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ANCAP November Crash Test Results – Subaru Tribeca Shines

The November Crash Test Results from Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) are out and tThe Subaru Tribeca has scored a maximum score of 5 stars. Other results released for vehicles tested in Australia were the Nissan Maxima, Honda Odyssey and Holden Viva with 4 stars and the Mitsubishi Colt with 3 stars (full result table at the end of article).

Alborz Fallah

16:3729 November 2006

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Vehicles tested by European NCAP and also available in Australia included the Lexus IS250 and Mercedes B Class with 5 stars; and the Land Rover Discovery, Kia Carnival and Mazda3 with 4 stars.

“In addition to good scores in this release of results, it is encouraging that almost all the vehicles here have a full complement of front, side and head protecting curtain airbags,” said ANCAP’s Chair, Mr Lauchlan McIntosh.

“ANCAP has advocated for several years now that all vehicles should have a 6 airbag package and Electronic Stability Control as a minimum safety specification. We are pleased that manufacturers are responding to ANCAP’s call for a full airbag package in new vehicles.”

Mr McIntosh cautioned that curtains are not standard on all variants of the Honda Odyssey, Nissan Maxima, Kia Carnival and Mazda3 although the tested vehicles had them. Curtains are optional for the Mitsubishi Colt and the variant tested was not fitted with them.

Mr McIntosh, said while the airbag availability was pleasing, the installation rate of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) was not as high.

“About 20% of new passenger vehicles sold in Australia have ESC. This is a good start and we would like manufacturers and importers to fit ESC as a standard feature in all Australian vehicles as quickly as possible,” Mr McIntosh continued.

“The Subaru Tribeca, Nissan Maxima, Lexus IS250, Land Rover Discovery and Mercedes B-Class are the only models here to have ESC fitted across all variants.

“ESC is available on all Mazda 3 and Kia Carnival variants and standard on the Ralliart variant of the Mitsubishi Colt. “However, ESC is not available on any variant of the Holden Viva and Honda Odyssey. Stability Control has been shown to reduce the risk of being involved in a crash in the first place, thereby reducing injuries overall.”

Pedestrian tests on the Honda Odyssey, Lexus IS250, Mazda3, Mercedes B class, Holden Viva and Nissan Maxima gave two star results (highest score), with the Land Rover Discovery, Mitsubishi Colt and Kia Carnival producing one star results. ANCAP encourage new vehicle buyers to consider selecting vehicles with a full 6 airbag package and Electronic Stability Control.

The crash test procedures conducted by ANCAP involve a frontal test at 64 km/h where part of the vehicle hits a barrier, and a side impact test at 50 km/h. The vehicles also undergo a test to assess likely injuries caused to pedestrians by a vehicle travelling at 40 km/h.

A pole test is optional, where the vehicle travelling sideways at 29 km/h strikes a round pole lined up with the driver’s head. This measures the effectiveness of head protecting side airbags and can result in extra points being scored.

Pole tests were conducted for the Subaru Tribeca, Holden Viva, Nissan Maxima, Mazda3, Land Rover Discovery, Lexus IS250, Mercedes Benz B-Class and Kia Carnival and confirmed that serious head injury was unlikely. Previous pole tests conducted by ANCAP show that, at this speed, a fatal head injury is almost certain without head-protecting side airbags.

Results are as follows :