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Holden Commodore ute scores top car safety rating
Media release: Embargoed until 20 October
2009 Holden Commodore ute scores top car safety
rating
The Holden Commodore ute has become the first Australian-made utility vehicle to receive the top five star crash test rating for occupant protection from the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP).
ANCAP is supported by all New Zealand and Australian motoring clubs, the New Zealand government, all Australian State governments and the FIA Foundation. The Automobile Association and the NZ Transport Agency are both members of ANCAP.
AA General Manager Technical Stella Stocks says the latest result is fantastic news for New Zealand because the Holden Commodore ute will be the first five star utility on the market here.
“Following last month’s poor one and two star safety ratings for the Proton Jumbuck and Great Wall Motors utes, this result proves that it is possible to produce a five star ute. With modern safety technology there is no excuse for manufacturers to produce new vehicles that score less than four stars.
“Earlier this year we welcomed the first five star-rated commercial van and now we have the first five star ute, creating a wider range of safer vehicles for New Zealanders. This range now enables utility drivers, particularly our tradespeople and people in rural areas to have access to a five star ute,” says Ms Stocks.
NZTA Vehicle Policy Manager Don Hutchinson is also pleased to see another popular five star rated vehicle.
“Drivers who need a ute as a work vehicle can now opt for five star safety when making their purchasing decision. We look forward to seeing more top safety ratings like this in the future.”
The five star ANCAP rating applies to all variants of the new Commodore ute. The passenger compartment held its shape well in the ANCAP crash tests, providing good airbag protection for the driver and passenger and no knee hazards for the driver. In addition to the crash test performance, the ute comes with dual front airbags, seat-mounted side and head-protecting curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic brake distribution (EBD) and electronic stability control (ESC) as standard features.
Detailed crash test results are available on the websites of both organisations – www.aa.co.nz or www.nzta.govt.nz
ENDS
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