Three-star crash safety is apparently the kiss of death for a new car. Nothing less than four stars will do, it seems -- even for a vehicle selling within the VFACTS light-car segment.
Suzuki Australia has responded quickly to the news that its Alto 'sub-light' car only scored three stars in Euro NCAP crash testing. The importer issued a press release earlier this week, declaring that the vehicle tested by Euro NCAP did not reflect the specification for the Australian market Alto.
"Customers may have seen a story last week about the Alto earning a three star rating in the latest round of Euro NCAP crash testing," said Suzuki Australia General Manager Tony Devers.
"The Alto tested was not indicative of the Australian specification car, which will come standard with six airbags, including head protecting side curtain airbags. Our engineers have converted the Euro NCAP data to the specific ANCAP criteria for local customers and we’re confident the Australian specification Alto will achieve a four star safety rating. We are working closely with ANCAP to have that result verified very shortly."
When the Alto goes on sale with effect from August 1, it will be available in two levels of trim; the higher grade variant featuring standard stability control.
In the latest round of ANCAP testing, the local crash-safety authority determined, from evidence provided by Hyundai, that the importer's i30cw is worthy of a five-star rating. The vehicle itself wasn't tested and ANCAP has extrapolated the small wagon's rating based on Hyundai's data combined with Euro NCAP crash testing of a left-hand drive i30 hatch.
The Fiat Ritmo (which is sold elsewhere as the Fiat Bravo), scored five stars in ANCAP testing, but -- as for the Hyundai -- did so based on Euro NCAP's assessment of the left-hand drive variants.
While Holden trumpeted the excellent five-star rating for the Cruze in the same ANCAP testing (more here), its VE Ute didn't perform any better than before (four stars), despite the addition of a passenger seatbelt reminder from October 2008 production. The light commercial vehicle wasn't eligible for a pole test either, since it isn't fitted with head-protecting side-impact airbags.
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