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Work and family ute buyers now have even more choice to ensure they have maximum safety in a new pickup. The Holden Colorado has just been awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, joining the Volkswagen Amarok which which achieved a world-first five-star score, followed by the Ford Ranger-Mazda BT50 twins earlier this year.
The safety boost comes just weeks after utes took three of the top 10 places in the June sales results, with the Toyota HiLux scoring its third straight month as Australia's showroom favourite despite a four-star safety score that will not be improved for at least another year.
The Colorado joins the latest Hyundai i30 and the Subaru BRZ sports car - and, most likely, its Toyota 86 twin - with a maximum ANCAP score. But the result is far more significant than any passenger car, according to ANCAP boss Lachlan McIntosh. "It's satisfying to see manufacturers lifting the safety of light-commercial vehicle," he says.
"Manufacturers have been incorporating greater levels of safety into passenger vehicles for some time now, yet the safety of LCVs has trailed. Pressure, not only from ANCAP but now big business, is encouraging manufacturers to elevate safety as a priority."
ANCAP figures show only 13 per cent of the light commercials sold in 2011 managed a five-star ANCAP rating, compared with more than 60 per cent of passenger cars. Holden welcomed the safety endorsement, even though it is already struggling to keep up with demand for its new workhorse.
"Today's LCVs serve a dual purpose - they are a weekday workhorse but often perform the duties of an SUV at the weekend, so it was imperative that Colorado included increased standard passenger comfort and safety," says John Elsworth, executive direct of sales and marketing at GM Holden.
The safety package in the Colorado includes twin frontal and side-curtain airbags across the range, a well as the now-compulsory ESP stability control and ABS braking, but with electronic brake force distribution.
