SsangYong Actyon Sports Ute Set For Safety Upgrade

Following the release last week of new ANCAP crash safety test results that saw it achieve a 3-Star rating, SsangYong's Actyon Sports ute is set for an upgrade planned to bring the utility into the 4-Star class.

Although SsangYong Australia has not offered details on the upgrade, CEO Jeff Barber confirmed this week that the carmaker is aiming for the revised ute to be reassessed by ANCAP early next year.

“We are pleased that ANCAP has identified an area that may be relatively easy to implement to improve the crash rating score and our engineers will be working hard to achieve this as quickly as possible,” Mr Barber said.

“The reality is that the Actyon Sports Ute is the best of the 3-Star utes on the Australian market and very close to achieving 4-Stars and this puts the vehicle in very good company making it a much better prospect for buyers,” he added.

The Actyon Sports ute currently carries a 3-Star ANCAP rating, achieving a 24.01 score and besting other 3-Star utes such as the Ford Ranger (22.46), Isuzu D-Max (4x2 21.4, 4x4 23.51) and Nissan's Navara (22.88, D22 4x2 21.57).

• Click to read TMR's review of the Ford Ranger
  
• Click to read TMR's review of the Nissan Navara
  
• Click to read TMR's review of the Isuzu D-Max
  

"Its significant that the Actyon Sports Ute outranked so many of the leading sellers in the ute market with its ANCAP score but we are keen to make the vehicle even safer and gain the 4-Star rating,” Mr Barber added.

While a 4-Star promotion will be good news and a worthy marketing tool for SsangYong in Australia, comments from ANCAP's Lachlan McIntosh serve to remind buyers that a 5-Star rating is goal carmakers are urged to achieve.

“Today we have 5-star ANCAP cars in all categories, so there is no reason for fleet managers not to meet their duty of care in their occupational health and safety policies with the selection of 5-Star rated cars,” ANCAP Chair Lauchlan McIntosh said.