Proton Arena was once crash tested by ANCAP in 2009 – two-door ute was given a one-star safety rating

For throwback Thursday (last week), the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP) dug through its archives and uploaded a video of a crash test involving the Proton Jumbuck, which we know here as the Arena.

The Arena is based on the Wira but with two less seats to make room for a bed at the back. Launched in Malaysia in 2002, the ute would eventually make its way to Australia in 2003 and continued to be sold there until 2009. A replacement was mooted in the past but this never materialised.

ANCAP tested the Jumbuck in September 2009 and gave it a one-star rating in terms of occupant protection, with the vehicle scoring just 1 out of 16 points in the offset crash test carried out at 64 km/h.

In its report, ANCAP said “the passenger compartment was severely deformed” and “protection from head injury was poor for the driver and passenger.” The Jumbuck did better in the side impact crash test with a score of 7.39 out of 16 points, although it was pointed out that “there was a high risk of life-threatening chest injury for the driver.”

ANCAP also pointed out “the Jumbuck has minimal safety features,” as no variants of the model came with airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, ABS/EBD/brake assist, electronic stability control and more. Following the report, Proton Cars Australia advised ANCAP that this model is being discontinued and the Jumbuck was axed after seven years in Australia.

In the years after the Jumbuck, other Proton models tested by ANCAP performed better. These included the S16 (Saga) in 2010 that got a three-star rating, while in 2013, the Exora got a four-star rating. The same year also saw the Preve and Suprima S receive a five-star safety rating.

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