Five ANCAP stars for Holden Colorado

HOLDEN’S all-new Colorado crew-cab ute has become the latest light commercial to score the maximum five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

The result is a crucial one for Holden’s newest model as an increasing number of major fleet customers – the latest being mining giant BHP Billiton – make a five-star rating a pre-requisite for their vehicles.

It joins other five-star light commercials including the Ford Ranger/Mazda BT-50 twins and the Volkswagen Amarok, as well as the locally made Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon utes.

As with the Ranger and Amarok, the result only applies to the volume-selling five-door crew-cab variant.

Holden senior manager of product communications Kate Lonsdale told GoAuto that the two-door variants had yet to be tested.

The two-door Ranger scored four stars while the single-cab Amarok was only launched this week and is yet to be tested but, like the crew-cab, comes standard with side and thorax airbags.

Launched last month, the new Colorado crew-cab features standard stability control, ABS brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and dual front and full-length curtain airbags.

Unlike the Ranger, BT-50 and Amarok, side/thorax airbags are not offered, but the Colorado’s high-strength steel structure and side impact protection beams proved sufficient for the ANCAP criteria.

From top: Subaru BRZ Euro NCAP Hyundai i30 test.

ANCAP chairman Lauchlan McIntosh welcomed the latest result, but said LCVs still lag behind passenger vehicles overall when it comes to safety.

“Pressure not only from ANCAP, but now big business, is encouraging manufacturers to elevate safety as a priority in the design and construction of new LCVs, and consumers are the winners,” he said.

While light commercial vehicles make up close to one-fifth of Australian new-vehicle sales, ANCAP says only 13 per cent of these vehicles sold in 2011 possessed a five-star safety rating, compared with more than 60 per cent of passenger cars.

Holden executive director of sales, marketing and aftersales John Elsworth said the crew- cab range would account for about 80 per cent of Colorado sales and was therefore the number one priority to get the ANCAP assessment.

“Today’s LCVs serve a dual purpose – they are a weekday workhorse but often perform the duties of an SUV at the weekend – so it was imperative that Colorado included increased standard passenger comfort and safety,” he said.

“Colorado has earned a well-deserved reputation as a hard-working, solid, safe and reliable light commercial vehicle and this announcement will further enhance that status. “We’ve been thrilled with the response to Colorado it’s generated genuine excitement across our dealer network and in the marketplace, and this announcement cements what a great addition the all-new Colorado is to the Holden portfolio.” Also receiving the maximum five-star result were the all-new Hyundai i30 range launched in May and the hotly anticipated Subaru BRZ sports coupe that goes on sale next week.

The maximum score for the small Hyundai matches its performance in the European NCAP tests, and applies to both 1.6-litre diesel and 1.8-litre petrol variants.

The achievement of the new BRZ – which is equipped with front, side, head and knee airbags – bodes well for its Toyota 86 twin, which likewise features seven airbags but which is yet to be assessed against the ANCAP criteria.