ANCAP rates Suzuki e VITARA four stars, Audi Q3 earns five
Missing a centre airbag costs the e VITARA a perfect score, while the new Audi Q3 and updated Audi A3 and Cupra Leon all achieve five stars in ANCAP's latest round of safety testing.
Rob Leigh
ANCAP has released safety ratings for five models, with the all-electric Suzuki e VITARA and the refreshed Nissan Qashqai both landing on four stars while the Audi Q3, Audi A3 and Cupra Leon each score five.
The e VITARA's result was dragged down by its Adult Occupant Protection score, where performance ranged from good to weak in the full-width test. ANCAP specifically flagged the absence of a head-protecting centre airbag as a contributing factor to the lower result. Its child occupant protection (87%) and vulnerable road user scores (79%) were stronger, but not enough to offset the adult occupant shortfall.
The Audi Q3 impressed across the board, posting an 87% Adult Occupant score and 83% in Safety Assist under ANCAP's 2023-2025 criteria.
| Model | ANCAP Rating | Adult Occupant | Child Occupant | Vulnerable Road User | Safety Assist |
| Audi A3 | ★★★★★ | 86% | 80% | 76% | 75% |
| Audi Q3 | ★★★★★ | 87% | 86% | 80% | 83% |
| Cupra Leon | ★★★★★ | 88% | 86% | 82% | 82% |
| Nissan Qashqai | ★★★★ | 78% | 91% | 68% | 62% |
| Suzuki e VITARA | ★★★★ | 77% | 87% | 79% | 71% |
The Nissan Qashqai drops from five stars to four following reassessment after specification changes. Child occupant protection is its standout at 91%, but its Safety Assist score of 62% and Vulnerable Road User result of 68% fell short of five-star benchmarks.
The Audi A3 and Cupra Leon both retain five-star ratings after their own reassessments, with the Cupra Leon posting the strongest Adult Occupant score of the group at 88%.
ANCAP CEO Carla Hoorweg said the e VITARA result showed Suzuki is capable of delivering solid safety performance, but that consistent results across all areas are needed to reach the top rating.
For buyers considering the e VITARA, the four-star result is worth weighing against five-star rivals in the small electric SUV segment.
