The Australasian New Car Assessment Program – better known to all of us as ANCAP – has named Aussie family favourite the Toyota Camry as the safest car it tested in 2024, with an overall weighted score of 88.4 per cent.

More impressively, the Camry’s 95 per cent adult occupancy protection score was the highest individual score of 2024. The Camry also scored 87 per cent for child occupancy protection, 84 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 81 per cent for safety assist.

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“The Camry secured top spot in 2024, excelling with a score of 95% for Adult Occupant Protection – the highest AOP score of all vehicles assessed in 2024,” said ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg.

“The Camry remains a stable and reliable choice with a safety pedigree that dates back over 13 years.”

The Toyota Camry Ascent Sport recently polled second in Wheels COTY 2024-25, behind the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, with veteran motoring journalist Peter Robinson writing: “No potential rival goes close to matching the Camry’s long-acknowledged low operating costs, reliability, and practicality.”

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In second place was the recently tested Mazda CX-80, with an overall weighted score of 87.6 per cent. According to ANCAP, it scored solidly across the board, particularly its 92 per cent score for adult occupancy protection and a full point score in side impact, far side impact, whiplash protection and oblique pole crash tests.

The CX-80 also scored 87 per cent for child occupancy protection, 84 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 83 per cent for safety assist.

Rounding out the top three was the new Chinese all-electric SUV Zeekr X, which was only recently launched in Australia. Its overall weighted score was 87.4 per cent, which was only just behind the CX-80. Its 91 per cent adult occupancy protection score was also impressive, while it also scored 87 per cent for child occupancy protection, 84 per cent for vulnerable road user protection and 84 per cent for safety assist.

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Significantly, ANCAP noted that of the 23 vehicles tested in 2024, close to half (11 out of 23) were new models not previously known to the Australian and New Zealand markets, and 10 of those achieved a full five-star result.

2025 is set to be a busy year for ANCAP with a number of new models from brands such as Geely due to arrive on Australian shores. First cab off the rank is believed to be the new Kia K4, which has just been launched locally.