ANCAP crash test results

Holden Commodore | 1997-99

Overall evaluation: Acceptable

The passenger compartment of the Commodore held its shape well, except there was too much deformation of the driver's footwell in the offset test. This meant poor protection from serious lower leg injury. All other injury measurements indicated good protection from serious injury.

The ingenious pretensioner system in the front seat belts contributed to these good results, together with the driver's airbag which is also standard equipment.

Safety features

A driver's airbag is standard equipment. A passenger airbag is available as an option but was not fitted to the test vehicles.

The front seat belt buckles are mounted on the seats. This feature improves the fit of the seat belt. Lap/sash seat belts are fitted to all seats, including the centre rear seat. A lap/sash seat belt is safer than a lap only belt.

Restraints: Acceptable

Full Frontal Crash Test

The driver's head was cushioned by the airbag. The passenger's head did not hit anything. The driver's knees hit the dash. The passenger's knees hit the glove box.

The seat belt pretensioners were observed to tighten the seat belts just before the driver's airbag inflated and this contributed to good protection from serious injury for both occupants.

Offset Crash Test

The driver's head was cushioned by the airbag. The impact was moderately severe but protection from serious head injury was good. The driver's head then started to roll off the right side of the airbag. The driver's knees hit the dash and fuse box.

Structure: Marginal

Full Frontal Crash

The passenger compartment held its shape very well in the full frontal crash test.

All doors remained closed during the crash and could be easily opened after the crash.

Offset Crash Test

The passenger compartment held its shape well in the offset crash test, except for the driver's floor. The front part of the driver's floor was pushed rearwards 20cm and the floor panel tore away from the side of the vehicle, leaving a hole about 40cm long and 8cm wide. The dash was pushed 9cm towards the driver. The width of the driver's doorway shortened by 6cm.

All doors remained closed during the crash. After the crash tools were required to open the driver's door.