New ratings released to help inform car buyers

Wednesday, 15 November 2023

The safety ratings of over 500 vehicle models manufactured since 2000 have been released to help South Australian motorists make more informed choices when purchasing a used car.

Released annually, the Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR) are compiled using the latest safety information, analysed by Monash University Accident Research Centre, to help the more than three million Australians that purchase used cars each year.

The UCSR, which are supported by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, lists 518 vehicle models by market segment, providing each with an Overall Safety star rating.

Safety ratings are calculated using analysis from over nine million vehicles and more than two million injured road users. Each vehicle model is categorised into a band from one to five stars. 

Vehicles which reach a top level of safety across multiple categories are given a ‘Safer Pick’ marker.

The Overall Safety star rating applied to each vehicle considers three components of vehicle safety performance:

• Driver Safety Rating: How well the vehicle protects its driver from losing their life or being seriously injured in a crash.
• Other Road User Safety Rating: How well the vehicle protects other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists from losing their life or being seriously injured in a crash.
• Crash Avoidance Rating: The reduction in likelihood of being involved in a crash through key crash avoidance technologies being available in the vehicle.

Vehicles that receive a five star Overall Safety rating and the Safer Pick marker provide good protection for the driver, are less likely to kill or seriously injure other road users, and have a lower risk of being involved in a crash through key crash avoidance technologies.

A full list of Used Car Safety Ratings as evaluated in 2023 can be found on the My Licence website at My Licence - Safer Vehicles - Buying a safe car