The Tata Xenon 4×2, a recent arrival on the Australian market, has been awarded a two-star ANCAP crash safety rating due, ANCAP says, to the lack of electronic stability control.

THE TATA XENON 4X4’S POOR ANCAP RATING is a major blow to the local distributor for Tata, Fusion Automotive, which recently revealed it hopes to sell 1800-2000 Tata Xenons in 2014.

According to a media statement from ANCAP, “The Tata Xenon 4×2 dual cab which has been available to consumers since last year has been limited in its safety rating due to the lack of electronic stability control (ESC). While the Xenon performed fairly well in the frontal offset crash test, the omission of the life-saving active safety system has resulted in a poor final ANCAP safety rating of 2 stars. The Xenon also lacks side and curtain airbags – equipped with dual frontal airbags only”.

ANCAP Chairman, Mr Lauchlan McIntosh said, “While ESC is not a regulatory requirement for light commercial vehicles as yet, ANCAP introduced ESC as one of its mandatory requirements [for 5 stars] more than six years ago. As we raise the safety bar higher and higher each year, ESC is now a mandatory ANCAP requirement for 5, 4, 3 and 2 star ratings.”

“With the demise of local vehicle manufacturing on the horizon, we are sure to see a range of new models hitting our shores from emerging markets,” said Mr McIntosh. ANCAP will keep on top of these and ensure Australian and New Zealand motorists are being offered the safest cars possible.”

Other models in the latest round of testing include the Toyota Kluger, Peugeot 2008, Citroen C4 Grand Picasso and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. All of these models achieved the maximum 5 star ANCAP safety rating.