The Chinese automobile manufacturer Geely's first mid-size model, the Emgrand EC7, has been given a five-star ranking in a crash test, marking a record high for a Chinese car of this size in safety assessments.

Results of the New Car Assessment Program (C-NCAP) test, by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center in Tianjin, were released in early January.

The car was tested in 2010 as part of a group of eight models, some of them from foreign-funded companies.

The EC7 had a score of 46.8 points, out of a possible 51.

The results show that Geely has outperformed other local brands in safety and has grown into a domestic auto industry leader, experts remarked.

The EC7 got higher marks than some high-end joint-venture models, indicating that Geely has positioned itself well for competing with overseas models, industrial insiders said.

Some experts have also said that this symbolizes the degree to which Chinese brands have risen in quality.

This is actually the second Geely model to get high safety performance marks. The first, at the end of 2009, was the Geely Panda, the only Class-A00 model in C-NCAP history to get a five-star rating.

The A00 designation applies to micro cars with a short wheelbase.

As automobile sales in China have grown in recent years, more consumers are becoming aware of automobile safety questions.

And an increasing number of cars have been trying for a high C-NCAP test rating. But the five-star cars are mainly found among the high-end foreign brands, which are generally designed to give better protection in a collision.

The Chinese models now include five with a five-star rank. Two of them are Geelys and both have outdone some foreign brands in safety.

So this is clearly a milestone on the company's path toward mid- to high-range models.

It also represents China's safety technology breakthroughs, insiders say.

At a recent conference, the company said it will sharpen its technological and quality edge even more.

These developments are significant to Geely in proving that its safety strategy has brought a major image change, the company says.