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Nissan has announced that a revised version of its Navara pickup has now scored three stars in the EuroNCAP crash test.
Last month we reported the Nissan Navara’s terrible performance in its original test. The truck scored only a single star for adult occupant protection, and this was struck through to indicate EuroNCAP’s concern at the “unacceptably high risk of life-threatening injury.”
During the standard frontal impact test, conducted at 40mph against a deformable barrier, the Navara’s chassis rail collapsed and the accelerator pedal moved backwards by 200mm. Compounding the problem, that made the Navara the worst vehicle tested since the Rover 100 in 1997, was a failure with the timing of the airbag and seatbelt pretensioners.
Since the disastrous first test, Nissan have modified the truck’s airbag control unit software and in new tests has now scored three Euro NCAP stars for adult occupant protection. Modifications to the Navara have also helped secure a maximum score in the side impact test and for the protection of a three-year-old passenger. Sadly pedestrians still don’t fair well in tests on the Navara, scoring only two stars for their protection. Nor has the company released any statement to allay concern over the collapse of the chassis rail during the original test.
Since the initial results Nissan have extended their service cover across the Navara range to include software updates to all vehicles produced since launch in 2005. But despite the improvements it is still some way behind its main competitor within the sector, the Mitsubishi L200 scored four stars in its own EuroNCAP test. It’s also worth noting that Nissan’s very similar Pathfinder SUV, which is based on the same chassis as the Navara, also scores four stars.
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