The Australian new-vehicle marketplace has changed dramatically over the past couple of decades, and much of the change has been driven by car safety.
Customers are demanding improved levels of occupant and pedestrian safety, and since 1992 the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has been leading the charge in pressing local car companies to oblige.
But there were five new cars that stood head and shoulders above the rest in terms of safety in 2016, with ANCAP representatives telling motoring.com.au the following cars were "standout performers when all key elements of our safety assessments are considered".
• Toyota Prius
• Mazda CX-9
• Subaru Levorg
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class
• Lexus IS
Interestingly, four of the five cars nominated by ANCAP hail from Japan – including the Toyota, Mazda, Subaru and Lexus, while the Mercedes-Benz is German.
ANCAP CEO James Goodwin said 2016 was a big year for car safety improvements, with ANCAP publishing 45 new vehicle ratings.
"Market coverage is now at a record high with 92 per cent of new-car sales holding an ANCAP safety rating. [And] 96 per cent of those rated by ANCAP this year have been five-star performers.
"This year has seen active safety assist technologies enter our market across a wider variety of market segments and price points, and 2017 will no doubt see a further acceleration in this important area of vehicle safety," observed Goodwin.
Adding to Euro NCAP's top three safest cars of 2016 – the Toyota Prius, Hyundai IONIQ and VW Tiguan – ANCAP's top safety picks come as the authority's first chairman, Lauchlan McIntosh AM, steps down from his position.
Described as a tireless road safety campaigner, McIntosh retires from the ANCAP Board of Directors this month, having held the position for more than 20 years.
He helped establish ANCAP in 1992, well before Euro NCAP was founded in 1997. One of the oldest global safety authorities is the USA's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which can be traced back to 1978.
McIntosh will continue to have a role in furthering road safety by working with Global NCAP.
As ANCAP Chair Wendy Machin, said: "Around 2000 Australians died on our roads each year in the early 1990s but today, notwithstanding the increase in mobility, fatalities have dropped to 1300.
"Safer vehicles have been a major contributor to this and Lauchlan's influence and dedication to the cause has been a constant driver."