Safest Van in 2023: ANCAP Rates the Best Vans in Australia

While safety features were a mere afterthought while developing vans of the past generation, the latest range of vans feature clever designs and a heap of active safety equipment to keep its occupants safe.

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the safest vans on sale here in Australia, as set out by ANCAP.

Our list has taken data directly from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) which gives cars and vans an overall rating out of five stars, as well as individual scores for adult and child protection, pedestrian protection, and that vehicle’s safety assist technologies.

Let’s take a look at ANCAP’s ratings for the 2023 best and safest van packages here in Australia.

Toyota HiAce - 5/5 ANCAP Safety Rating

Toyota’s HiAce van was given a five-star ANCAP safety rating from its 2019 testing, with the rating applicable for all van and crew van variants, making for one of the safest van packages you’ll find on the market.

As standard, the HiAce comes fitted with active safety gear like autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, lane keep and lane departure assistance, rear cross-traffic alerts, traffic sign recognition and a rear-view camera with front and rear parking sensors.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 94%

• Child Occupant Protection: 88%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 84%

• Safety Assist: 77%

Volkswagen Caddy Cargo - 5/5 ANCAP Safety Rating

Volkswagen’s commercial-focused Caddy Cargo picked up a five-star ANCAP safety rating from its testing back in 2021 where it recorded solid adult and child protection scores that make it a great option for safety-conscious van buyers.

The Caddy Cargo comes fitted with AEB with pedestrian, cyclist and junction assistance, lane-keep assistance, a rear-view camera with rear parking sensors, driver attention monitoring and seven airbags.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 84%

• Child Occupant Protection: 87%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 69%

• Safety Assist: 76%

Hyundai Staria Load - 5/5 ANCAP Safety Rating

Hyundai took the world by surprise with its release of the futuristic Staria passenger and cargo-focussed Staria Load, with its high-tech nature extending to the context of safety which helped it secure a 5-star ANCAP safety rating in 2021.

The Staria Load comes fitted with the longest safety equipment lists you’ll find in the van segment, with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, AEB with pedestrian, cyclist and junction assist, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist with lane centering, front and rear parking sensors, safe exit warnings and seven airbags fitted as standard.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 85%

• Child Occupant Protection: N/A

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 65%

• Safety Assist: 74%

Peugeot Partner - 4/5 ANCAP Safety Rating

Peugeot has given its Partner workhorse range a pretty significant update in recent years, with the company receiving a four-star ANCAP safety rating.

As standard, the Partner range is fitted with autonomous emergency braking, electronic brake assistance, hill-start assistance, a rear-view camera with rear parking sensors, lane departure warnings, lane-keep assistance, traffic sign recognition and an electronic stability program.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 90%

• Child Occupant Protection: N/A

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 58%

• Safety Assist: 74%

Mercedes-Benz Vito (Expired 5/5 ANCAP Safety Rating)

While the Mercedes-Benz Vito is yet to receive an official ANCAP safety rating, the previous model received a perfect five-star ANCAP safety rating, meaning it’s still worth tossing up if you’re looking for a safe and practical European van.

Standard safety equipment for the Mercedes-Benz Vito includes autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assistance, a rear-view camera with parking sensors and six airbags.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 93%*

• Child Occupant Protection: 87%*

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 67%*

• Safety Assist: 85%*

• *ANCAP safety ratings have expired

Ford Transit Custom (Expired 5/5 ANCAP Safety Rating)

The Ford Transit Custom’s five-star ANCAP rating expired back in January, 2022, with ANCAP set to test the latest Ford Transit in the near future, though it remains a great option for buyers in the market for a safe and practical workhorse.

Standard safety equipment for the Ford Transit Custom includes AEB, adaptive cruise control with junction assist, lane departure warnings with lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts and both front & rear parking sensors.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 84%*

• Child Occupant Protection: 90%*

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 48%*

• Safety Assist: 71%*

*ANCAP safety ratings have expired

Volkswagen Transporter (Expired 4/5 ANCAP Safety Rating)

While the Volkswagen’s range of family- and work-ready vans has had its ANCAP safety rating expire, its previous four-star ANCAP safety rating and the addition of some active safety tech still makes it a great option for those looking for a safe van.

As standard, the Transporter receives autonomous emergency braking and driver attention monitoring, while the Van and Crewvan variants receive blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, a rear-view camera with parking sensors, and crosswind assistance.

Request a Quote

If our list of the safest vans on sale in Australia has sparked your imagination, get in contact with one of our car-buying specialists who can help find you the best price and take all the stress out of the buying process.