Utes score poorly in crash tests

ANCAP announced the "disappointing" three-star results yesterday for the Toyota Landcruiser 70 Series (pictured) and the Nissan Patrol.
Stuart Martin

Contributing Journalist

1 min read

ANCAP announced the "disappointing" three-star results yesterday for the Toyota Landcruiser 70 Series and the Nissan Patrol.  RAA Technical and Automotive head Mark Borlace says both vehicles only had a lap-seatbelt in the centre front seat and no air bag.

"These vehicles are often driven on rural roads, where crashes as severe as the ANCAP offset crash test are not unusual - the occupants deserve better protection," he says.

DTEI's Director Road Safety, Martin Small says the three-star rating for the two utes is not a good result.

"They both provided very disappointing protection for occupants and poor protection for pedestrians struck by the front of the vehicle," he said.

"Owners and drivers of commercial vehicles need to consider safety in the event of a crash, ANCAP has concerns about the safety ratings for these two utes," he says.

Small says the vehicles offered minimal safety features and the passenger compartment lost structural integrity in both crash tests.

Stuart Martin

Contributing Journalist

GoAutoMedia Stuart Martin started his legal driving life behind the wheel of a 1976 Jeep ragtop, which he still owns to this day, but his passion for wheeled things was inspired much earlier. Born into a family of car tinkerers and driving enthusiasts, he quickly settled into his DNA and was spotting cars or calling corners blindfolded from the backseat of his parents' car before he was out of junior primary. Playing with vehicles on his family's rural properties amplified the enthusiasm for driving and his period of schooling was always accompanied by part-time work around cars, filling with fuel, working on them or delivering pizzas in them. A career in journalism took an automotive turn at Sydney's Daily Telegraph in the early 1990s and Martin has not looked backed, covering motor shows and new model launches around the world ever since. Regular work and play has subsequently involved towing, off-roading, the school run and everything in between, with Martin now working freelance as a motoring journalist, contributing to several websites and publications including GoAuto - young enough for hybrid technology and old enough to remember carburettors, he’s happiest behind the wheel.
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