Commodore scores 4-star safety

[Mr. Jinx]

Originally Posted by SMH

Despite a $1 billion development budget - the most of any locally-made car - the new Holden Commodore has the same safety rating as a five-year-old Ford Falcon.

Australia cars are still not up to world class safety levels. That's the verdict according to the independent crash-test body, the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), which is funded by motoring authorities in each state and territory in Australia.

In the latest round of tests, due to be announced today, (subs: Tuesday June 12) the Toyota Aurion V6 scored 30 out of a possible 37 points, the equivalent of a "high" four-star rating, whereas Australia's biggest-selling car, the Commodore, scored 27 out of 37, the equivalent of a "mid" four-star rating and the same as a 2002 Ford Falcon.

Holden is not upset by the result - the car maker predicted the outcome after simulating the ANCAP test last year.

"We're very happy with the Commodore's performance in a real-world crash," Holden's chief engineer Tony Hyde told Drive. "We knew our car would score four stars in an ANCAP test [but] we design our cars for the real world, not just one test."

In the ANCAP tests the Commodore lost points for injuries to the chest, knees and lower legs.

Mr Hyde said Holden had done 80 crash tests and 5000 computer simulations when developing the new Commodore. "Monash University has also analysed some real world crashes, and the reports came back very positive," he said. "Accidents don't always happen at ANCAP speeds, they occur more often at lower speeds."

The ANCAP figures show Australian-made cars still lag behind the global benchmark of five stars - despite two all-new models (the Commodore and Aurion) going on sale in the past year. In Europe, car makers regularly achieve five-star ratings.

"There is room for improvement,'' the NRMA's safety expert Jack Haley told Drive. "We were hoping for a five-star car to emerge from this round of testing but we're not there yet."

A four-star score is still regarded as good, he said, and it is the minimum rating that ANCAP recommends, but "we expected five stars and we'd like to see a locally-made vehicle get there soon".

"We believe market pressure is already persuading car makers to improve the safety rating of their vehicles," Mr Haley said. Star ratings for more than 100 new cars are available online. ANCAP tests between six and 10 cars locally each year but the majority of testing is done by its affiliate NCAP in Europe, where cars are judged to the same criteria.

The test includes a frontal crash at 64km/h and a side impact at 50km/h. In Australia, the cars are paid for and selected by ANCAP from a random sample to ensure they are indicative of customer cars.

A further "pole test" (to simulate a car striking a power pole or a tree side-on) can contribute to a vehicle's star rating, but the cost of the test must be funded by car makers. The pole test occurs at a modest 29km/h but analysis has shown that without curtain airbags a fatal head injury is certain.

The Toyota Aurion, which comes standard with curtain airbags, got "within a whisker" of a five-star rating, Mr Haley said, but did not because ANCAP hasn't yet conducted a pole test.

"A new Corolla equipped with curtain airbags is a five-star car, so we're hopeful the Aurion has a five-star rating once the pole test has been conducted," Mr Haley said.

Looks like they've just tested the Omega, without the optional side & curtain airbags. Thats rather poor form, especially when considering that the Omega is really a fleet car. A higher spec model and or a car fitted with the side & curtain airbags would have been a better choice.

[SlickHolden]

No doubt it will loose some points at the lower scale entry.. Just shows you a side impact with curtain air bags could be the difference between death and injury only, Love these new safety things.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

That is the vehicle holden supplied them for the test. it's no use bitching that it's a lower spec model.

I happen to think the writer of the article is a bit of a ford fan regardless,27 is still a reasonable score and i'd prefer to be in one of these sorts of cars than an old Holden/Ford in an accident.

[Mr. Jinx]

Originally Posted by IBrake4Rainbows

That is the vehicle holden supplied them for the test. it's no use bitching that it's a lower spec model.

Well, not really....

In Australia, the cars are paid for and selected by ANCAP from a random sample to ensure they are indicative of customer cars.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Oh they are paid for by ANCAP? usually the manufacturer just sends them a car - hence why the ones in europe always get the smallest engine w/the best safety equipment.

my bad

[nota]

Omega is Holden's best selling model, by far, so why not test it? Testing both versions (with/without curtain airbags) would even more be useful in providing information and raising public awareness

As for Holden supplying a test vehicle ..

[SlickHolden]

Originally Posted by IBrake4Rainbows

That is the vehicle holden supplied them for the test. it's no use bitching that it's a lower spec model.

I happen to think the writer of the article is a bit of a ford fan regardless,27 is still a reasonable score and i'd prefer to be in one of these sorts of cars than an old Holden/Ford in an accident.

Hey nothing wrong with old holdens and fords

[IBrake4Rainbows]

How did i guess you'd jump at that comment.

given the choice, would you prefer a VP or a VE to be in during a fairly nasty crash?

[fpv_gtho]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jinx

Looks like they've just tested the Omega, without the optional side & curtain airbags. Thats rather poor form, especially when considering that the Omega is really a fleet car. A higher spec model and or a car fitted with the side & curtain airbags would have been a better choice.

Poor form is Holden neglecting to put that equipment as standard in the Omega to improve their bottom dollar, not ANCAP choosing a car without them standard. Toyota do, and thus scored a higher rating.

[SlickHolden]

Originally Posted by IBrake4Rainbows

How did i guess you'd jump at that comment.

given the choice, would you prefer a VP or a VE to be in during a fairly nasty crash?

Thats a hard one because the VP and i have done some body shifting.. But if the question was would you rather a VP or VE i'd say what's a VP.
Actually i just feel safer period in the VE even my brothers BA you feel comfy and safe.

[nota]

Merely closing the doors firmly on my mate's BA causes the whole side of the car to vibrate. By comparison if I absolutely slam the begeezus out of my Benz door there's no bodyshell shimmy at all - it just goes 'thunk'


I recently saw a Merc W126 (like mine) that had been T-boned by an XG Falcon ute going at a reasonable clip, the Ford obviously went in head-first

The old Falc was looking pretty sorry. The l/h/f had been squashed in maybe a foot and its right-front pushed back almost 2 feet, with the r/h tyre noticably pushed back into the bodywork and bonnet folded upwards 6" - you get the picture, it was stuffed

To compare, the M-B's main impact zone was confined to the rear door area and the 'dogleg' but just missed the B-pillar. Sure the doorskin was badly creased (but hardly crumpled) and the rear wheel had a new dose of toe-in that wasn't strictly factory. But I was really impressed to observe how well the Merc (including the door) stood up to what must have been a fairly harsh impact .. no panel was pushed inwards more than 2 inches, and amazingly even the rear door-window glass was unbroken

[IBrake4Rainbows]

As far as i'm concerned a car crushing around me beats a tough car with no give.

its why accidents look bad these days (cars being designed to crumple) but people get out and walk away.

[nota]

Originally Posted by IBrake4Rainbows

its why accidents look bad these days (cars being designed to crumple) but people get out and walk away.

Last I saw of it the Falcon guy was lying on an ambulance stretcher, not so the other (female at-fault) driver who was standing around. Usually one might reasonably expect the opposite result in a T-bone. Ok it's hardly scientific, just what I observed

[nota]

Originally Posted by IBrake4Rainbows

As far as i'm concerned a car crushing around me beats a tough car with no give.

Be my guest

[IBrake4Rainbows]

<shrug> i have a feeling both dummies would have walked away given the opportunity

Edit: Volvo S70 (1998) Click me!

Vs

Mercedes E-Class (1998)

Click Me!

Both vehicles earn high 3 star rankings and on re-test scored 4 stars.