ANCAP has expanded its Commercial Van Safety Comparison programme with new safety gradings for the Ford Transit, Toyota HiAce and new battery-electric Farizon SV, giving fleet operators and buyers wider guidance on crash-avoidance performance.
The full-size Ford Transit has achieved a platinum grading with an overall collision-avoidance score of 93% — the highest score recorded for any NB-category van assessed to date. It surpasses the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and eSprinter models tested last year, and follows the Transit Custom’s platinum result in the smaller NA class.
The Transit introduces more comprehensive driver-assistance technology than the previous model, including autonomous emergency braking for car-to-car, pedestrian, cyclist and back-over scenarios, lane support with emergency lane-keeping, speed assistance and driver monitoring as standard. The earlier Transit assessed in 2020 held a gold grading.
Toyota’s updated HiAce has also moved to a platinum grading, recording a 90% collision-avoidance score. The new grading applies to van and crew-van variants built from June 2025 and improves on the gold result of earlier models. Testing showed the HiAce’s crash-avoidance systems matched those fitted to Toyota passenger cars, delivering strong autonomous emergency braking and lane-support performance.
Farizon’s new SV, a battery-electric model entering the local market for the first time, has debuted with a platinum grading and an overall score of 84%. ANCAP noted strong overall results but identified limitations in the absence of AEB back-over functionality and a speed-assistance system.
ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg says the new results lift safety expectations across the van sector.
“Ford’s Transit has set a new benchmark for active safety performance among the larger commercial vans segment,” Hoorweg says.
“Toyota’s updated HiAce demonstrates great progress in the smaller van segment, with the recent model improvements delivering a balanced and high-performing result.
“Farizon’s entry reflects the high standard Australian consumers and fleets expect straight out of the box. This is a really encouraging first showing and adds to the growing range of safe electric vans now available.”
Full commercial-van safety results are available at ancap.com.au/vans.
