Holden's VE Commodore Ute range has joined the rest of the company's locally built lineup with a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating.
The company flagged its hopes the utes would gain a five-star rating at the introduction of the 2010 update in September this year, when side curtain airbags were added to standard specification on all variants, including dual fuel LPG Omega models. The extra airbags take the ute's count to six.
Extra safety equipment also includes a new steering column shroud for improved leg protection in a collision, as well as a seatbelt warning display.
Holden claims the five-star rating is a first for any light commercial vehicle on sale in Australia.
Standard safety equipment across the Commodore Ute range includes stability control, anti-lock brakes and traction control.
On the downside, the Omega version of the 2010 ute misses out on the new direct-injection V6 engines and continues to make do with the old four-speed automatic transmission.
Earning a five-star rating for all locally-made vehicles has been on Holden's mind for some time. "Ensuring Ute met the same high standard as the rest of the VE range has been a real focus" said Holden Vehicle Structure and Safety Integration Manager Steve Curtis.
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