ANCAP: LDV D90, VW Arteon nab five stars

LDV’s D90 large seven-seat SUV has scored a full five-star Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) rating, marking the second time the Chinese brand has been awarded a maximum safety score, after the T60 pick-up.

Dropping just 1.95 points overall, the D90 was awarded 35.05 out of a possible 37 points with flawless results in the side impact and pole crash tests of 16 and two respectively.

However, the frontal offset crash test revealed just ‘acceptable’ protection to the driver’s chest and both front occupant’s lower legs for a score of 14.05 out of 16.

Whiplash protection was deemed ‘good’, pedestrian protection was marked ‘acceptable’ due to the area of the bonnet that could strike a child, while seat belt reminders added three points to the overall score.

Although the D90 SUV is based on the T60 ute, the light-commercial vehicle (LCV) edged out its sibling with an overall score of 35.46.

According to ANCAP’s published test results, the T60 offers better front occupant lower leg protection, as well as slightly better driver chest defence, in the frontal offset crash test.

Standard safety equipment in the D90 includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, automatic headlights, blind spot monitoring, emergency brake assist and lane departure warning.

LDV Automotive Australia general manager Dinesh Chinnappa said the brand’s first two launch models has set the safety benchmark for future vehicles to come.

“The LDV T60 set our safety benchmark with its five-star ANCAP safety rating and, with the D90, LDV has proven that the highest safety rating is now LDV’s minimum standard for new vehicles launched in Australia,” he said.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen has also been awarded a full five-stars from ANCAP for its Arteon flagship sedan with crash testing conducted by Euro NCAP.

For adult occupant protection, the Arteon scored 36.76 out of 38, dropping marks in the full width front test for ‘acceptable’ front passenger chest protection, during the front offset test for ‘acceptable’ lower leg protection of front occupants, for ‘acceptable’ passenger chest protection in the pole test and for rear-seat passenger whiplash protection.

Both child occupant and pedestrian protection tests scored 85 per cent, with the former docked for ‘marginal’ protection of 10- and six-year old dummies, while the latter lost points for ‘adequate’ and ‘poor’ protections across areas of the bonnet and A-pillars respectively.

Euro NCAP testing also covers safety technology, an area that the Volkswagen Arteon scored 8.9 out of 12, broken down with 1.5 for speed assistance systems, two for seat belt reminders, and 2.7 for lane support and interurban AEB.