A string of 5 stars kicks off the New Year with the Mercedes-Benz GLC, Lexus RX and the Jaguar XE all awarded the highest ANCAP safety ratings.

All three high end models boast a suite of advanced crash avoidance technologies as standard including Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC).

"It's promising to see more of our national fleet fitted with technologies that help drivers avoid or reduce the impact of crashes," says AA Motoring Services General Manager Stella Stocks.

"As the market becomes more competitive we'll continue to see manufacturers fitting vehicles at all points in the market with these types of technologies as standard, which is good news for New Zealand consumers looking to buy the safest car they can afford.

"This, coupled with attentive driving on safe roads, will go a long way in making sure people get home to their family and friends safely," she says.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC, Lexus RX and the Jaguar XE all carry curtain airbags as standard as well as technologies which provide good protection of pedestrians in case of a crash.

The 5 star ratings apply to all variants of the three vehicle models.

ANCAP is supported by all Australian motoring clubs, the New Zealand Automobile Association, the Australian Government, the New Zealand Government, Australian state and territory governments, the Victorian Transport Accident Commission, NRMA Insurance and the FIA Foundation.

The full list of ANCAP’s vehicle safety ratings, other vehicle safety information and the specifications of the rated vehicles are available online at the AA and NZTA websites.