The truth about Mitsubishi Express and its zero-star safety rating | Auto Expert John Cadogan

Doubtless you’ve seen the mainstream media headlines. Zero stars - sounds pretty dire, right? But this is really just another ANCAP botch. The Mitsubishi Express is fine - for a van. In the context of contemporary vans you can buy, it’s neither excellent nor terrible. I’d call it about average.
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I would make the case that this is the typical mode of operation for a vehicle such as this. Urban speeds. One dude. He’s the dude who needs protecting. The driver. In a life-threatening crash, which is likely to be a clipping head-on, not unlike ANCAP’s 64km/h standardised offset frontal crash, he needs protecting.
The Hyundai iLoad has a four-star rating, according to the technical report on ANCAP’s website. That’s for the current model introduced in June 2017. But it crashed worse than the Express, for the driver, in that test. I’ll show you. Green is ‘good’. Yellow is ‘acceptable’ and orange is ‘marginal’.
These icons are a cut and paste from ANCAP’s and Euro NCAP’s technical reports. It’s exactly the same tightly controlled laboratory crash test in both cases: 40 per cent offset front; 64km/h, deformable barrier. Quite a severe test.
Renault Trafic (which is Express with different badges) here. iLoad there. More orange equals ‘worse’ - it’s really that simple.
Let’s do another popular van. Ford Transit Custom. Current model. Five stars on ANCAP’s website. ANCAP’s results are a cut and paste of EuroNCAP’s, which found that the crash outcome for the driver of the Ford Transit Custom was once again worse than for the Trafic/Express.
Express did not crash badly. In the standardised offset frontal crash test it protects the driver better than a four-star iLoad or a five-star Ford Transit Custom. Deal with it.
Express earned sufficient points for two stars on crashworthiness based on its so-called ‘adult occupant protection’ rating, but got zero because it lacks AEB and other so-called ‘safety assistance’ features
Here’s the thing: Hyundai did the iLoad’s hair and makeup in 2017. It’s a pretty old platform. The underlying vehicle was introduced in 2008. ANCAP decided to apply 2011 test scores to the 2017 and onwards models. So, today’s iLoad wears a 10-year-old four-star test score derived using 10-year-old crashworthiness standards, despite being introduced in 2017. So those tests are 10 years out of date, but the rating is (quote-unquote) ‘current’.
At least, it is proffered as if current. In other words it pops up in the search results on ANCAP’s website when you select ‘current models only’. I wonder how many people actually realise that ‘current models’ is not the same thing as ‘current ratings’ in ANCAP’s universe?
Ford did the Transit Custom’s hair and makeup in September of 2019. The underlying vehicle was introduced in 2014. Here in Australia, ANCAP decided to cut and paste Euro NCAP’s 2012 tests onto the late-2019 Transit Custom. So today’s Transit Custom gets a five-star rating that is nine years older than the vehicle itself.
But Express (which is six years old) got tested to all the current - and far more severe - test protocols despite being introduced as a Renault Trafic back in 2015. Any way you look at this, it’s 50 lashes with the spiked bull-whip for the Express, and a week in the tropics for the other two.
The former Soviet bureaucracy could not have done a worse job organising this.

[@petermapstone9684]

It is disappointing that an organisation with such lofty goals has eroded their own rating system and the value of their own existence. Many Thanks again John!

[@AutoExpertJC]

Agreed, Peter - this is a real dog's breakfast...

[@petermapstone9684]

@@AutoExpertJC Nice tension builder with your coughing fit btw. 😆

[@AutoExpertJC]

It was meant to look like vomiting... Point being: me agreeing with TW was making me physically ill.

[@petermapstone9684]

@@AutoExpertJC Yes, your distaste did come across. I half expected you to pull a bloodied and bile soaked rag away from your face. Good Fun.

[@JD-tf4zw]

Safety ratings should have 2 scales ACTUAL crash ratings, and crash avoidance ratings. It won't be perfect, but they are totally DIFFERENT things.

[@ashleymalamute]

Exactly. Most people are primarily interested in the objective data surrounding collision survivability, not the other stuff.

[@jbgaud]

It' looks like a Renault traffic to me. it's a 3 stars in Europe. There are a bucket load of those vans in my country (France) and the most dangerous is the driver.

[@AutoExpertJC]

It is absolutely a re-badged Trafic - and it's been sold here as a Trafic since 2015.

[@markemment]

Yep and the Mitsubishi dealer has a P.O.S. Renault scantool to talk to it

[@wayneelliott8277]

Used to a be Vauxhall as well until PSA bought them.

[@pattheslut]

They are also sold as Nissans in Europe.

[@carlarrowsmith]

Also as a Fiat

[@RJ-vb7gh]

This brings back bad childhood memories for me. As a kid, I saw exactly what happened to a hippy when he crashed his flower power VW microbus into a phone pole, perhaps made worse when he regained consciousness while the rescuers were trying to sort his legs out from the area now occupied by the phone pole and where his feet had previously been... But one example never being enough a couple of years later I got a reminder I saw a similar rescue involving a UPS cargo van, a driver and a tree that had somehow become entangled at highway speed. It's not a thing you forget even over a lifetime as a witness, likely even less so for the participant, assuming they survived. To add to that, if the van isn't properly modified and configured, the driver might have to contend with the cargo rushing forward during a crash. And yes, lots of van drivers have actually been killed by their own cargo. For the most part, vans often have their engines located next to the driver or even under the driver and they have relatively small crumple zones. Ford took a giant step forward when they moved the engine just a little bit ahead of the driver and yes, I'm sure vans are a little bit safer than those in the 1960's. Still all things being equal it seems apparent to me that a van is never going to be as safe as a passenger vehicle, especially loaded with heavy cargo. In fact, I've never seen a van crash tested when loaded to capacity. This kind of brings me back to your criticism of the Ford Mustang which ANCAP berated for being unsafe. It has a significant crumple zone and most of it's engine weight forward of the driver and lesser weight in the rear to continue driving the car forward after the engine has made impact. Honestly... I've been in car crashes and they almost never happen exactly like way ANCAP or anyone else tests vehicles. I think we all need to take crash tests with a grain of salt. Yes, they are better than nothing, but until and unless engineers find some way to defy physics, some types of vehicles are going to be more dangerous than others, no matter how many stars they get or don't get from a rating agency. Lastly, I think rating cars based on their "crash avoidance" technology actually can distract from the real purpose of the test... to see how badly a driver is going to be injured during a crash. Certainly "crash avoidance" deserves honorable mention, but actually having been broadsided by a car that ran a stop sign, there wasn't anything that technology was going to do to prevent the accident... My survival came down to the precise point of impact and how well my cars structural integrity handled the crash. So crash survivability and crash avoidance are two different things and should be rated separately.

[@findtherapists]

On your point about ncap tests not being representative of real world there is a company in America do different offset crashes that better represents real world crashes, they also do side impact tests representative of an suv rather than a car t-boning the test vehicle. Really interesting read to consider how ncap could be improved. www.iihs.org/ratings/about-our-tests

[@itsbigal92]

I'm more concerned by years old, stale safety ratings still sticking around than I am about the lack of gadgets on the Express.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Totally agreed - ANCAP's website is full of use-by date 'expired' ratings.

[@itsbigal92]

Personally I reckon that a given safety rating should be nullified 24 months after the standards are changed. Should be easy enough to retest or re calculate ratings within that time for models that will remain on market or update cycles to remove older models from market in that time.

[@AutoExpertJC]

I'd be generous and give it three years. ANCAP's bullshit system is partly a product of it being so expensive to test the cars.

[@GuitarsRockForever]

@@AutoExpertJC That's one of the problems I have with ANCAP, it doesn't expire ancient old rating.

[@williamlongbottom5494]

@@itsbigal92 That's a very good suggestion. And I think Johns 3 years is probably more workable. However you are correct a lot of personal skills , like first aid certificates, need to be "refreshed" after 3 years. Your suggestion would bring some credibility back to ANCAP.

[@arquadia3976]

Nothing else to say this early morning. Just wanted to say you are a comfort in these troubled times. Common sense personified. Thanks John!

[@AutoExpertJC]

Very confronting to hear that I am a voice of reason...

[@michaeldowlin6778]

Not even 6 am and John has cracked the shits. In the most appropriate and fun fact filled way, of course. Atta boy!

[@AutoExpertJC]

Pre-6am shit-cracking is the best. Thanks for watching, Donk...

[@kevinbarker359]

Yes and he cracks the shits when someone does not use correct spelling

[@formulafish1536]

I was wondering how this worked when it was announced. It baffled me as the Traffic is a perfectly safe van. Why isn’t the Mitsubishi? Thank you John for clearing this up!

[@tecnaman9097]

When you look at the standard of driving on Dash Cam Owners Australia, you'd need a star rating somewhere in the Milky Way to feel bloody safe!

[@AutoExpertJC]

Yes - ambient driver behaviour is very important.

[@williamlongbottom5494]

Just to scare you more. Statistically 50% of the drivers on the road are below average.

[@raygale4198]

@@williamlongbottom5494 73.6 % of stats are made up on the spot.

[@TheWizEdFromAus]

2 days ago I was trying to find your email. When I saw this I thought as well how messed up the ancap safety rating works. I'm glad you covered it!

[@geoffreyveale7715]

Top marks for JC doing the research. Pity there are very few journalists these days that bother.

[@davidthompson882]

And we’re back and still loving the channel

[@AutoExpertJC]

Thank you David. 'We' never left...

[@MrButtonpresser]

Saw that in the NEWS. Didn’t read. I thought to myself; “I’ll wait until John puts out a video.

[@dorstefan]

Before NCAP had plans for a volleyball team, they were quite useful.

[@AutoExpertJC]

That was a long time ago now. They're getting worse.

[@WhyWouldYouDrawThat]

@@AutoExpertJC Thanks for the video. But I have to say the intro was misogynistic. I looked up Carla on LinkedIn. She is extremely well educated. More so than most CEOs. To imply she is clueless simply because she coaches is unfair. Your points stand for themselves, you didn’t need this dig to help make them. I appreciate what you do, and hope you can help to bring in a better safety rating system. But can I respectfully ask you show, just a little more, #respect for women?

[@AutoExpertJC]

@@WhyWouldYouDrawThat I didn't imply she was clueless. I don't think she's clueless. She is a volleyball referee. It's a true statement. You also need to look up the definition of 'misogynistic' - because I made no reference whatsoever about women. She is well educated - but not in the domain of vehicles or physics or crash testing, insofar as I can tell. Do try to keep up.

[@grunthostheflatulent9649]

@@WhyWouldYouDrawThat I must protest. I believe that John gives all representatives even and fair abuse. Unfortunately, alot of people think equality is misogyny.

[@annemickelson2621]

Thanks for zeroing in on these matters and bringing some perspective.

[@AutoExpertJC]

I'm sure that's what the senior execs at ANCAP and the FCAI are also saying this morning... Thanks for watching, Anne.

[@itsbigal92]

The final thought I have. Is the push for AEB being driven by a desire for genuine safety improvements or is it being pushed by insurance companies wanting to reduce claim payouts? I suspect the latter.

[@AutoExpertJC]

It's hyper-woke-ism for cars.

[@raygale4198]

The highest number of crashes are rear enders. Modern cars are to disconnected from outside reality, there is no feedback to the driver about the physical connection between the car and road outside.

[@josephdignam123]

Thanks John. Appreciate your efforts and dedication to the cause. Your safety related media postings are always mind blowing. Just hope the tycoon’s at the top are watching

[@Maccat]

I love what you have done with the video @11:13, the number one reason for male at fault collisions.

[@geoffdrew5207]

As a retired fire fighter it amazes me the way most van drivers drive. If you are going to hit something then a van is not what you want to be in.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Agreed - you would only drive a van out of necessity. 4X4 ute drivers also amaze me (with the way they drive with all that performance-degrading 4X4 shit bolted on.)

[@geoffdrew5207]

@@AutoExpertJC Yes, the "white van man" has been replaced by the 4x4 ute man as the biggest pest on the road. If you want to go fast then why wouldn't you buy a car designed for it?

[@AutoExpertJC]

The way some tradies drive their utes, I am amazed the road toll has not grown tenfold...

[@AutoExpertJC]

Apparently they all went to 'taxi driving' school. (Same throttle switch upgrade happens there, when you graduate.)

[@TS-gg9dk]

Ah yes, van drivers, I believe it's a mix between "not my car", "lack of proper driving skills" and "busy with the mobile phone".

[@callumrgibson]

While I don't disagree with the general thrust of your argument, I don't think you can always directly compare LHD and RHD crash testing results, even if the test is the same, due to subtle structural and engineering differences in some cars, eg. in footwell, engine and exhaust position. There are cases where the same model crash tests differently in Australia compared to overseas. Ironically enough, ANCAP often carries over Euro NCAP results. Of course, this just reinforces how irrelevant these results often are.

[@raygale4198]

Do NCAP tests include frontal offset collisions for passenger and driver side? If so the tests should be valid by swapping the test names over as the steering column should behave the same whichever side it's on. If NCAP doesn't include right side frontal offset that's a short coming in the test procedure.

[@josephrowe849]

A van with 0 stars?? Surely, they can't be serious.

[@pmb0001]

GOLD - best shade throw that I have had the pleasure to watch in ages!

[@Paul-cx4gm]

He tells it like it is, way to go.

[@Bisonrulz16]

God he takes a while to tell it though

[@taxus750]

About bloody time someone took the matter of van safety seriously - thank you. As anyone in the "moving shit from point A to point B" game will tell you, the priority for vans is their earning capacity, full stop. One of the absolute worst vans for driver comfort (never mind safety) I've ever driven is the 5th gen HiAce and there are millions of them. I wonder what its NCAP/ ANCAP rating is?

[@savranorganik3555]

Love this guy tearing this B.S. world apart. You rock Cadogan!

[@geofftheintern]

You should sell this to Mitsi for their website and as dealer training. I don't think too many of them could figure it out for themselves.

[@jimbobjones9119]

Now it's all BS but you had a field day when the Jeep Wrangler only scored 3 stars! ...JC, you never stopped!

[@AutoExpertJC]

Wrangler is a passenger vehicle and there are plenty of safer options available. You could make the case that Express is safer than iLoad or Transit, and yet those two get more stars, and that's indefensible in my view.

[@jimbobjones9119]

@@AutoExpertJC Sorry JC but no. How many of those "safer options" have live axles font and rear, proper low range, removable roof and doors...? I do get your point about the van though, seemingly everyone has it in for Mitsubishi - another ZERO star rating, this time for your 2020 Triton (South America edition)!! kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2bCm4SAprSqoqs

[@Mi82475]

Very good work John! This is a huge problem also in Europe. Having more severe crash standards every year is great for the safety of everybody, but the changing scoring system isn't explained properly. It can be a perverse incentive to not change anything to not get tested again, and so keeping the old higher score. But the main result is that safety stars ratings are losing relevance. I remember 20 years ago when some Renaults got 5 star in EuroNCAP test for the first time, it was a huge deal in automotive news. Now safety stars grab attention only when there are this strange voting system results...

[@lasentinal]

John, thank you for the hard work that you do for us.

[@AutoExpertJC]

My pleasure.

[@joekvasnicka7713]

Good work.

[@andoletube]

20:30 Geez mate, I was really starting to worry for your safety there!

[@billharris3650]

Hey John, just looked up the Euro NCAP site to see the Renault Trafic report so decided to look up my 2000 Peugeot 306 as well. That has 3 stars! Almost as good as a High'n'dry Van...

[@darrylgilbert2587]

Well done John. This rating is b/s. I would have no problem driving the Express/Traffic. When you compare them with older vans. As a retired first responder I have seen what happens in a head on with one of the older vans. The Express is light years ahead

[@AutoExpertJC]

Agreed, Darryl - the whole point of ratings is to be comparable...

[@SBCBears]

Five stars for mentioning Strunk & White. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 That Oxford comma thing, tho... they can be useful.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Strunk & White was insanely useful to me when I transitioned. (I now generally identify as a journalist, but the reassignment surgery was quite painful. S&W helped a lot.)

[@dh510]

8:15 As a non-native speaker, I had no clue what this part about the apostrophe was trying to tell me. But thanks to this channel, I've just learnt that the s after the apostrophe is only omitted when a word ends in s because it's plural. I didn't expect to be pointed in this direction on a channel like this of all places, but ok. I don't think -s's will ever look right to me, though.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Press release said: "... Express' poor result..." It would have been better to say: "... Express's poor result ..." I'm a grammar Nazi. It's a character flaw.

[@dh510]

@@AutoExpertJCNow I know. Apparently, Express's isn't only better, it's the only correct option. Whoops.. This doesn't seem to change the pronunciation, though.. Well, I guess it's time to find out what the true meaning of bullsh*t is, but I have a feeling that I'm sufficiently familiar with the use of this word..

[@AutoExpertJC]

It probably doesn't mean what you think. Plenty of bullshit in true statements as well.

[@antone.henderson]

It's good to see your not holding back on those muppet muggers st ANCAP. Thanks for the enlightenment. Regards Tony

[@seangalea5964]

John, another great report which funny enough myself and a mate were talking about the same subject the other night. I do have a thought which "might" half fix ANCAPS issue. What do you think about a rating system, one for the physical crash test and another for the tec side? So a vehicle might crash at a 4 star but only be 2 star in tec.

[@EstevanTH]

My recommendations are: - Check both ANCAP and EuroNCAP whenever a model is available on both European & Australian markets. - Check the details of both reports, ignore the global rating. They are important.

[@peterm115]

I was about to say my eyes are painted on didn’t realise the still made them, until you mentioned the big R seen them everywhere.

[@rickbates9232]

Mitsubishi didn't sponsor the ANCAP Xmas party ... lesson learned ...

[@poppsy69]

love your work john, stick it to ‘em

[@heavymetal9622]

There’s no bullshit with you John, and I love that! It’s what us public car buyers need 100%

[@tinolino58]

Very amusing, very important information! 🤩

[@AutoExpertJC]

Thanks Martin.

[@Excalabur50]

Great report John, Mitsubishi should post a link to this video for anyone looking to buy one so they can get the relevant facts before purchasing one.

[@AutoExpertJC]

They'll be too woke for that.

[@Excalabur50]

@@AutoExpertJC Haha

[@AutoExpertJC]

I dropped the f-bomb and showed bouncing volleyball viscoelasticity. No way they'd link to that.

[@Excalabur50]

@@AutoExpertJC Yeah I know but hey stranger things have happened right!

[@godless266]

ANCAP, NHTSA, whomever, deducting points from a vehicles crash rating because it doesn't have certain crash prevention features is such crap. Crash Prevention should be its own rating. I'm not going to give two tiger's testicles that I'm driving a 5 star car with 300 crash prevention widgets when I get t-boned by a truck and my car's actual Crash Performance and Occupant Safety is 2 stars.

[@siiioxide7807]

your stars mean nothing to a 50ton truck moving at 100kph

[@ChimericWings]

I was waiting for this one! 🙏

[@AutoExpertJC]

I'm sure ANCAP and the FCAI are applauding also.

[@byroncrump4390]

Thanks John

[@danbywaters6123]

Great review of this situation John, keep up the good work. You have confirmed my thoughts about ANCAP ratings from the last decade. They are useless. ANCAP ratings are no longer about the structure of a vehicle being able to maintain its integrity during an accident and protect its occupants from injury or worse. ANCAP ratings are now only about electronic gadgets and gizmos. What a waste of time, money and test vehicles.....

[@AutoExpertJC]

They have certainly fallen a long way in my view.

[@blackbandit1290]

How about putting a Year (when the test was actually done) as part of the Star rating. Something like 4 (Stars)-2014. I suppose then we would have to identify the actual testing authority, such as 4-2014-N (decode = 4 Stars, tested 2014, by NCAP) . No, maybe just too confusing but then it's already too confusing just saying 4 (Stars) in the hope that everyone would understand all the other relevant info. These star and similar ratings on vehicles, dishwashers, washing machines, microwave ovens, food products, beverages and even orange juice etc., are all just "consumer marketing wash". If the consumer doesn't have the intelligence to interpret what they are being told and why, then it's all just waste of time. Great video John, love your work.

[@siraff4461]

I would dearly love to see the results after one of these with a load in it hitting a small 5 star car which got most of its score from the avoidance category. Driving them into a wall is all well and good but thats only replicating hitting something its own weight. Since a loaded van can be twice the weight (sometimes more) of a small car, it will over ride it and the result is an extended period at high loadings for the lighter vehicle. Its not just vans, either. Pick-up trucks and other heavy cars will do a similar thing and then there is the height difference especially with bull bars.

[@gimiked8685]

I bought my truck without all that garbage to break later down the road anyways. I chose the 2017 f150 xl. One because it was cheaper, but also because I like simple systems that wont cost me 1000 bucks every time something breaks. And the less complex systems in the truck, the less complex systems to break obviously. I got power windows, power locks, and cruze control. That's all I need.

[@Brastuy]

Really enjoyed the volleyball, keep it up 👍

[@rossdavidson5980]

I was rear ended at high speed while driving a Renault traffic same van as this walked away no issues.

[@theshed8802]

I seem to remember reading an article about Suzuki USA taking a "credible" organisation to court over some "stability test results" that effectively destroyed the market for the Jimny over there. By memory, it turned out that the head of the organisation was involved in a court case against Suzuki and the results were heavily manipulated in order to support his case. This sounds like it is either is a case of gross incompetence, or someone has a vested interest in the published results

[@whitedogproductions6153]

Nice work man

[@AutoExpertJC]

Is there also such a thing as 'strategic bacon'?

[@tcpnetworks]

8:53 I tried once. It left a funny mark afterwards and never tried it again. I didn't realise there is now a how-to guide!

[@AutoExpertJC]

There's always been a how-to guide. It's called 'school'. (You have to stay awake.)

[@tcpnetworks]

@@AutoExpertJC "But you know.... "Down there"....

[@stephenwilkins2854]

So well expressed...

[@lancer1993]

I've got a CJ Lancer, 7 air bags, traction control and ABS and when I was tested it got 5 stars about 10 years ago. But today because it doesn't have autonomous braking, lane assist and such it would get 3 stars at the best. Its no less safe today, its got new shocks, lower springs, upgraded brakes and a few days ago new tyres RE003s, so if anything it preforms better today than when it was new.

[@sidjyothi]

What a way to start Friday morning!!! Epic video 😂😂😂... keep it up John!

[@AutoExpertJC]

I nearly had to re-take the barfing sequence mate - the bit about growing tits nearly cracked me up. Thanks for watching.

[@siraff4461]

The only confusing thing here is why they keep the old ratings when they update the tests. If the physical tests are different run them again or put n/a on them. If not use the data they already have and plug it into the new scoring system. That way the test results are always up to date even if the test was done years back. Of course that would involve some (but not much) actual work.

[@michaeljones6832]

This is what happens when you dont have a bundle of cash under the table

[@more.power.]

John number one on car safety you are. (a master Yoda statement) Perhaps some of the ANCAP jockeys should ride along with my fellow front line Emergency Ambulance workers in Australia and try to understand we must get this right. Real people bleed profusely an have funerals. I have yet to attend a the funeral of a crash test dummy . A cut and paste in the office is easy but a cut and paste in my office (the back of an Ambulance) is a little more trickery. Thank you John and I say that with experience and with the weight many souls resting on my mind.

[@mael-strom9707]

Safety is serious business... This van has a beautiful chassis, lovely airbags and spacious rear.

[@JDM33R]

Nice

[@xr6fa]

Whats your opinion off the Eclipse cross

[@WTFaq]

So funny, also informative. i love the clip on volley ball.

[@olivergunn2796]

my company has recently bought a brand new Renault D18 (18 tonner) I was speaking to the driver, who told me that the emergency braking had so many false positives, that in the first week he had whiplash severe enough to give him a headache, the crash test people should defiantly put less attention towards these systems

[@AutoExpertJC]

Yes - the false positives in most vehicles is a real problem.

[@351tgv]

@@AutoExpertJC - agreed, I have had AEB twice go off when turning right at a roundabout with nothing in front of me, the ABS kicks in hard which sounds like a grinder and the issue is cars behind who tailgate and not pay attention almost into you and the crazy thing is they were both modern days cars with AEB.

[@paullewis6410]

Was hoping you'd jump on this. When I saw the 0 rating the first thing I thought of was your previous video's explaining how the rating works.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Thanks for watching, Paul.

[@Thermalions]

So, someone at Mitsubishi obviously decided it wasn't worth greasing the palms at ANCAP (sorry, paying for the junket, I mean hosting the investigative trip at a five star resort) to discuss the draft results and safety features.

[@njwithers]

How many owners figure out how to turn off the annoying safety gizmos within a week of buying a vehicle?

[@raygale4198]

The last 2 vehicles I purchased I made a deliberate choice to buy the model with the least amount of tech driving aides. I found on previous cars I owned a serious feeling of being disconnected from what the car is doing. A Ford Territory I had was one of the worst, great car, horrid driving experience. All driving aides should have an 'off' button.

[@Low760]

Very will detailed report. What I wonder is, what did the Toyota land cruiser 79 series have modified to make it 5 stars and Therefore the mining companies could keep buying them!?

[@Jon.S]

Nice report John, although I am curious about your comment about active systems having yet to prove their worth as far as reducing the road toll. I have long railed against the war on speed over here in NZ, with my supposition being that the decline in road deaths over the last couple of decades has been more to do with improved car safety systems (airbags/crumple zones/ABS etc) than anything the police have done. I've generally included the likes of Stability Control in my thinking, but having not seen any definitive research I'd be interested in knowing more of your thoughts on the various active safety systems in modern cars and their relative "worth". Keep up the good work exposing this kind of stuff, mainstream buyers rely on these ratings and if they're bullshit it needs calling out.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Thanks Jon - ESC is a winner. (I don't think any new cars lack it.) It's AEB and lane-keep assistance, and blind spot monitoring etc., that has yet to demonstrate real life-saving benefits. Also, the road toll is driven down additionally by better civil engineering protection (in the road environment) and better emergency medical practices. Most people forget that.

[@OzzieKev]

@@AutoExpertJC we need AEB, lane keeping assistance and blind spot monitoring for the people who are too busy with their phone to concentrate on driving.

[@davidknight7775]

What about Toyota's gen 6 hiace? How does it rate from Ancap?

[@Rat454]

Thanks for this. Normally I like to think I’m diligent about what I read and believe. In this case that article fooled me. I’m a tradie and I was on the lookout for a van, I had scratched the Mitsubishi or Renault off my list. It’s a good reminder coming up to election time (in WA) to ignore basically everything in the newspaper.

[@PeterPutz82]

So what is the best mid size crew van? Hiace? Transit Custom? Iload?

[@9W8o7l7f4]

How do we survive as a country with all this unpunished corruption

[@boomerau]

euroncap now at least has old the test was. ANCAP should force a year on the stars like washing machines etc. Unfortunately it would show most cars are very old platforms! And we complain of no changes in an iphone - ugh

[@paulpellico3797]

nice job, john. totally with you. wanna get into another rant about ConsumersReport here but i am already way over my limit on being an ass this week. not sure i can go another 3 days without being stupid insensitive(comma) however.

[@johndoe-jw6ou]

hi, don't forget opel vivaro is same as vauxhall too, many of them here in eu.

[@philhealey449]

I have to say from a crewbus rental, Vauxhall Vivaro's bodywork is as tinny as a Viva, but the bi-turbo motor was very impressive. I didn't test the crash rating.

[@wandpj]

If 5 stars is the maximum allowed rating based on a commamdment etched in stone and delivered from Mt Sinai, then the sensible thing to do would be to revise each vehicle's star ratings when the conditions for the various star ratings change. It would likely only be a paper exercise and not involve crashing new samples. Level playing field and all. How do the overseas agencies deal with historic ratings and changing criteria?

[@steved3702]

"Level playing field and all." All affected manufacturers should be kicking up a stink from this perspective. I can only assume they see it as poking the hornets' nest.

[@simonalexandercritchley439]

When did Ancap become Ancrap ? Interesting view of women's volleyball,what we came for.

[@captaindapto6463]

"Volleyball and crash-testing. Much more closely aligned than you might think". Gold.

[@stendecstretcher4983]

I wonder if I can get one cheap? Happy to take a chance after watching this.

[@gph42]

Just for info l stuffed a transit custom into the back of a Triton ute at 63kmh and it did its job. Cracked sternum but hey...... Went alright.

[@koitorob]

I think you are taking your research FAR TOO SERIOUSLY!

[@fljlandi]

My company just purchased one, before the AnCap 🤬 report! And we believe the little van is just adequate for the job 👌

[@AutoExpertJC]

It is.

[@seventytwo1001000]

Quick tip, use a compressor and a limiter on your audio before export. It will stop me from getting busted watching ming moles by the missus, when she walks saying the TV is to loud. Don’t think the headphone crowd would have enjoyed it either.

[@guanghunglo3594]

In China we have also have place like Dingo Piss Creek but it called Human Piss Creek cause everyone go there to relieve themselves! Not real nice camping there due to aroma but can sit there and throw stone at turd as float downstream. Not recommend go for swim.

[@jonroth6981]

You my friend are an outstanding mind

[@LinuxGalore]

when I was a teenager I would drive boxy delivery vans to pay my University fees. We where always warned they are not as good as a car when it comes to safety and control so take it easy. Generally within the industry van drivers know there are limitations on delivery vehicles. When it comes to purchasing these types of vehicles companies are looking at TCO, function and are they reliable. Safety is right down the bottom of the check list of things companies are looking for.

[@njwithers]

Given the way many white vans drivers carry on (drive it like you stole it), those safety briefings must have been delivered in Swahili.

[@klaspeppar5619]

Zero stars, wow that’s like the Tata Nano... That’s some progress, good thing “active safety features” (which can and will eventually fail, which is especially bad when someone drivers become lazy and reliant on them) have become so important, that how the vehicle actually preforms in a crash almost doesn’t matter. The thought of the common idiot becoming use to features “Adaptive cruse control”, “automatic emergency brake” or “Pilot Assist”, somewhat scars me, what if the person gets in a car without them (or where they have failed) and is to lazy to realize.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Not really 'like' that, no.

[@klaspeppar5619]

@@AutoExpertJC i bet they look almsot identical to the dumb bureaucrats. Just like all "Bi-Fuels", just because Volkswagen can't build cars which don't explode when filling up with CNG, due to rust on the "CNG tank", Now all "Bi-fuels" now have to have protective panels removed so they can check the "CNG tanks" for corrosion, even Volvos which is F@**ing ridiculous as the all have composite "CNG tanks". And now there are Bi-fuels driving around with out the on some models protective panel. Thank you, Volkswagen and the failed European Union for ruining it for every one. And now I realize that I have ranted on a bit, but anyway DRLs and Automatic highbeams suck, I can't count how many times I have been blinded by newer cars with auto highbeams, it doesn't work a small turn or hill crest and the "intelligent" system isn't smart enough to detect me, and side view mirrors I have been blinded through them too. DRLs never works, I live in Sweden it gets dark here, but every morning when I drove to work I would without a fail see 1 to 4 cars without their lights on in the dark only those F***ing DRLs. (Low beams where previously mandated at all times of the day in Sweden)...

[@v.sandrone4268]

Does ANCAP actually test the operation of the active and passive safety systems or just refer to specifications? It should be simple to update older non-crash based results to newer ANCAP standards for long existing models.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Pretty sure they test at least AEB.

[@v.sandrone4268]

@@AutoExpertJC my point is that if they decided that in 2021 to get a 5stars you needed an ejection seat that they could update all previous assessments to reflect lower results against the new standards (the crash worthiness being stable and changes mainly being to ancillary safety features). This would minimise standard version confusion. PS this comment doesn't endorse the min category maximizing the overall rating...I actually think that the crash results should determine the maximum star result.

[@lesliedsouza4077]

Yair John... A point to ponder could be - How does income from Your Fine Channel, compare with remuneration of ANCAP employees? If not - Might as well, be out on the beach - Playing volley ball?... Them Molls'd have chauffeured limos? :)

[@alexanderstevens145]

Imagine front on crash 💥 in a 90s express van 😬. You are the crumple zone!

[@paulpellico3797]

i can't find the link for the book.

[@AutoExpertJC]

It's in the description.

[@paulpellico3797]

@@AutoExpertJC oh, thanks much! i just didn't click to read more. thanks....

[@Uncle-Duncan-Shack]

Now there's a fine piece of paperwork which belongs on the bonfire, but it was so expensive to procure that one tears up at the thought of destroying it. Sad that. So bad it looked to like TW's visage had some involuntarily induced signs of abdominal discomfort visible, green being an indicator of impending convulsive reflux.

[@jonathanberglind4589]

I remember when NCAP gave the 2017 Fiat Punto a 1 star which was the equivalent of a teacher that has it in for a specific student no matter how good that student was at his work. When the Mitsubishi Express (rebadged Renault) came out not too long ago all they would say was “a Japanese make with an indicator stalk on the left side of the steering column” without noticing it was lazier than that like the drivers footrest still on the passenger side along with the bonnet pulley and the door keyhole on the passenger door, car journalists are clueless these days but still they do a better job than Jeremy Clarkson.

[@charlie.aka.gillette]

I believe I heard two words that should not be together. And should not be immediately followed by or. They just do not work together unless there is a second or. In as much did you mean and or or? The word and means you must have both, that is A and B implies you have both. On the other hand A or B implies you have at least one, which also includes having both, as having both is the same as having at least one. PS thanks for the beach volleyball.

[@Plyushch22]

I have to say, these 0 starts on express are still a lot better than the original exress witout testing (no point to test )

[@mrme982007]

Only two comments on this. 1 - AEB and other friends pre-collision aids should have no bearing on a vehicles star rating eg its safety in a crash - like how can you rate the crashworthy-ness of a car if you can’t crash it in the first place? Perhaps ANCAP could add a + to cars with this equipment and leave it off the star rating. Second comment the Hiace managed 5 stars - I get its brand new but it’s still possible to get 5 stars in a van.

[@AutoExpertJC]

Totally agreed that crashworthiness and crash avoidance need to exist with a wall between then, ratings-wise.

[@deanbaulch4369]

I saw same shit from Ancap when purchasing a Clio as second car for family. It 'lost points' for not having airbags for rear passengers YET had better crash test results for rear passengers than anything else vaguely comparable that DID have rear airbags. Excuse me ANCAP if I actually want a well designed safety cell keeping my toddlers safe in a bingle rather than frigging pyrotechnics going off beside their head whilst doing sod all to help them...

[@phildragonslayer8127]

Brilliant. Entertaining as well as accurate. Australian ANCAP appears to be just another skidmark bureaucratic load of timeservers.