Large SUVs gain top marks for safety
A pair of large SUVs have secured five-star safety ratings after being to the test by the team from ANCAP.
The Kia Sorento and Land Rover Defender achieved “maximum safety ratings against the most stringent 2020 standards”, says Australasia’s independent voice on vehicle safety.
All variants of the Defender carry the five-star rating, but the same accolade only applies to diesel versions of the Sorento.
The new-generation Sorento, pictured, performed well across the physical crash tests and it scored 89 per cent in the safety assist category – the highest marks achieved to date against increased 2020 assessment criteria.
Rhianne Robson, ANCAP’s director – communications and advocacy, says the model introduces a number of new safety features to the large SUV segment including an advanced autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system with the ability to brake to prevent collisions when turning in front of another vehicle.
“For a vehicle of its size and mass, the Sorento also offers good levels of compatibility with other vehicles – reducing the risk of serious injury to occupants in an opponent vehicle,” she adds.
The latest version of the Land Rover Defender also impressed across four key areas of safety assessment.
“Adult occupant protection and child occupant protection scored well, with maximum points recorded for adult occupants in the side impact and oblique pole tests, and for child occupants in the frontal offset and side impact tests,” explains Robson.
“In contrast to the Sorento however, the front structure of the Defender presents a higher risk to occupants of an oncoming vehicle in a crash, and as a result, its score in the frontal offset test was reduced.”
Three rows of seating are available in both SUVs, but ANCAP notes the transport of young children in the optional third row of the Defender is limited due to the lack of top tether anchorages.
It adds the fitting of some ISOFix child restraints in the third row of the Sorento is possible, however these must be installed with care to ensure they can be safely accommodated.
Robson says 2020 has been a year of significant change and ANCAP is “pleased to see vehicle brands continue to recognise the importance of five-star safety despite increasing standards”.
Nick Rogers, executive director, product engineering at Jaguar Land Rover, describes the top rating for its vehicle as an “incredible honour”.
“From the moment we started creating the new Defender, we were obsessed with functional safety and the protection of both the occupants and other road users,” he explains.
“We set out to make a vehicle that is the most capable and durable Land Rover ever made, with safety features that truly enhance the driver’s experience.”
Post-crash rescue sheets for the Sorento and Defender have been supplied by the respective manufacturers for inclusion in the ANCAP Rescue app, which provides vital information to help first responders at the scene of a crash.
