Sharing last week of the ANCAP result for the battery-wed edition of Toyota’s top seller foxed some outlets.

FRESH enforcement of how pleased Toyota New Zealand is that the all-electric Hilux holds the same ANCAP safety rating as the standard model was a retelling of old news that caught out some.

On May 21, the second day of the media introduction to the new generation nine family, the brand voiced excitement about the Hilux BEV it is about to release having achieved the same safety scores as the diesel and diesel hybrid editions already on sale here.

The five star outcome is an optimal greeted with satisfaction, with surprise also expressed at the media event in Palmerston North, TNZ staff saying the operation had not expected a score for the BEV quite yet.

This was subsequently reported by some attending motoring news outlets here as being a new development.

However, a check back on the ANCAP website suggests that was a case of media misinterpretation.

The safety ranking status for Toyota’s first light commercial electric vehicle was in fact clearly signalled at end of 2025.

The national independent crash test auditor for New Zealand and Australia included the electric in a media comment about Hilux’s score relayed on December 11 last year.

A release that day outlined how the safety assessment of latest Hilux in both electric and internal combustion formats was determined to include specific testing of the BEV.

The organisation whose name is an an acronym for Australasian New Car Assessment Programme said then it acted to “confirm integrity of the battery and safety of high voltage electrical systems in battery electric variants.”

To satisfy itself, additional frontal offset (MPDB) and oblique pole tests were conducted.

“With these additional tests, this ANCAP safety rating applies to all diesel and battery electric variants of the Toyota Hilux …”

The ANCAP website’s media release page does not feature more recent comment about Hilux BEV and Toyota Australia, which developed the line-up, has no ANCAP-specific information posted.

Hilux has achieved five star ratings with ANCAP for some years but the test has progressively toughened.

The latest being tested before the start of 2026 meant it didn’t have to be assessed to updated testing criteria that enacted on January 1.

This penalises vehicles with overzealous safety alerts, too many touch controls, and powered door handles that do not extend after a crash, among other revisions.

The latest scored 84 percent in Adult Occupant Protection, 89 percent in Child Occupant Protection, 82 percent in Vulnerable Road User Protection, and 84 percent in Safety Assist.

Although a 'Poor' score was recorded for the Hilux's stiff windscreen pillars and front edge of the bonnet surface during pedestrian impact tests, in a best scorers’ summary ANCAP published in January, Hilux was named as the safest utility vehicle the organisation tested in 2025.

The three Hilux BEV models set to offered locally include the broadened suite of safety features that have gone into the gen nine line, including a centre airbag and enhanced automatic emergency breaking (AEB) functionality.

MotoringNZ.com's first drive of the Hilux BEV is here.