when indicating left. For Karoq, BSM is again only provided in an extra-cost option pack.
Front and rear parking sensors are fitted to all models on test except the MG and Skoda, which have rear sensors only, and the Subaru, which has no sensors at all.
While all have a reversing camera, there are six models – Escape, CR-V, Koleos, Karoq, Forester and Tiguan – that lack a full 360-degree ‘bird’s eye view’ camera that’s found everywhere else.
A driver impairment monitor is standard for all but the MG, Renault and the Toyota.
Tyre pressure monitoring is another ‘almost, but not quite all’ feature: it’s standard on all but the Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota.
Only the Outlander and Forester have mis-acceleration mitigation, while lane following assist and secondary collision mitigation is only offered with the Haval, Tucson and Forester.
Unique to the Escape is its ‘My Key’ feature, which allows certain driving features to be configured and set by the owner, such as restricting audio volume and limiting maximum speed. This feature could be useful when inexperienced drivers use the vehicle.
Finally, the two Korean twins – Tucson and Sportage – are the only SUVs here to offer a safe exit warning.
Ford Escape Vignale AWDANCAP safety rating (year): Five-star (2019)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 6/ N/NBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/NLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: Y/Y
Haval H6 Ultra AWDANCAP safety rating (year): Five -star (2022)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 7/N/YBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/YLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: Y/Y
Honda CR-V VTi LXANCAP safety rating (year): Five-star (2017)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 6/N/NBlind spot monitoring: NForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/NLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: N
Parking sensors front/rear: Y/Y
Hyundai Tucson Highlander AWDANCAP safety rating (year): Five-star (2021)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 7/N/YBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/YLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: Y/Y
Kia Sportage GT-LineANCAP safety rating (year): Not testedAEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 7/N/YBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/YLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: Y/Y
Mazda CX-5 AkeraANCAP safety rating (year): Five-star (2017)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 6/N/NBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/YLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: Y/Y
MG HS Essence XANCAP safety rating (year): Five-star (2019)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 6/N/NBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/YLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: N/Y
Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed TourerANCAP safety rating (year): Five-star (2022)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 8/Y/YBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/YLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: Y/Y
Nissan X-TRAIL TiANCAP safety rating (year): Five-star (2017)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 6/N/NBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/YLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: N/Y
Renault Koleos Intens AWDANCAP safety rating (year): NoneAEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 6/N/NBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/YLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: N/Y
Skoda Karoq 140TSI SportlineANCAP safety rating (year): Five-star (2017)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 7/Y/NBlind spot monitoring: NForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/NLane departure warning: NLane keep assist: NRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: N/Y
Subaru Forester 2.5i-SANCAP safety rating (year): Five-star (2019)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 7/Y/NBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/NLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: N/N
Toyota RAV4 EdgeANCAP safety rating (year): Five-star (2019)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 7/Y/NBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/YLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: Y/Y
Volkswagen Tiguan 162TSI EleganceANCAP safety rating (year): Five-star (2016)AEB: YesAirbags/driver’s knee/centre front: 7/Y/NBlind spot monitoring: YForward collision warning: YRear/360-degree camera: Y/NLane departure warning: YLane keep assist: YRear cross traffic alert: Y
Parking sensors front/rear: Y/Y