India's SAFEST MPV Launching On 21st July: We Explain!

MG Motor India is set to launch the M9 on July 21. The electric luxury MPV was previously showcased at the Bharat Mobility Expo 2025. With days left for its market entry, people are already talking about the M9's plush ride quality and extensive array of features. But, did you know that it could become one of the safest MPVs in India, when launched? This MPV recently scored a full five-star safety rating in Australian NCAP crash tests. MG plans to bring the M9 to India as SKD (Semi Knocked Down) units. This means we'll get the exact spec that scored the 5-star ANCAP rating. In this article, we'll explain the specifics of ANCAP crash test results and why they matter in the Indian context.

M9 Scores Five-Star Rating In ANCAP Crash Test

For starters, MG M9 is sold as the LDV MIFA 9 EV in the Australian market. Australian NCAP, the country's independent safety assessment authority crash tested the electric MIFA 9 in December 2022. It was evaluated based on ANCAP’s 2020-2022 criteria.

The electric MPV performed exceptionally well in the test and emerged as one of Australia's safest people-movers. It scored 93% in Adult Occupant protection, 88% in child protection and 73% in vulnerable road user protection (applies to pedestrians and cyclists). The safety assist was given a score of 90 per cent.

A deeper analysis of the results shows that the vehicle performed exceptionally well in the full-width frontal test. The driver and a small female rear passenger enjoyed maximum protection in this. The MIFA 9 EV, in fact, became the only model other than Mercedes-Benz C-Class to secure a maximum score under the aforementioned criteria.

The test also noted that the MIFA has a fairly good vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility. Its front-end is designed in a way that reduces the injury caused to occupants of other vehicles.

In Child Occupant protection, the vehicle scored full marks in front and side dynamic tests. It, however, lost 0.59 points for restraint installation and five points for on-board safety features. ANCAP advised buyers to not install child restraints on the centre or right seats in the third row. These lack top-tether anchorages.

The electric MPV scored well in the Safety Assist category as well. It did not lose any points for driver monitoring, lane support and autonomous emergency braking junction assist systems. The Lane Support System and AEB were rated to have 'Good' performance. Six out of its seven seats come equipped with seatbelt reminders.

The MIFA 9 sold in Australia comes with a slew of safety features. The list consists of seven airbags, Autonomous emergency braking (AEB), Blind-spot monitoring, Rear cross-traffic alert, Adaptive cruise control, Lane-departure warning, Lane-keep assist, Fatigue reminder and attention assist, Rear collision warning, Traffic sign recognition, 3 ISOFIX and top tethers and tyre-pressure monitoring. All of these will be available on the India-spec as well.

Safer Than Rivals?

Despite being a diesel MPV, the fourth-generation Kia Carnival that's currently on sale in India, will give the M9 a strong fight. On the safety front, however, the M9 will take the lead. In crash tests conducted by ANCAP, the Carnival scored a five-star rating, with scores for adult and child protection standing at 90% and 88% respectively. It is clearly the M9 that has a higher Adult Occupant Protection score!

The Toyota Vellfire is another strong player in the luxury MPV space. It is however, priced at a huge premium, with the ex-showroom prices going up to 1.32 Crores for the top-spec. Bharat NCAP, ANCAP and Global NCAP haven't crash-tested this vehicle yet. It has, however, scored a four-star rating in JNCAP (Japan New Car Assessment Program) crash tests.

JNCAP uses a 55 km/h impact speed for frontal collisions and 55 ± 1 kph for side collision tests. These are slightly higher ANCAP speeds. In the larger picture, ANCAP tests are stricter than those conducted by JNCAP. ANCAP puts a stronger focus on active safety features and even evaluates Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and their efficiencies. The M9 could thus take the lead here as well.

Rated Safe By ANCAP: Why It Matters In The Indian Context?

Australia's new car evaluation program- ANCAP usually has stricter criteria than Global NCAP and Bharat NCAP. It conducts frontal impact tests at 50 km/h, side impacts at 60 km/h, and oblique pole tests at 32 km/h. Even the assessment is stricter. Bharat NCAP, on the other hand, does these at speeds of 64 kmph, 50 kmph and 29 kmph, respectively.

A vehicle that has scored well in ANCAP tests would indeed be safe and do well in Bharat NCAP tests as well. If you're in for some trivia, ANCAP now runs an updated critera which is stricter than the 2020-2022 scheme under which this vehicle was tested...

The MIFA 9 (MG M9) will be brought as semi-Knocked Down kits and assembled at the carmaker's India plant, we can be certain that the build and safety on offer will remain unchanged. The vehicle will likely live up to its 'presidential ride' claims even on the safety front....