There is now greater choice for those in the market for a safe commercial van or people mover after the recent release of several 5 star ANCAP safety ratings.

Mercedes-Benz and Ford both have the ‘safety first’ concept sorted, especially on their commercial offerings, with the popular 2016 Ford Transit Custom earning top ratings alongside all variants of the Tourneo Custom from March 2014 onwards.

The Mercedes-Benz V class and the more commercially focused Valente also scored 5 star safety ratings.

The Vito was issued a dual rating after the release of two variants of the model – a 5 star version that comes with head-protecting side (curtain) airbags, and a 4 star version that comes without the feature. But after discussions with ANCAP, Mercedes will make curtain airbags standard in all variants of the Vito built after July 2016.

AA Motoring Services General Manager Stella Stocks says it’s good to see businesses having more choice for their commercial fleets.

“The price points for these vans alone vary massively from around $35,000 through to more than $100,000 showing that New Zealanders, and particularly business owners, don’t need to compromise on safety to get an affordable vehicle,” says Ms Stocks.

“It’s also fantastic to see Mercedes working to amend its 4 star rating. My advice to consumers is that the $1000 price difference for curtain airbags shouldn’t be a reason to overlook the safety of the driver and the front seat passenger,” she adds.

Within the medium car market, the Hyundai Elantra achieved the highest safety rating coming equipped with a number of the usual safety features including Electronic Stability Control (ESC) which helps the driver stay in control of the vehicle in the event of a slide or swerve, and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) which helps to prevent nose to tail crashes.

While the 5 star rated Kia Picanto has been available in New Zealand since 2011, it’s only now entering the Australian market. The small car punches above its weight with good crash test results and a number of safety assist technologies.

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 NZTA websites.

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.