Five-star Sportwagon

THE Holden Sportwagon and this month’s new limited-edition Commodore International have joined the VE Commodore Omega sedan – and Ford’s petrol FG Falcon sedans – in receiving a maximum five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).

Ford’s BFIII Falcon wagon and Territory SUV (and Toyota Australia’s Camry and Aurion) carry four-star ANCAP crashworthiness scores, giving Holden’s Commodore wagon the honour of becoming the first Australian-made wagon to be awarded the top ANCAP ranking.

Highlighting the fact that Ford’s factory E-Gas FG Falcons fail to achieve a five-star ANCAP mark, Holden announced at Friday’s Melbourne International Motor Show (MIMS) opening that VE Commodore Omega sedan and International-edition sedans that are converted to dual-fuel LPG now also receive a five-star ANCAP grading.

The FG Falcon was named Australia’s first five-star car by ANCAP in August 2008, before Holden achieved the same award in December 2008 for entry-level versions of its VE Commodore sedan.

Apart from the fitment of standard front, side and curtain airbags following its 2006 launch, the base Omega sedan’s improved safety status was aided by the addition of passenger seatbelt reminder, a new steering column shroud and revised rear doors.

Those modifications apply to the Sportwagon and now the latest Commodore special-edition, but the critical seatbelt reminder will not be fitted across the rest of the VE Commodore range until mid-2009. Ford’s facelifted Territory, also revealed at the MIMS, is yet to be ANCAP crash-tested.

GM Holden managing director and CEO Mark Reuss said family cars should have no compromise on safety.

“The ANCAP endorsement is a very clear indication that with Sportwagon there is no such thing,” he said on Friday.

“And when you combine safety with style, performance and interior space, it is no wonder Sportwagon has outsold every SUV in the country since it was introduced in July last year.”

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Commodore now a five-star safety car