MEDIA RELEASE
19 May 2009
NZ NISSAN URVAN: SHOCKING SAFETY RESULT
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), has voiced concerns about the
safety of light commercial vehicles following the release of a poor 1-star rating for the
Nissan Urvan that is sold in New Zealand.
ANCAP, the leading vehicle safety advocate in Australia and New Zealand, said the Urvan
result followed other light commercial vehicle crash tests which also had recorded low
safety levels, particularly in protecting drivers’ legs in the event of an accident.
ANCAP said that, while the safety of commercial vans has improved with a number of 4-star
vans on the road, recent crash testing showed that drivers’ legs were still vulnerable upon
impact.
The tested model of Nissan Urvan E25 was introduced in New Zealand several years ago
but is not on sale in Australia.
The ANCAP crash test showed the passenger compartment lost structural integrity in an
offset crash test conducted at 64km/h, offering poor protection for the occupants.
There
was a high risk of serious neck, chest, leg and foot injuries for the driver.
The ANCAP test also resulted in a leak from the diesel fuel tank. The top of the tank had
been speared by the front suspension torsion bar, which displaced rearwards in the crash.
ANCAP Chair, Lauchlan McIntosh, said the 1-star rating for the 3-litre diesel Urvan should
be heeded by van owners, drivers and fleet purchasers.
“There are several 4-star light commercials on the Australian market that provide much
better occupant protection in ANCAP tests than the Urvan and similar vehicles with low star
ratings.
Owners, drivers and particularly large fleet operators should be mindful of the
safety these vehicles provide for drivers and passengers,” Mr McIntosh said.
“The Urvan result follows the release of 3-star results for the Ford Transit van and the
Suzuki APV van earlier this year.
“In contrast, in 2008 ANCAP released 4-star ratings for the Mercedes Vito and VW
Transporter vans, where there was just a slight risk of lower leg injury. These 4-star vans
demonstrate this type of vehicle can be designed to minimise leg injury,” Mr McIntosh said.
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“Passenger vehicles are now scoring consistent 4 and 5-star safety ratings, which is great
news for private motorists and their families, but with so many commercial vehicles being
sold in Australasia we encourage manufacturers to make these high-use vans safer and
purchasers to seriously consider their safety when buying.”
Light commercials account for a large percentage of business and fleet purchases in
Australia.
ANCAP has released a range of ratings for light commercial vehicles through either ANCAP
testing or EuroNCAP, which incorporates the same crash-testing protocols. These include
4-star ratings for the Mercedes Vito, VW Caddy Van and VW Transporter, a 3-star rating for
the Toyota HiAce and a 1-star rating for the Mitsubishi Express.
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. For a full list of ANCAP’s vehicle safety ratings,
including more commercial vehicles, and other vehicle safety information, go to
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Contact:
Lauchlan McIntosh
ANCAP Chair
0418 424 886
Allan Yates
ANCAP
0421 150 229
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