Tesla Model Y L scores a perfect 5-star safety rating at ANCAP

American electric automaker Tesla’s Model Y L has secured a perfect 5-star safety rating at Australian NCAP. In addition to the Model 3, the rating is extended to the two-row, five-seater version of the Model Y. While the variant was launched at a lower price point than the top-spec Model Y Long Range rear-wheel-drive and has since been discontinued, the Model Y L holds a unique position in the range with all-wheel drive and the ability to seat six passengers. The Model Y L is the only Model Y to be tested for the ANCAP rating. The ANCAP rating applies to the standard two-row Model Y, and the vehicle was tested in four key categories - Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), Child Occupant Protection (COP), Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Protection and Safety Assist (SA). Also, the Model Y sold in India and Australia is a completely built-unit (CBU) imported from Tesla’s manufacturing unit in China, which caters to both right-hand-drive markets.

Tesla Model Y L: Adult Occupant Protection

The Tesla Model Y L scored 36.52 out of 40 in the Adult Occupant Protection category, which translates to 91 per cent. In the frontal offset crash test, conducted at 50 kmph, the driver’s chest received an ‘adequate’ protection rating, while all other critical body regions were rated as offering good protection. In the full-width frontal impact test, also conducted at 50 kmph, chest protection for both the driver and the rear passenger was rated as adequate, while protection levels for all other body areas were classified as good.

The vehicle scored full six points in the side-impact assessment, with all critical areas of the driver rated good in the 60 kmph test. The vehicle scored slightly less than 5.33 out of six in the oblique pole impact test done at 32 kmph, with the driver’s chest rating marginal. Whiplash protection and far-side impact performance both received full marks, although the driver's head protection in an oblique pole collision scenario was rated adequate rather than good. The vehicle also earned three out of four points for rescue and extrication, with ANCAP noting that all doors remained operable following a crash and that the windows could remain functional for the minimum required duration in the event of water submersion.

Tesla Model Y L: Child Occupant Protection

The Model Y L achieved 41.40 out of 49 points, which translates to 84 per cent. Dynamic crash testing involving six-year-old and ten-year-old child dummies in frontal impacts resulted in full marks, with protection rated as good across all critical body regions. In side-impact testing at 60 kmph, however, chest protection for the ten-year-old dummy was assessed as poor, while the six-year-old dummy received a good rating.

ANCAP also evaluated the vehicle's child restraint installation and onboard child safety features, awarding scores of 8.4 out of 12 and nine out of 13, respectively. The assessment highlighted compatibility challenges between the vehicle's ISOFIX mounting points and child restraint systems commonly used in Australia and New Zealand. While proper installation can improve safety performance, the complexity of the process contributed to the deduction in points. ANCAP further noted that the Child Presence Detection system is available only for the second-row seats and not for the third row, which remained unassessed.

Tesla Model Y L: Road User Protection

The Tesla Model Y L delivered strongly when it came to the Vulnerable Road User Protection, scoring 54.38 out of 63 points, or 86 per cent. Pedestrian impact assessments demonstrated that the hood provided good head protection, while the windscreen offered adequate protection. The electric vehicle's A-pillars were rated poor owing to their increased injury risk in pedestrian collisions.

A contributor to the vehicle's VRU score was its advanced driver assistance technology. The Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) system achieved maximum scores in pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection scenarios, with only the reverse pedestrian detection test recording a slightly lower result. The Lane Support System (LSS), which operates at speeds ranging from 1 kmph to 150 kmph, also received full marks for motorcycle detection and intervention performance.

Tesla Model Y L: Safety Assist

The Model Y L secured 16.65 out of 18 points in the safety assist category, representing a 92 per cent score. The vehicle received full marks for seatbelt reminders, AEB junction and crossing assistance, head-on collision avoidance, and lane support functionality. Furthermore, driver monitoring and speed assistance systems also performed strongly, while the AEB car-to-car system, operational between 40 kmph and 145 kmph, was rated as delivering good overall performance.

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