Stark warnings for 2023 MG5 and Mahindra Scorpio models which were given a zero-star ANCAP safety rating
A Wellard man has described his frustration after purchasing a brand new vehicle only to discover its zero-star safety rating when attempting to insure the vehicle.
John De Menezes bought his MG5 Vibe brand new for $25,000 and said he was happy with his purchase until he attempted to insure the car with RAC and learnt he couldn’t. It was then he discovered the zero star rating by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program.
“I was blown away by that (the zero-star rating),” he said.
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“(The dealer) gave me an insurer who could insure the car. So I did but it was $400 more than the RAC would have charged for that type of small car, so $400 down straight away.
“I am at a loss as to why this model car is on our road, after watching the ANCAP crash tests, it is a bloody deathtrap.
“If I had known about the rating, I would not have purchased the car.”
John De Menezes bought an MG5 Vibe only to discover it’s zero-ANCAP safety rating making it nearly impossible to insure and labelled it a “lemon”. Daniel Wilkins Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West Australian
Mr De Menezes said he wanted to see a law where such low ratings were disclosed to the buyer before its purchase. He described his purchase as “a brand new lemon”.
“When such large sums of money are involved, our government should be able to step up and protect us from such poorly made vehicles,” he said.
“It’s cheaper than most new cars yes, but most people also value their safety above price.”
In a statement provided to PerthNow, an MG Motor Australia spokesperson said, “at no point was the customer misled by the dealer on safety ratings for the MG5.”
The 2023 MG5 and 2023 Mahindra Scorpio, priced from $41,990, were both given zero-star safety ratings by ANCAP in December, making them the two lowest rated vehicles for safety on the new car market.
ANCAP’s website listed current ratings for a total of 238 vehicles, with 58 yet to be rated and 165 (70 per cent) rated five stars.
Importantly, the MG5 and Mahindra Scorpio were the only zero-rated vehicles, with the next lowest rating of three stars given to three vehicles — the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, 2019 Jeep Wrangler and 2019 Suzuki Jimny.
Statistics obtained from the Department of Transport found the number of these vehicles registered was under 250 for the Mahindra Scorpio and less than 750 for the MG5.
MG5 ANCAP safety testing. Credit: ANCAP
The MG5 testing found alarming issues for the driver and passengers in the event of a crash with the report stating “loading on the head and neck of the child dummies was significantly higher than seen in most current generation vehicles” and labelled a “lack of design effort to prevent rear-seat occupant injury in frontal impact and side impact scenarios.”
Seatbelt pretensioners, which automatically tighten the seat belt when it detects a change in G-force to prevent whiplash, were also found to not be present in the Vibe model of the MG5.
Mahindra Scorpio ANCAP testing. Credit: ANCAP
The Mahindra Scorpio was found to not equip any form of active collision-avoidance features, including seat belt reminders and lane support, and scored 0 per cent in the safety assist area of assessment.
“Both brands have misjudged the safety expectations of today’s consumers,” ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said in December.
“The MG5 and Mahindra Scorpio were released into the Australasian market for the first time . . . yet it’s clear that their safety offerings are some generations behind what we see with almost every new car on sale today.”
“This is a stark reminder that not all cars offer the same level of safety — even when they’re brand new models.”
WA Centre for Road Safety Research at UWA deputy director Paul Roberts described the findings as “very concerning” and urged consumers to prioritise safety when in the market for a new vehicle.
He said the MG5 was “not a car you want with kids” with the ANCAP report highlighting a low side-impact score as well as a child occupant protection score of just 58 per cent.
“(The zero-star ratings) are very concerning because of the progress that we’ve made in road safety in Australia . . . to be selling a vehicle that seems, in many ways, the equivalent of a vehicle that you might have seen on the roads in the 1980s is probably a bit shocking really,” Dr Roberts said.
“We have Australian design rules for vehicles but they don’t incorporate safety in that way, in terms of star-rating.”
Dr Roberts said the risk has been compounded with a trend towards larger “American-style” vehicles which would have devastating affects if they collided with a zero-safety rated vehicle.
He said younger drivers were also more likely to drive in vehicles which hold a lower safety rating, because of their price.
“Younger drivers are already at a greater risk of serious injury and death on the road, so we really want them to be in a safe vehicle,” Dr Roberts said.
“The reason why people are buying these cars is because they look like a bargain, but you only get one chance at life. You may be saving a few thousand dollars but it may be at the expense of your physical wellbeing.
“I would strongly encourage people to buy the highest star-rated car that they can afford even if it’s a bit more expensive, and it will be more expensive because it costs money to build these safety features into the vehicle.”
This was echoed by the Road Safety Commissioner Adrian Warner who encouraged drivers to choose a car with at least four stars..
RAC manager for vehicles and fuels Alex Forrest said the insurer was committed to improving safety of its customers by not insuring cars with less than a four-star ANCAP rating.
“In 2012 we made a major commitment to road safety by choosing to not insure or finance any vehicle that was built in, or after 2012 with an ANCAP rating of less than 4 stars,” he said.
“It is critical to prioritise safety when buying a car. Buying a car that has a minimum 4-star ANCAP safety rating significantly increases your chances of survival and reduces your risk of serious injury in the event of a crash.
“According to ANCAP, a vehicle with 0 stars provides a poor level of structural or active safety performance and may lack basic safety features.”
Mr Forrest said vehicles which have are yet to be rated by ANCAP will be insured, however if they receive a rating less than four stars RAC will not insure the vehicle from that point forward.
MG Motor Australia said it worked closely with the Australian Government to ensure the MG5 met the relevant Australian design rules and said the model will undergo safety upgrades this year.
“In 2024, the MG5 will receive a safety pack upgrade which will increase the overall safety of this model in line with ANCAP’s rating system,” the spokesperson said.
“These planned enhancements for the MG5 will reiterate our commitment to customers and ensure further passenger safety with a much more advanced ADAS systems including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Speed Assist systems, Lane Assist systems and Pedestrian Protection safety systems as seen in some of our other models.”
“MG is investing in additional hardware safety upgrades for the MG5 that include dynamic load tensioners, seat belt reminders, occupant monitoring, calf protection, seat belt pretensioner, forward impact sensor (preventing or mitigating frontal collisions)’.”
A Mahindra Australia spokesperson similarly said they were “working towards meeting unique safety regulations and these requirements for Australia as part of our product mid-cycle update”.
New car ratings can be accessed via the ANCAP website and used car ratings can be accessed through the Road Safety Commission website.