ON FRONT PAG E N O R T H E AST V I C TO R I A
AUGUST 4 - 10
| 2017
> available online - www.nemedia.com.au
LEFT BEHIND: Great Wall Steed … a trip down Memory Lane.
Great Wall Steed FEW would deny how far utility vehicles have come in the past two decades. Any doubts can be quickly dismissed by getting behind the wheel of the latest Great Wall Motors Steed. The dual cab is so last century. While there are some positives about the latest version of the pickup – toughness, reliability, and most of all, price (from $24,990 driveaway) – there are question marks against the Steed’s safety. Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s what independent vehicle safety advocate, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program, says after awarding the Steed a lowly two-star rating;
By DEREK OGDEN “Despite claims from the vehicle brand that the Chinese dual cab is ‘all-new’ and offers ‘outstanding levels of performance, value, safety and comfort,’ the underpinnings of the Steed differ little to that of the previous generation dual cab ute which carried the V240 model name. “This is a disappointing result for consumers and the brand,” ANCAP’s CEO, James Goodwin said. “While the Steed is equipped with six airbags and electronic stability control, features which were not offered on the previous model, there has been little change to the vehicle’s structure to improve the
room for improvement safety of the passenger cabin.” ANCAP is urging consumers in the market for a new car to be wary of such claims, with independent testing key to understanding the true safety performance of a vehicle. Excessive footwell deformation, separation of footwell panels and pedal displacement was observed in the frontal offset crash test. Steering column components were a potential source of knee injury for the driver, and dash components were a potential injury source for both the driver and front passenger. Protection of the driver and front passenger from whiplash injuries was also marginal. 7KH 6WHHG LV QRW ² WWHG ZLWK WRS
tether child restraint anchorages and is therefore not suitable for transporting young children. With three models available, in two and four-wheel drive with petrol or diesel power, needless to say, the test vehicle, a Steed Dual Cab Diesel 4x4 priced at $29,990 driveaway, was not given a real life safety workout, but driven with ANCAP’s words ringing in the ears and without young passengers. The Steed is 305mm longer than the previous Great Wall ute and is 30mm higher. The rear tub is now 155mm longer, while a new front grille design adds a further 150mm to the front of the vehicle.
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