Golf VI upholds safety tradition with five-star safety

VOLKSWAGEN’S sixth-generation Golf has upheld the small car’s status as one of the safest of its kind after being awarded a maximum five-star adult occupant protection rating – with 36 points out of a possible 37 – from the European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) last week.

Due on sale in Australia in the second quarter of 2009, the Golf VI also achieved four stars (out of five) for child protection and three stars (out of four) for pedestrian protection.

Each of these star ratings emulates the 2004 results for the outgoing Golf V, which at the time represented the highest-ever combined points total under the Euro NCAP crash-test regime and allowed Volkswagen to proclaim it as the safest in class.

In the all-important adult occupant rating, the Golf V achieved 33 points – a score that was upgraded when Euro NCAP allowed a re-run of the pole-impact test after Volkswagen modified the curtain airbag’s packaging.

The new-generation Golf VI is fitted standard in Europe with seven airbags, including a driver’s knee airbag, and offers rear-side airbags and rear seatbelt indicators as an option.

VW has also fitted new anti-whiplash front head restraints, engineered additional side-impact protection and claims that the new model has a stronger chassis structure than ever before.

Meanwhile, the Australasian NCAP agency has awarded the VW Caddy a four-star (out of five) adult occupant protection rating (with 28 out of 37 points), which according to the manufacturer makes it only the second commercial van – following the VW Transporter – to reach this level in Australia.

The only other vans to be rated in Australia are the Toyota HiAce (three stars) and the Mitsubishi Express (one star).

Based on the Volkswagen Group’s small passenger car platform, the Caddy is fitted standard in Australia with a driver’s airbag and ABS brakes. A front passenger’s airbag, side airbags and electronic stability control are optional.

The Caddy’s pedestrian rating was a less impressive two stars (out of four).