Ute scores top crash safety rating
With utes only becoming more and more prolific in New Zealand and Australia, safety has ramped up in importance.
The once utilitarian, stripped back ute segment has been forced to shape up in recent years with the latest in safety technologies, with even entry-level models often given features such as autonomous emergency braking made standard throughout the range.
This focus on safety appears to have continued with the first all-new ute of 2024, the Mitsubishi Triton, with the Australian New Car Assessment Program — or ANCAP — this month confirming a top 5-star rating for the pick-up.
The result is notable not just because it is a ute that’s earned it, but also because the Triton is the first pick-up to earn 5-stars via Euro NCAP and ANCAP’s latest more stringent protocols.
Specifically, the Triton scored 89% in Child Occupant Protection, 86% in Adult Occupant Protection, 74% in Vulnerable Road User Protection, and 70% in Safety Assist.
“Safety is always a priority for Mitsubishi Motors,” Mitsubishi Australia chief executive Shaun Westcott said.
“To be the first Dual Cab Utility to achieve the stringent 2024 five-star ANCAP safety rating is testament to this, and proves how serious Mitsubishi is about safety.”
“This builds on the significant enhancements New-Gen Triton embodies, from its more powerful and responsive engine and 3.5-tonne towing capacity to its roomier, more comfortable interior and cutting-edge infotainment.
“We are also proud of how closely the MMC and MMAL teams have worked on this project from the outset. To now see the results of that collaboration – from steering and suspension tuning to ensuring five-star ANCAP safety – is truly impressive.”
The Triton joins the utes that boast a 5-star rating from the last wave of ANCAP protocol changes. These include the GWM Cannon, Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok, Isuzu D-Max, and the now phased out in New Zealand Mazda BT-50.
The Toyota Hilux and Nissan Navara are expected to be the next models to be tested by the crash test group.
The Hilux’s current 5-star rating from 2019 will expire next year, and an all-new Navara (based on the same platform as the 5-star Triton) is imminent.