The Volkswagen Amarok has achieved a five-star safety rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), putting it on par with its closely related Ford Ranger. This follows Volkswagen’s attainment of a five-star EuroNCAP score in December of the previous year, ensuring that light commercial vehicle buyers can enjoy the same active and passive safety levels offered to passenger car buyers.
ANCAP conducted additional front offset (MPBD) and side impact tests on the Amarok that were not applied to Ford’s Ranger. The standard safety offerings of the Volkswagen-branded dual-cab utility were deemed to be “in line with its contemporary peers.” The Amarok comes equipped as standard with dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting curtain airbags, as well as a driver and passenger knee airbag. A center airbag, which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes, is also included as standard.
In the crash tests, a mix of Adequate and Good injury risk scores were observed for adult dummies, with some areas of Marginal performance noted. Both child dummies in the two Child Occupant Protection assessments displayed good levels of protection, achieving full points for the protection of children in both tests. However, ANCAP advises Amarok buyers who transport young children to be aware that installing child restraints in the second-row’s center seating position is not recommended, as a top-tether-style anchorage point is not fitted in this position.
ANCAP also noted that the Amarok, like the Ford Ranger and many other utility and light commercial vehicles, presents an increased risk to occupants of oncoming vehicles in the event of a crash. Consequently, a 3.57 point “compatibility” penalty was applied to the score.
The Volkswagen Amarok scored 86% in the adult occupant protection category, 93% in the child occupant protection category, 74% in the vulnerable road user protection category, and 83% in the safety assist category. Comparatively, the latest Ford Ranger scored respective marks of 84%, 93%, 74%, and 83%.
The Amarok is fitted with a wide range of collision avoidance systems that can respond to pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles in forward and turning scenarios. The vehicle’s performance in emergency lane keeping, lane keep assist, car-to-car autonomous emergency braking (AEB) tests, and car-to-cyclist AEB tests earned good scores. Car-to-pedestrian AEB test scenarios revealed an overall Adequate level of performance.
ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg, stated, “The dual-cab ute segment is always very competitive, and this five-star rating now elevates the VW Amarok in line with its contemporary peers.”
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