MG QS Earns a Five-Star ANCAP Safety Rating: What Queensland Buyers Need to Know

If you are in the market for a large family SUV and safety is a priority, the 2025 MG QS has just made your shortlist a lot more straightforward. Introduced to Australia in June 2025, the MG QS has achieved a five-star ANCAP safety rating(the highest possible result) under the demanding 2023-2025 assessment criteria, with scores that sit well above the five-star threshold across all four categories. The full MG QS range is available now at Barton Motor Group, your local MG dealer serving Brisbane and South East Queensland.

The MG QS is a large seven-seat SUV built to compete at the pointy end of the family car market. A five-star result at this level carries real weight, and the detailed scores reveal a vehicle that has been engineered with genuine structural and technological commitment to occupant safety. Here is what the numbers mean for Queensland families considering the QS.

What is an ANCAP Safety Rating, and Why Does it Matter?

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) is the independent body that crash-tests and rates new vehicles sold in Australia and New Zealand. Results are determined through rigorous, standardised testing at accredited facilities, completely independent of manufacturer claims. A five-star rating is the highest result achievable and is reassessed whenever significant changes are made to the vehicle.

ANCAP assesses four key categories: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist. The MG QS performed strongly across all four.

MG QS ANCAP Safety Rating: The Full Scorecard

The MG QS (IS31 series, built from April 2025) achieved the following results under 2023-2025 criteria:

The rating applies to both variants sold in Australia: the MG QS Excite (2.0-litre petrol, FWD) and the MG QS Essence (2.0-litre petrol, AWD). It expires in December 2031.

Adult Occupant Protection: 88% (35.23 out of 40)

What Was Tested

The MG QS was assessed through a frontal offset test at 50 km/h, a full-width frontal test at 50 km/h, a side impact at 60 km/h, an oblique pole test at 32 km/h, far-side impact tests, and whiplash protection assessments.

What the Results Show

The MG QS posted its joint strongest result in adult occupant protection, scoring 88 per cent. The passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal offset test. The driver received adequate protection for the chest and upper and lower legs, with good protection across all other body regions. The front passenger scored good protection across all critical body areas.

In the full-width frontal test, driver protection was good across all regions except the chest, which returned adequate. The rear passenger showed good protection for most regions; however, chest protection was rated weak, which is a result worth noting for rear seat passengers in a heavy frontal collision. This is a common challenge in this test across vehicles in the large SUV segment.

The side impact result was exceptional: the MG QS scored the maximum available points, with good protection across all critical body regions for the driver. The oblique pole test returned near-maximum points, with adequate chest protection and good results across all other areas.

A standout result is the far-side impact score: the MG QS achieved the full 4.00 points out of 4.00, and the centre airbag provided good head protection for both front seat occupants in this scenario, a technically demanding assessment that many vehicles do not score well in.

The MG QS also earned the full 4.00 points for rescue and extrication, covering the rescue sheet, door opening, multi-collision braking, eCall, and both door and window submergence testing. Both doors and windows remained functional for the minimum required period if the vehicle enters water, which is a particularly complete result.

Child Occupant Protection: 86% (42.61 out of 49)

What Was Tested

Child occupant protection is assessed through dynamic crash testing using six-year-old and ten-year-old child dummies in frontal offset and side impact scenarios, as well as a practical assessment of how standard Australian and New Zealand child restraints can be installed.

What the Results Show

The MG QS scored 86 per cent in child occupant protection, with strong results in both dynamic tests. In the frontal offset test, neck protection for both the six-year and ten-year dummies was adequate, with good protection across all other critical body regions. In the side impact test, both dummies showed good protection across all body areas, with maximum points scored in this test.

The MG QS is fitted with ISOFix lower anchorages on both second-row outboard seats and top tether anchorages across all second-row positions. All assessed child restraint types, from rear-facing capsules through to forward-facing harness seats and boosters for children up to ten years, can be installed in second-row positions without issue, earning full points in the restraint installation assessment.

One important safety note for buyers: top tether anchorages are not available in the optional third row. ANCAP strongly advises that child restraints should not be installed in the third row of the MG QS. This is a significant consideration for families who plan to regularly seat children in the rearmost row.

The MG QS does not offer a child presence detection (CPD) system, which is reflected in the on-board safety features score.

Vulnerable Road User Protection: 76% (48.05 out of 63)

What Was Tested

Vulnerable road user (VRU) protection covers the physical construction of the vehicle's bonnet and windscreen and the performance of the AEB system in detecting and reacting to pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.

Physical Impact Results

The MG QS bonnet and windscreen provided good to marginal head protection across most of the surface. Weak and poor results were recorded at the stiff windscreen pillars, the base of the windscreen, and the front edge of the bonnet, which are typical structural constraints in a large SUV. Femur protection was excellent, scoring near maximum points. Pelvis and lower leg protection was mixed, with areas of good and poor performance.

Autonomous Emergency Braking: Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Motorcyclists

The MG QS AEB system for vulnerable road users operates from 5 km/h to 85 km/h and was assessed across a broad range of real-world scenarios.

Pedestrian AEB performance was rated good in forward scenarios, with collisions avoided or mitigated in most tests including turning scenarios, both day and night. In reverse (AEB Backover), performance was rated marginal, meaning the system provides some mitigation but is less reliable at detecting pedestrians behind the vehicle. This is worth noting for families with young children in driveways and car parks.

Cyclist AEB performance was rated good, with collisions avoided or mitigated at all test speeds including turning scenarios. The MG QS provides a cyclist dooring warning, alerting the driver when a cyclist is approaching from behind before a door is opened.

Motorcyclist AEB performance was rated good, including in turning and overtaking scenarios, earning full points in this assessment. The lane support system also returned good performance in motorcyclist testing.

Safety Assist: 80% (14.40 out of 18)

What Was Tested

Safety Assist evaluates the active safety technology suite: AEB for car-to-car scenarios, lane support, speed assistance, seat belt reminders, and driver monitoring.

Car-to-Car AEB: Good Performance Across the Board

The MG QS AEB system operates from 8 km/h to 150 km/h in car-to-car scenarios, covering urban speeds through to motorway driving. Testing returned good performance across all standard car-to-car scenarios, including stationary, slower-moving, lightly braking, and heavily braking vehicles ahead.

AEB Junction and Crossing performance was good, with the vehicle capable of autonomously braking when turning across oncoming traffic or crossing the path of another vehicle at an intersection. AEB Head-On earned the full available point. These are among the most consequential collision scenarios on Queensland roads, and the MG QS handles them well.

Lane Support System

The lane support system operates from 60 to 130 km/h and covers lane keep assist (LKA) and emergency lane keeping (ELK). Both were rated good in testing, including in the critical emergency lane keeping scenarios. The system also performed well in car-to-motorcyclist lane support testing.

Speed Assistance and Driver Monitoring

The MG QS includes an intelligent speed assistance system with speed sign recognition, an intelligent speed limiter, and intelligent adaptive cruise control as standard. The system scored 2.16 out of 3 in this category.

A direct driver monitoring system (DMS) is fitted as standard, detecting drowsiness and distraction with a warning issued to the driver. This is a direct system rather than the indirect method fitted to many competitors in this class, which is a meaningful distinction in driver monitoring accuracy.

Seat belt reminders with visual and audible warnings are fitted for all seating positions, with one detail to note: occupant detection is available for the second row but is not available for the optional third row.

MG QS Safety Features: What Comes Standard

The MG QS arrives with a comprehensive safety technology list as standard across both variants:

• Dual frontal airbags (driver and front passenger)
• Side chest-protecting airbags (front, second row, and third row seats)
• Side head-protecting curtain airbags (front, second row, and third row)
• Centre airbag
• Knee airbags (driver and front passenger)
• Autonomous emergency braking: car-to-car, pedestrian (forward and reverse), cyclist, and motorcyclist
• AEB Junction, Crossing, and Head-On
• Lane keep assist (LKA) and emergency lane keeping (ELK)
• Lane departure warning (LDW)
• Forward collision warning (FCW)
• Blind spot monitoring (BSM)
• Speed sign recognition and intelligent speed limiter
• Intelligent adaptive cruise control
• Direct driver monitoring system (drowsiness and distraction detection)
• Cyclist dooring detection and alert
• Seat belt reminders for all seating positions
• Multi-collision braking system
• Automatic emergency call (eCall)
• ISOFix anchorages (second-row outboard seats) and top tether anchorages (second row only)
• Rescue sheet for emergency responders

Which MG QS Variants Does the Five-Star Rating Cover?

• MG QS Excite (2.0-litre petrol, FWD)
• MG QS Essence (2.0-litre petrol, AWD)

View the Five-Star MG QS at Barton Motor Group

At Barton Motor Group, we believe Queensland families deserve clear, factual information about the safety of every vehicle they consider, not just the spec sheet talking points. The MG QS's five-star ANCAP result is independently verified and places it among the safest large SUVs available in Australia today.

Whether you are drawn to the Excite's value proposition or the Essence's AWD capability, the MG QS at Bartons.net.audelivers a five-star rated, seven-seat SUV with a safety technology list that competes well above its price point.

Visit Barton Motor Group to see the MG QS in person, arrange a test drive, and speak with our team about which variant suits your family. Browse current stock and make an enquiry at Bartons.net.au.

All safety scores, test results, and feature listings are drawn directly from the official ANCAP assessment report for the MG QS (IS31, June 2025 onwards), published November 2025. Rating applies to all Australian-market variants built from April 2025 onwards. Source: ancap.com.au.

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