BYD Seal 6, MG4 EV Urban, Tesla Model Y L, Skoda Octavia earn five-star ANCAP ratings

The latest round of crash testing from ANCAP Safety has delivered a clean sweep of five-star ratings, with strong results for electrified vehicles now on sale or under consideration for New Zealand.

Leading the pack is the BYD Seal 6, which achieved the highest Adult Occupant Protection score of the group at 92 per cent. Offered as a sedan in Australia and soon-to-be-released station wagon here in New Zealand, the plug-in hybrid recorded strong results across all four key assessment areas, with ANCAP noting good protection for occupants across nearly all critical body regions in crash testing.

Also earning top marks is the MG4 EV Urban, a battery-electric small car that went on sale in March 2026. It delivered consistent performance across all categories, including solid crash protection and effective autonomous emergency braking in pedestrian and cyclist scenarios. ANCAP confirmed the five-star rating applies across the full MG4 EV Urban lineup.

The larger, three-row Tesla Model Y L has also secured a five-star result, building on the performance of the standard Model Y. It scored particularly well in Safety Assist and Adult Occupant Protection. However, ANCAP flagged some concerns around child restraint installation, especially in the second and third rows, where certain restraints were difficult or not possible to fit correctly due to top-tether routing and ISOFIX limitations.

Meanwhile, the Skoda Octavia retains its five-star safety rating following a reassessment of vehicles built from July 2025, confirming it continues to meet the latest testing criteria.

ANCAP chief executive officer Carla Hoorweg said the results highlight the growing strength of safety performance across a diverse range of vehicles.

“These results highlight clear strengths across these models,” said Ms Hoorweg.

“The BYD Seal 6 leads the group on Adult Occupant Protection, the Tesla Model Y L tops it on Safety Assist, and the MG4 EV Urban holds its own against both as a small electric car.

“Buyers now have more choice than ever before. ANCAP star ratings provide independent, rigorous assessments of how well vehicles prevent crashes and protect occupants and other road users in serious crashes – meaning consumers can make an informed choice when it comes to safety.”