Australia’s vehicle safety watchdog, ANCAP, today released 2018’s first rating for any model. A judgement on the contentious Opel sourced Holden Commodore was handed down and it’s a glowing report card. The new Commodore was awarded the must have 5 stars, the highest possible.

“The vehicle scored well, achieving solid results across all areas of assessment,” said ANCAP Chief Executive, James Goodwin.

“Australian families and fleet buyers have long regarded the Commodore as a trusted local choice and the shift to overseas supply has further enhanced the model’s safety credentials,” he said.

“This next generation Commodore includes safety assist technologies not seen in its locally-produced predecessor, with standard-fit features such as autonomous emergency braking and active lane-keep assist.”

“This year we see a fresh approach to vehicle safety assessment and the presentation of results,” Mr Goodwin said.

It’s the standard safety technology that clearly boosts the imported model over the locally made effort. All-wheel-drive on some of the higher-end models should also help keep things tidy for the driver, particularly when wet.

The ZB scored the following in four key areas:

93% – Adult Occupant Protection
85% – Child Occupant Protection
78% – Pedestrian Protection
77% – Safety Assist

The 5-star rating covers the entire range including liftback, sportwagon and tourer variants.