Independent safety authority ANCAP has awarded both the Denza B8 and Hyundai Elexio five-star safety ratings, but it didn’t slam either model into anything.
ANCAP has confirmed that “following a thorough assessment of technical evidence”, the Elexio has adopted the destructive crash test results from the closely related Kia EV5, though it undertook new testing of its active safety technology.
Likewise, the Denza B8’s five-star rating is “partly based” on assessment of the Denza B5, with ANCAP reviewing comprehensive technical documentation.
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ANCAP did, however, note design differences at the front of the B8 to its smaller off-road SUV sibling, so it undertook additional testing; a video released by the safety authority shows a machine being used to press the front of the vehicle. The result was a vulnerable road user protection rating of 75 per cent, up from 74 per cent in the B5.
The Denza B8 otherwise received the same category scores as the B5: an adult occupant protection rating of 86 per cent, a child occupant protection rating of 95 per cent, and a safety assist rating of 78 per cent.
The Hyundai Elexio mid-size electric SUV received an adult occupant protection rating of 88 per cent, a child occupant protection rating of 86 per cent, a vulnerable road user protection rating of 77 per cent, and a safety assist rating of 85 per cent.
The Kia EV5 received slightly lower scores for vulnerable road user protection (74 per cent) and safety assist (82 per cent).
Given their testing is underpinned by assessment of other existing models, the Denza B8 and Hyundai Elexio have received their five-star ratings against 2023-25 testing criteria, not the new 2026 testing protocols which have yet to be fully detailed.
The B8 is one of the models to debut the Denza brand in Australia, a premium arm of Chinese automaker BYD.
The Elexio, despite coming from the Hyundai brand, is produced in China for our market like its Kia EV5 cousin.
Five-star safety ratings have almost become the norm in Australia, particularly among Chinese SUVs. Last year, BYD, Chery, Denza, GAC, Geely, GWM, Leapmotor, MG, Omoda Jaecoo and Zeekr all received five-star safety ratings for newly introduced SUVs.
Joining them were other Chinese-built SUVs from brands such as Polestar, Tesla and Volvo.