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Holden Barina Steps Up With 4-Star ANCAP Crash Rating

Structural improvements and the addition of side-impact airbags as standard across the updated 2009 Barina hatchback range, introduced in August, are paying dividends for Holden. The recent announcement that the Daewoo based small-car has achieved a comm


Structural improvements and the addition of side-impact airbags as standard across the updated 2009 Barina hatchback range, introduced in August, are paying dividends for Holden. The recent announcement that the Daewoo based small-car has achieved a commendable four-star ANCAP crash rating is the result of Holden's efforts to improve the safety credentials for its smallest car.

The Barina's body-shell now includes three clearly defined load paths designed to absorb the impact of an offset front-end accident and support the entire structure of the passenger cell over a large area. High-strength steel has been used to reinforce the B-pillars to further improve structural resilience.

Driver and front passengers now receive side impact airbags as standard which extend upwards to provide head and thorax protection.

Alan Batey, GM Holden Executive Director for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, was pleased with the ANCAP results:

"There has been a very positive response to the new Barina's styling and this announcement confirms the effectiveness of our various safety improvements."

The Barina hatchback and sedan is sold in over 120 markets around the world, predominantly as the Chevrolet Aveo, so any improvements will not only benefit Australia but a host of other nations also.

The Barina nameplate has been part of the GM Holden line up since 1985 when the MB Barina went on sale. GM Holden has sold more than 34,000 of the current model TK Barina since its Australian launch in 2005.

Full credit to Holden for the four-star ANCAP crash rating, but is it enough to get your bum in a Holden-badged Daewoo? Have your say. For those of you who have considered a Barina but opted for something else, would this news have altered the outcome?

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