MEDIA RELEASE
Embargoed 6am 29 September 2009
LOW-COST IMPORTED UTES SCORE POORLY IN SAFETY TESTS
Australia’s leading independent vehicle safety advocate, the Australasian New Car
Assessment Program (ANCAP), has issued crash test results
for three imported
utes on the Australian market. All three scored poorly.
The highly anticipated Great Wall Motors SA220 and V240 utes from China received
only 2 stars out of 5, while the Malaysian Proton Jumbuck ute only
rated a single
star.
ANCAP Chair, Lauchlan McIntosh, said the results were of great concern,
particularly since commercial vehicles are now more commonly rating 4 and even 5
stars. Many passenger vehicles of course are 5-star rated.
Mr McIntosh also expressed concern about the widening gap between Australian
Design Rules (ADRs) and ANCAP’s safety testing.
"Crash statistics show that occupants of 1 or 2 stars vehicles have twice the risk of
receiving life-threatening injuries in a crash, compared with 4 or 5-star vehicles - at a
time when 4 and 5-star ratings are becoming increasingly
available for new car
buyers," Mr McIntosh said.
“New vehicles that achieve only a 1 or 2 star ANCAP rating -
while meeting the
ADRs - are a cause for concern.
"The results for the Great Wall
vehicles were particularly disappointing as these are
new models to the market.”
“The SA220 and the Jumbuck lack airbags and other safety features that are
expected as standard equipment by new car buyers.”
“The V240 has dual airbags but these failed to protect the driver and passenger
from injury in our crash tests.”
The three utilities performed poorly in the ANCAP offset crash test - all experienced
loss of cabin structural integrity, with poor head and leg protection at impact. There
were high injury measurements for driver and passenger in all three vehicles.
2
2
For a full list of ANCAP’s vehicle safety ratings, including light commercial vehicles
ANCAP is supported by all Australian and New Zealand motoring
clubs, all
Australian state governments, the New Zealand government, the Victorian Transport
Accident Commission, NRMA Insurance and the FIA Foundation.
* * * * * * *
Contact:
Lauchlan McIntosh, ANCAP Chair, 0418 424 886
Allan Yates, ANCAP, 0421 150 229
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