The RAC has announced it will refuse to insure or finance a number of new cars for sale on the WA market, after it was revealed they were deemed too unsafe for Australian roads.
The body issued the updated warning due to a flood of new, cheap cars on the WA market thanks to end of financial year sales, and said buyers should not be tempted by "shiny and impressive" vehicles.
RAC's Vehicles and Fuels manager Alex Forrest said the organisation was conscious of how the sales would impact buyer behaviour, and urged WA drivers not to go for "looks" over a good safety rating.
"Just because a vehicle looks good, doesn't mean it does a good job at keeping you safe," he said.
"Consumers see these brand new cars with elaborate aesthetic features and assume they have high-quality safety features as well; however this is not always the case."
Mr Forrest said a number of new cars on the market had recorded ANCAP safety ratings as low as two stars.
Under current WA legislation, it is not mandatory for motor vehicle dealers to display ratings on cars at the point of sale.
The RAC said new models from overseas manufacturers Great Wall, LDV and Foton were of particular concern.
"The Great Wall Steed is one example of a brand new car that looks shiny and impressive, yet has an ANCAP safety rating of just two [stars]," Mr Forrest said.
"Under RAC's Safer Cars Commitment, we would not insure that vehicle."
In April, tests were conducted on the new Great Wall Steed ute. It failed a physical crash test and the independent assessment of its collision avoidance technologies.
Great Wall Motors Australia said it was "disappointed" by the car's result, but accepted it needed to improve in order to meet Australian market standards.
In a June 2016 RAC magazine poll, 68 per cent of car owners did not know the safety rating of their car, reinforcing the important advocacy role of ANCAP.
ANCAP ratings for cars can be found here.