Subaru Legacy stars in vehicle safety survey

By MATHEW DEARNALEY

A large car which protects its occupants in crashes yet also gives pedestrians a fighting chance seemed too good to be true.

But the Land Transport Safety Authority is pleasantly surprised by latest crash test results from Australia, from which the Subaru Legacy is not just the highest rated vehicle for occupant safety, but won three out of four stars for cushioning its impact on pedestrians.

"It's quite exceptional," said LTSA principal vehicle engineer Andrew Justice of its feat in becoming the first vehicle to gain three pedestrian stars as well as the maximum five-star occupant protection rating.

"We used to think five-star vehicles would have trouble getting good pedestrian ratings because their fronts had to be reasonably stiff to absorb crash energy."

A big challenge was not the bonnet, but hard engine parts, from which Subaru had managed to shield pedestrians from heavy landings.

Despite the safety ticks, Subaru New Zealand manager Wallis Dumper seemed coy about how these would fit a marketing strategy drawing heavily on vehicle performance underwritten by motor rally successes.

"It will be an added bonus for all our owners that they can feel safer," Mr Dumper said. "But to be honest in all our marketing we focus onperformance or lifestyle - wedon't really focus on the safety side."

The Australian New Car Assessment Programme measures impact from frontal crashes at 64km/h and from side crashes at 50km/h.

Smaller cars, such as the 1999 Ford Laser and Mazda 121, have previously gained more points for pedestrian safety at 40km/h impacts, but with fewer occupant stars.

Subaru Legacy stars in vehicle safety survey