Mitsubishi’s newest addition to New Zealand’s SUV mix – the Eclipse Cross - will join the market early next year with a 5 star safety rating from the Australasia New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP).

The Eclipse Cross did well across the crash tests, scoring one of the highest scores for adult occupant protection in its class.

AA Motoring Services General Manager Stella Stocks says it’s fantastic to see Mitsubishi creating mid-range vehicles that rival some of the more expensive models in terms of safety.

“It shows that price isn’t indicative of a vehicle’s safety and that there are plenty of options for Kiwi drivers looking for safe vehicles at every price point,” says Ms Stocks.

The small SUV also comes equipped with a wide range of safety assist technologies, which help to prevent crashes, including all three grades of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC).

The 5 star safety rating applies to all variants of the Eclipse Cross.

The full list of ANCAP’s vehicle safety ratings, other vehicle safety information and the specifications of the rated vehicles are available online at ancap.co.nz or rightcar.govt.nz.

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.