Updated vehicle ratings online

The NZTA has updated the safety ratings of used vehicles on Rightcar.govt.nz with the message people are twice as safe in a five-star model compared to those with one star.

The ratings for 2025 draw from 9.5 million vehicles and 2.6 million injured road users involved in police-reported crashes in New Zealand and Australia between 1987 and 2023.

Vehicle safety continues to improve, which has pleased the agency, with the average risk of death or serious injury in the event of an accident for drivers in 2023 models some 43 per cent lower than in those manufactured in 2001. 

The overall safety of the light fleet has gone up by more than 50 per cent based on data analysed by Monash University’s accident research centre.

Todd Wylie, the NZTA’s principal adviser of vehicle safety, says: “Your choice of vehicle could make all the difference in avoiding a crash, and in protecting you and loved ones from serious injury or death if a crash happens. 

“Buying a safe car is one of the most important decisions you can make, and you can find high-rated options in most price ranges and vehicle categories.”

Key highlights for 2025

• Ratings have changed for 16 per cent of light vehicles with 642 models decreasing by one star, driven by newer, safer ones entering the fleet.

• 46 models now have UCSR ratings instead of estimated ratings. These include Tesla’s Model 3 becoming first fully electric car to achieve a UCSR – it’s rated with five stars – and popular models such as Ford Everest, Mazda CX-30 and MG3.

• SUVs lead in safety – medium and small SUVs have the highest proportion of five-star models, followed by people movers and medium-sized cars.

• Older vehicles perform poorly – 76 per cent of models with one star are from before the year 2000.

• Commercial utes perform worst overall – 77 per cent score only one or two stars and now have the poorest safety performance among recent models, despite growing popularity.

• Many poor-performing vehicles are driven by novice drivers, increasing their risk.
• Almost 1.5 million models are now rated as five-star.

The ratings explained

More than 700,000 used vehicles’ safety ratings have changed this year. These include some newer models moving from expired ANCAP ratings to used-car safety ratings (UCSR), which are based on real-world crash data.

The updated ratings apply to most cars, SUVs, utes and other light vehicles on our roads. To achieve a five-star overall rating, a vehicle must provide “excellent protection for people in it, good protection for other road users and key crash-avoidance features”.

“The worst vehicles for overall performance are responsible for more than a five-fold increase in road trauma resulting from crashes in which they’re involved,” adds Wylie, pictured above. “That’s why checking ratings before you buy is so critical.”

Safety ratings change over time. To check, visit Rightcar.govt.nz and type in the number plate or make and model of the vehicle.