Hyundai Tucson earns five-star ANCAP rating

The Hyundai Tucson has received a five-star rating from safety authority ANCAP.

This applies to all models in the range, and is based on testing conducted of the short-wheelbase European-market Tucson by Euro NCAP.

It received an adult occupant protection rating of 86 per cent, a child occupant protection rating of 87 per cent, a vulnerable road user protection rating of 66 per cent, and a safety assist rating of 70 per cent.

ANCAP singled out the availability of a child presence detection system in the Elite and Highlander, which sounds an alert if movement is detected in the second-row seats after you’ve switched off the car and locked it.

The safety authority and its European counterpart Euro NCAP will begin formally assessing these systems in 2023, and they will contribute to a vehicle’s overall safety rating from then.

Standard equipment on all Tucson models include:

• AEB with pedestrian/cyclist detection and junction assist (camera + radar)
• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
• Blind-spot assist
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Intelligent speed limit assist
• Lane-keep assist
• Lane Following Assist (lane centring)
• Reversing camera
• Rear parking sensors
• Leading vehicle departure alert
• Safe exit warning
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Front, front-side and curtain airbags plus a front-centre airbag

The inclusion of blind-spot assist and rear cross-traffic assist is particularly noteworthy in this segment, as most rivals only offer blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Most of these rivals’ systems provide a visible or audible alert but don’t intervene to prevent an accident.

The range-topping Highlander also includes:

• Blind-spot view monitor
• Reverse collision avoidance assist

The Tucson is one of the first mid-sized SUVs to be tested under the latest, more strict ANCAP protocols.

The Cupra Formentor, due here in 2022, also received a five-star rating in 2021.

Recent protocol changes include the introduction of a moving, deformable barrier for the frontal crash test, replacing the old static unit, as well as higher speeds and heavier trolleys for side impact testing.

The five-star rating for the Tucson range bodes well for the upcoming 2022 Kia Sportage, which shares its underpinnings with the Hyundai.

MORE: Everything Hyundai Tucson