Safest car sold in Australia is...

[Wretched]

The safest car to be sold in Australia is not a Volvo or even a Mercedes-Benz. It's not even European.

It's a Hyundai.

The South Korean car maker's Genesis flagship sedan, which launches early next month, has taken its first victory over the luxury car establishment.
The Genesis received a near-perfect score.

The Genesis received a near-perfect score.

The Genesis, which promises European luxury levels at a discounted price, has received the highest score issued in the history of Australian crash testing.

The Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has awarded the car a five star safety result, which came on the back of a near-perfect overall crash score of 36.88 points out of 37.

The result edges it ahead of rival luxury cars such as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Volvo S60 which claim crash scores of 36.46 and 36.34 respectively.
ANCAP praised the car for its long list of standard features.

ANCAP praised the car for its long list of standard features.

Hyundai received 15.88 points out of 16 in the traditional front offset collision test, along with full marks for side impact and pole tests.

Hyundai Australia chief executive Charlie Kim says the car was built with strength in mind.

"This record ANCAP test score for Genesis speaks volumes about our flagship car's structural integrity, its safety features and the technologies provided as standard," he says.

Kim points out that "every car Hyundai sells in Australia has achieved the maximum 5 star ANCAP safety rating, other than iLoad van and iMax people mover rated at 4 stars".

ANCAP chair Lauchlan McIntosh says the result was helped by the Genesis' long list of standard features which includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, electronic stability control, nine airbags, a pedestrian-friendly pop-up bonnet and more.

"The Genesis is Hyundai's flagship model and as such offers a high level of physical crashworthiness and excellent safety features as standard," he says.

"This is one of the first times we have seen the word 'Standard' listed against almost every safety feature on our checklist. Importantly, autonomous emergency braking is one of these standard features - one that has recently been left off many new models hitting our shores."

The Genesis goes on sale locally in November. Hyundai has not yet confirmed prices for the range, though the full-size sedan is expected to sell for well less than $80,000.

http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/h...23-11a4zv.html

[mik]

hyundai and kia will end up owning the car market the way they are going.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by mik

hyundai and kia will end up owning the car market the way they are going.

I agree they are heading that way, but for some reason I can't see myself myself becoming an owner of one.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by tempted

How is it that Volvo and Mercedes Benz have been safety pioneers for decades and Hyundai has been building shoddy death traps up until just recently, but all of a sudden they're doing it better? Something doesn't add up here.

Which ones? The original Excel? How long a go was that?

It could be that they have decided to invest money and better their product with each iteration?

[Alan D Segal]

@blueoval Have you driven a recent one? Nothing wrong with them. Top that off with a long warranty, reasonable pricing for the car and servicing and there's not much to make people shy away.

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by tempted

How is it that Volvo and Mercedes Benz have been safety pioneers for decades and Hyundai has been building shoddy death traps up until just recently, but all of a sudden they're doing it better? Something doesn't add up here.

Im guessing Hyundai have decided to build a good car. previously they built to a budget and spec now their assault on the world up-market has begun they decide to Build better. Shouldn't be hard to fathom they aren't a backyard mechanic and Korea is leaps ahead of many manufacturing nations if a profit is there.
I suspect however the car was designed to excel at the crash ratings system but time will tell.
and an 80K Hyundai. Hard to say, even harder to grasp.

JP

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Alan D Segal

@blueoval Have you driven a recent one? Nothing wrong with them. Top that off with a long warranty, reasonable pricing for the car and servicing and there's not much to make people shy away.

Yep. my mates 2013 I30 hatch (Driven to Lorne and back from SA recently) and my mums 2013 IX35 Highlander (which sits in my driveway till she returns from holdays). I agree, they drive well, are pretty good on fuel. Have great warranty, but the quality in areas still lacks.

My mums IX35 has been back to the dealer for menial things. Her windscreen wipers did not work during winter, took it to the dealer and it took a week to get that replaced. Roof rack cover to the mounting plate fell off. Took months to replace.

My mates I30 is better and I havent heard any failings from him yet.

I guess it's my mind set on the brand itself that needs to look at things for what it is. Yes they have improved in the past 5-10years but I am still very happy with my 7yo Subaru which has been and continues to be excellent.

[Sioso]

Great that the safety is improving but I would still prefer alert/aware drivers in unsafe cars than the other way around.
Based on what I see on the roads that isn't going to happen anytime soon....

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by T.O.Wallace

Great that the safety is improving but I would still prefer alert/aware drivers in unsafe cars than the other way around.
Based on what I see on the roads that isn't going to happen anytime soon....

Nice thought.
Make cars dangerous and involved like say a 1970s escort or falcon or 1990's hyundais or whatevs and people might start paying attention and driving more cerefully.

'Id like the 5 star danger rating please as I have difficulty concentrating on what I'm doing'

JP

[mik]

Originally Posted by blueoval

I agree they are heading that way, but for some reason I can't see myself myself becoming an owner of one.

Ditto Shav !

[mik]

Originally Posted by T.O.Wallace

Great that the safety is improving but I would still prefer alert/aware drivers in unsafe cars than the other way around.
Based on what I see on the roads that isn't going to happen anytime soon....

I look at some of these safety aids like the lane warning in the mirrors, it requires driver x to be dilligent and respond to these, personally id rather look in the mirrors and have a quick screw around of my head than try and focus and only rely on a little warning light on the mirror.
no doubt people will come to rely on these safety aids........ probably get lazy, will they make for better drivers ?
Until cars fully drive themselves 5 stars safety to me is not the be all of motoring.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Wretched

It could be that they have decided to invest money and better their product with each iteration?

This ^^^^ just about sums it up.

I read a while ago that the Sth Korean Gov was throwing money at private companies for R&D, it now seem to be paying off.

Snippets from the McKinsey & Company page....

"South Korea’s capital investments in research and development are among the highest in the world relative to national income."

http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/win...e#introexhibit

[DFB FGXR6]

The thing that gets me about these ultra high scores in ANCAP testing is are these truly, exceptionally safe cars or are they cars designed and engineered in a way to pass the ANCAP tests with exceptional results.

Don't get me wrong, I would rather high scoring ANCAP car in my driveway, but are these results truly believable or are they a result of manufactures knowing how to play the system?

[XBv8mmm!]

Originally Posted by Alan D Segal

@blueoval Have you driven a recent one? Nothing wrong with them. Top that off with a long warranty, reasonable pricing for the car and servicing and there's not much to make people shy away.

Sorry mate, that statement is absolute rubbish. (not a personal attack.)

[The Stylist]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

The thing that gets me about these ultra high scores in ANCAP testing is are these truly, exceptionally safe cars or are they cars designed and engineered in a way to pass the ANCAP tests with exceptional results.

Don't get me wrong, I would rather high scoring ANCAP car in my driveway, but are these results truly believable or are they a result of manufactures knowing how to play the system?

Word has it some French manufacturers in the past have designed their vehicles to ace EuroNCAP crash standards; however these days there are more stringent testing organisations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to keep them honest.

Unfortunately Ancap is fairly limited in regards to what types of crash tests they conduct, to gain an well-rounded picture of a car's crash worthiness.

[sneaky]

Originally Posted by XBv8mmm!

Sorry mate, that statement is absolute rubbish. (not a personal attack.)

how so?

[XD 351 Ute]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

I read a while ago that the Sth Korean Gov was throwing money at private companies for R&D, it now seem to be paying off.

I wonder where we'd be if our government supported companies like that, foreign owned or not......

Ed

[ozpacman]

Originally Posted by sneaky

how so?

Yeah - I'm keen to hear your rationale there XBv8.

We bought an i30 diesel new in 2008. One of the things that appealed to us was the 5 year warranty because none of the others we looked at could match that at the time.

We needn't have worried though, because nothing went wrong with it in that 5 years. In fact it's still going like a new one.

Not bad for a heap of poop eh?

Russ.

[mik]

Actually thinking about ancap 5 star safety rating, in theory you could tart up any micro car with all manner of electronic goodies and air bags , flashing lights, trunk monkey, safety cell, etc etc, but if it held a higher points ancap score ............................ in an accident against a slightly lower points rated 5 star big car ....which vehicle would you rather be in ???

[chefy196912]

I think this pic said it all lol give me a ford any day

[ljf12]

Wheels used to do comparisons (may still do it) of popular vehicles ability to avoid an accident.

I realize some accidents are unavoidable but I think you might be better off in a car with a lower score that has decent stability control and handling.

[EB#]

Here is a pretty thorough article on the Genesis, for those after a bit more info:
http://www.caradvice.com.au/293396/2...enesis-review/

[Nova 8]

Good on them, Hyundai and Kia have both come leaps and bounds, but I put little value on having the highest ANCAP rating when looking at purchusing a car. Don't get me wrong I look at it but I'd imagine SUVs with good ratings (X5 for example) will fair better than the Genesis if the two were to collide.

[MethodX]

Might as well give Aus consumers the latest SsangYong Chairman... with its 5 litre V8.
More the merrier.

Genesis looks good.

[Alan D Segal]

Those ssangyongs used to be just rebadged Merc E/S Classes. Is that what they still are?

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Alan D Segal

Those ssangyongs used to be just rebadged Merc E/S Classes. Is that what they still are?

That was the Musso, not really a rebadged Benz, but they did use a Benz engine and technology.

Saangyong is now owned by the the Indian Co Mahindra

[Alan D Segal]

No the Chairman is the car I was talking about. It actually looked like a Benz sedan. They had a write up on it in motor magazine back around 2005 from memory.

[GasoLane]

Ah right. The original ones were based on the W124 Benz family, don't know about the newer ones though.

The W124 started around 1986 I think, I've got a 1987 230e W124 and they're about as bullet proof as the AU

[csv8]

Ssang Yong Chairman 2015 http://indianautosblog.com/2014/06/2...irman-w-133879
Sorry !!! fingers clicked wrong photo !! first is a Mondeo...second is the Chairman

[mik]

Originally Posted by Nova 8

Good on them, Hyundai and Kia have both come leaps and bounds, but I put little value on having the highest ANCAP rating when looking at purchusing a car. Don't get me wrong I look at it but I'd imagine SUVs with good ratings (X5 for example) will fair better than the Genesis if the two were to collide.

Indeed the korean brands have done a good job reinventing themselves,, you would not have given th a second look not all that long ago.