KIA’S newly introduced PV5 Cargo electric van has joined Volkswagen’s latest generation Transporter in earning a Platinum safety grading under ANCAP Safety’s Commercial Van Safety comparison program.
The independent assessment program evaluates the availability and performance of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) fitted to commercial vans, providing fleet operators and private buyers with a safety benchmark beyond traditional crash-testing results.
The light commercial van comparison focuses on active safety technologies designed to help prevent crashes before they occur unlike ANCAP’s passenger vehicle star ratings.
The generation seven Volkswagen Transporter achieved an overall score of 93 per cent, matching the related Ford Transit Custom, and securing a Platinum grading.
ANCAP said the Transporter’s strong result demonstrated consistently high performance across autonomous emergency braking, lane support, speed assistance and driver monitoring systems.
Kia’s market fresh all-electric PV5 Cargo was close behind achieving a Platinum grading with a score of 91 per cent.
It is a strong debut for Kia’s first dedicated commercial EV with testing showing high levels of performance across most autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and speed assistance scenarios.
The PV5 missed additional points due to the absence of reverse autonomous emergency braking, a feature increasingly valued in urban delivery and fleet applications.
The latest assessments were conducted under ANCAP’s 2023-2025 Commercial Van Safety Comparison criteria, which evaluate a range of advanced safety technologies including autonomous emergency braking, emergency lane keeping, blind spot monitoring, speed assistance systems, and driver monitoring functions.
ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg said active safety systems continue to play an increasingly important role in reducing crashes involving commercial vehicles.
“Commercial vans spend much of their time operating in busy urban environments where advanced safety technologies can make a meaningful difference in helping drivers avoid collisions,” she said.
Also receiving ANCAP commercial van gradings were the Fiat Scudo and the twin Peugeot Boxer and Fiat Ducato large vans.
The Fiat Scudo earned a Gold grading with an overall score of 67 per cent.
While equipped with a comprehensive suite of driver assistance technologies, ANCAP found the vehicle’s performance across several testing scenarios was less capable than the highest-ranked competitors.
The Peugeot Boxer and Fiat Ducato shared a stronger Gold result, each achieving 77 per cent.
A common theme across the latest round of assessments was the absence of reverse emergency braking systems.
Four of the five newly assessed vans lacked the technology, which is designed to help prevent low-speed reversing collisions in crowded loading zones, warehouses, and urban delivery environments.
The latest results reinforce the growing importance of advanced driver assistance technologies in the commercial vehicle sector, where fleet operators are increasingly considering safety performance alongside payload, operating costs and efficiency.
The latest assessments bring the number of current-model commercial vans rated under ANCAP’s specialised safety comparison program to 20.
2026 ANCAP Safety Commercial Van Safety Comparison rankings:
|
Make/Model |
Grading |
Score |
|
Volkswagen Transporter |
Platinum |
93% |
|
Ford Transit Custom |
Platinum |
93% |
|
Kia PV5 Cargo |
Platinum |
91% |
|
Toyota HiAce |
Gold |
90% |
|
Hyundai Staria |
Gold |
90% |
|
Mercedes-Benz Vito/eVito |
Gold |
90% |
|
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter/eSprinter |
Gold |
89% |
|
LDV Deliver 7 |
Gold |
86% |
|
Farizon SV |
Gold |
84% |
|
Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo |
Gold |
80% |
|
Peugeot Boxer / Fiat Ducato |
Gold |
77% |
|
Fiat Scudo |
Gold |
67% |