ANCAP vehicle safety double-header for Subaru

11 December 2014

ANCAP vehicle safety double-header for Subaru

Subaru has added two more 5 star Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP) safety ratings to its marque this week with both the Outback and the Legacy joining the top ratings club.

ANCAP crash tested the 2015 Subaru Outback compact SUV, the results of which also apply to the Legacy, which is built on the same platform.

Both vehicles include dual frontal, side curtain and a driver knee airbags as standard. Antilock brakes (ABS), electronic brake distribution (EBD) and electronic stability control (ESC) are also standard along with advanced seat belt reminders, which are fitted to all seats.

AA Motoring Services General Manager Stella Stocks says both the Outback and Legacy have been popular in the New Zealand market for a variety of uses.

“Subaru has consistently stepped up to the mark with safety and the latest iterations of these models are no exception as proven by increasingly tough crash test analysis,” Ms Stocks says.

“It’s also pleasing to see that autonomous emergency braking (AEB) is provided as an option on some models, but we’d like to see this as a standard offering across all variants.”

NZ Transport Agency Group Manager Access and Use Celia Patrick said it was pleasing to see vehicle manufacturers continuing to raise the bar for safety, as the advanced safety features like those offered by the Outback and Legacy were potential lifesavers.

“We’re aiming for a truly safe transport system that is more forgiving of human error, so no-one pays with their life when a driver makes a mistake, and safer vehicles are a key part of a safe system. Multiple airbag packages can prevent serious injuries in a crash, and active safety features like ABS, EBD and ESC can prevent some crashes from happening in the first place.”

ANCAP is supported by all Australian motoring clubs, the New Zealand Automobile Association, the Australian Government, the New Zealand Government, Australian state and territory governments, the Victorian Transport Accident Commission, NRMA Insurance and the FIA Foundation.

The full list of ANCAP’s vehicle safety ratings, other vehicle safety information and the specifications of the rated vehicles are available online at aa.co.nz or rightcar.govt.nz.

The New Zealand Automobile Association is an incorporated society with over one million members. It represents the interests of road users who collectively pay over $2 billion in taxes each year through fuels excise, road user charges and GST.

ENDS

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