The new Volkswagen Amarok – a twin under the skin to the latest Ford Ranger – has received a five-star safety rating in Europe.
The 2023 Volkswagen Amarok ute has been awarded a five-star safety rating by Euro NCAP – the European counterpart to Australia and New Zealand’s ANCAP – however the result is yet to be applied locally.
The Volkswagen’s five-star rating is based on testing of a right-hand-drive Ford Ranger by ANCAP in Australia earlier this year and further tests of a left-hand-drive Amarok by Euro NCAP in Europe.
Despite the two vehicles having unique sheetmetal and cabin appointments, Euro NCAP says the Ranger and Amarok are “corporate twins with identical structure and safety equipment”.
As a result – and because ANCAP and Euro NCAP’s test criteria are now aligned – Euro NCAP says the Ranger crash tests in Australia apply to the Volkswagen, and the two vehicles share an identical rating in Europe.
Although the new Volkswagen Amarok is expected to be issued with a five-star score locally, ANCAP is yet to confirm the rating in Australia.
An ANCAP spokesperson told Drive the safety watchdog will “look to publish ratings applicable to locally-specified models closer to local market arrival.”
While both vehicles earned the same overall five-star rating in Europe, the individual safety scores in each category for Australian and European Ford Rangers are slightly different.
Euro NCAP lists scores of 84 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection, 90 per cent for Child Occupant Protection, 74 per cent for Vulnerable Road User Protection, and 84 per cent for Safety Assist.
That compares to 84 per cent, 93 per cent, 74 per cent and 83 per cent respectively from ANCAP in Australia. Technical reports supplied by ANCAP and Euro NCAP show small differences in the performance of child seats/restraints and advanced safety systems.
The original Volkswagen Amarok received four stars from Euro NCAP, and five stars from ANCAP when it was launched a decade ago – but under more lenient criteria.
Compared to today’s model, the original Volkswagen Amarok has less than half as many airbags – four vs nine, including no side-airbag protection for rear-seat passengers – and no advanced safety technology.
The 2011-stamped safety rating for the original Volkswagen Amarok will expire at the end of this year, along with all ANCAP ratings from 2015 and earlier.
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