The little rear-drive Japanese roadster leads the pack in the safety department.
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has been testing the fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 roadster and has recently released the findings, which reveals a full 5-star safety rating. It took a total 35.20 out of a possible maximum of 37 points.
The MX-5 scored very impressively in all the tests that ANCAP levelled against it, taking a maximum 16 out out 16 points for the side impact test and a 14.20 (also out of 16) for the frontal offset test.
Also, the Mazda MX-5 scored a 33.72 points out of 36 in the pedestrian safety tests, the highest pedestrian safety score ANCAP has given so far. This is thanks to the inclusion of an active, pop-up bonnet which is designed to provide extra clearance between a pedestrian’s head and the vehicle’s stiff components beneath.
The previous MX-5 had scored 4-stars, so this newer model is significant step forward in terms of safety. Sports cars typically have a tenuous relationship with safety tests as they are designed to lean more towards aesthetics and driving pleasure, sometimes at the expense of its safety potential.
Most buyers and would-be drivers of sports cars, too, in turn do not prioritise safety when selecting a sports car. This is especially troublesome as the kind of driving that these kinds of cars urge make it more likely for an accident to occur, particularly to the inexperienced.
James Goodwin, ANCAP’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Roadsters present a design challenge for manufacturers in ensuring equivalent levels of occupant protection to conventional cars. Their structures obviously differ so additional engineering elements are needed in order to provide the same levels of structural safety.”
It’s not all gold stars for the MX-5, however, and Mr Goodwin pointed out that Mazda could improve the safety of their roadster even further by equipping it with active safety features such as autonomous emergency braking and active lane support.
“As a newly designed model – one that is likely to remain in the market for some time – it is concerning to see these important safety technologies have been overlooked,” he said.
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