The 3rd-gen Mazda CX-5 scores five stars in the ANCAP safety rating

It’s no secret that Mazda has been getting high marks in terms of safety around the world with its cars. From being recognized as an automaker with multiple models earning the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick+ award in the US, to being recognized by Consumer Reports as the safest new car brand.

The third-generation CX-5 is one vehicle that has yet to hit our shores, but around the world, it’s already garnering safety records. Recently in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), the latest model earned five stars like its predecessor, but has improved in many aspects.

As always, four categories are used as a basis, and the following are the new results with an average score rating of 90.25%, a big jump versus the second-generation’s average score rating of 78%.

• Adult Occupant Protection (AOP): 90% (36.15 out of 40)
• Child Occupant Protection (COP): 91% (45 out of 49)
• Vulnerable Road User Protection (VRUP): 93% (58.63 out of 63)
• Safety Assist (SA): 87% (15.72 out of 18)

The adult occupant protection scored 36.15 points out of 40, with good protection for critical body parts for both the driver and passenger, however getting marginal protection marks for the chest and adequate protection for the left leg in the frontal offset test. These high marks are thanks to a central airbag that provides good protection for the heads of both front seat passengers.

For child occupant protection, it scored 45 points out of 49, with children in child seats for both six- and 10-year-olds allowing for good protection for all body parts, and the second row having full ISOFIX anchors and top tether anchors. However, it doesn’t have a child presence detection system.

Vulnerable road user protection (pedestrian/cyclists) saw this score a high 58.63 out of 63 points, thanks to the frontal design providing good protection except for the windscreen pillars and front of the hood. However, thanks to the system’s automatic emergency braking that’s capable of detecting pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists, this is what gave it good marks.

Finally, the safety assist rating scored 15.72 points out of 18, thanks to the full suite of advanced driver assistance systems such as automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assistance, emergency lane keeping, and blind-spot monitoring. However, the lowest points come from the driver monitoring system, where it only provides a warning for distracted driving and fatigue, but no automatic intervention.

With high marks for safety, the third-generation CX-5 should be a good pick for car buyers who are looking for something that will save their lives (and also others) in the unlikely event of an accident. While Mazda Philippines has not announced anything regarding this model’s arrival, it’s only a matter of time as other countries are getting them around the world.

^{Photos from ANCAP}