DESPITE a $1 billion development budget - the most of any locally made car - the new Holden Commodore has the same safety rating as a five-year-old Ford Falcon.
That is the verdict of the independent crash-test body, the Australian New Car Assessment Program, which is funded by motoring authorities in each state and territory.
In the latest round of tests, whose results are announced today, the Toyota Aurion V6 scored 30 out of a possible 37 points, the equivalent of a "high" four-star rating, whereas Australia's biggest-selling car, the Commodore, scored 27, the equivalent of a "mid" four-star rating - and the same as a 2002 Falcon.
Holden is not upset by the result, having predicted it after simulating the test last year. "We're very happy with the Commodore's performance in a real-world crash," said its chief engineer, Tony Hyde. "We knew our car would score four stars in an ANCAP test [but] we design our cars for the real world, not just one test."
In the ANCAP tests the Commodore lost points for injuries to the chest, knees and lower legs.
Mr Hyde said Holden had conducted 80 crash tests and 5000 computer simulations when developing the new Commodore.
"Accidents don't always happen at ANCAP speeds; they occur more often at lower speeds."
The ANCAP figures show Australian-made cars still lag behind the global benchmark of five stars. "There is room for improvement," said an NRMA safety expert, Jack Haley. "We were hoping for a five-star car to emerge from this round of testing but we're not there yet."
A four-star score is nevertheless regarded as good, and it is the minimum rating that ANCAP recommends, but "we expected five stars and we'd like to see a locally made vehicle get there soon".
