Caliber safer than BS6

THE DODGE Caliber has scored four stars in the latest Euro NCAP crash test.

The small car scored four stars for adult occupant protection and four stars for child occupant protection, but scored just one star for pedestrian protection.

It is expected the results will be carried over by the Australian NCAP agency, given the Caliber sold here features the same front and side curtain airbags as the European model tested.

While a four-star rating is deemed satisfactory by Australian motoring groups, an increasing amount of small cars are achieving five stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests.

The Caliber did score five stars in a recent NHTSA test in the US, but vehicles tend to score better in these tests than the generally harsher Euro NCAP regime.

Not so Brillant

CHINA Brilliance said last month’s disastrous one-star crash test result will not affect its European sales.

The emerging automotive giant made headlines for all the wrong reasons when its new BS6 luxury sedan scored the dismal result in the test performed by German motoring club ADAC.

China Brilliance last year secured a deal to supply European distributors with more than 150,000 cars throughout the next five years.

Left: China Brilliance BS6.

It said the crash test result would not affect its European export plans.

Last week, the company accused the German media of “viciously playing up” the test results.

China Brilliance said the mid-sized sedan had passed the ECE test that is mandatory for all new models introduced in Europe.

It stated that it would work with ADAC to closer examine the crash test result and work on improving the crash test score of the BS6.

“We expect to get three stars for the NCAP test within a year,” read the statement.

The BS6 is not the first Chinese car to be sold in Europe that has performed poorly in an ADAC test.

The JMC Landwind four-wheel-drive failed to score a single star when it was tested almost two years ago and was withdrawn from sale in Europe.