ANCAP: Alfa Romeo pair nab five stars

ALFA Romeo’s Giulia and Stelvio stablemates have both scored a top five-star crash rating from Australia’s safety watchdog, but Citroen’s C3 hatchback has fallen short with just four stars.

 

In the latest Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) tests, the Italian pair achieved the equal highest scores ever recorded for an Adult Occupant Protection test, matching the results of the Volvo’s XC90 and XC60 SUVs.

 

The Giulia mid-size sedan achieved a score of 98 per cent in that test, while the mechanically related Stelvio SUV recorded 97 per cent.

 

Both the Alfas scored well in the Child Occupant Protection test, with the Giulia achieving 81 per cent to the Stelvio’s 84 per cent. Both vehicles lost points for ‘on-board safety features’.

 

For the Pedestrian Protection test, the Giulia (69 per cent) and Stelvio (71 per cent) lost some points over head impact, while the Stelvio also dropped some percentage points for upper leg impact.

 

In the Safety Assist test category, both cars achieved similarly low scores for speed assistance systems and lane support systems.

 

Alfa launched the Giulia at the start of last year and the safety rating applies to the 2.0-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel variants built from November 2016.

 

The Stelvio recently went on sale in Australia and the five-star score applies to the same engine variants as the Giulia. 

 

“These are impressive scores which reflect the effort the brand has put into designing vehicles to keep occupants safe,” ANCAP chief executive James Goodwin said.

 

“With Adult Occupant Protection we look at how a vehicle performs structurally across a range of destructive crash tests, but also how well the restraint systems work to minimise injury. Low speed autonomous emergency braking also forms part of this, with both Alfa Romeo models performing well.”

 

Meanwhile, Citroen’s C3 light hatchback could only manage a four-star rating after a poor showing in the Pedestrian Protection test, as well as a lack of autonomous emergency braking available on any variant.

 

As reported by GoAuto, Peugeot Citroen Australia is expected to introduce an update to the C3 soon that will follow European markets in offering AEB and other safety assist features.

 

Under ANCAP’s new regulations that kicked in at the start of this year, any passenger vehicle that is not offered with AEB will not be eligible for a full five-star rating.

 

The C3 scored 88 per cent in the Adult Occupant Protection test and 83 per cent for Child Occupant Protection, but was hit hard in the Pedestrian Protection (59 per cent) and Safety Assist (58 per cent) tests.

 

Mr Goodwin criticised the C3’s test results and called on manufacturers to consider pedestrians when developing cars.

 

“Unfortunately, the C3 falls down in the Pedestrian Protection aspects of our assessment,” he said.

 

“We may not all be drivers, but we are all pedestrians so it is important the design and specification of a vehicle considers the safety of those inside as well as outside the vehicle.”

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