The Great Wall Steed, a new incarnation of the budget-oriented ute from China, has ticked up a low crash safety score with ANCAP. It was the petrol 2X4 version that was tested, but we can’t see how the diesel 4X4 would fare much differently.
It managed only 2 stars out of five, giving it the dubious honour of having one of the worst recorded results from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program from recent years. It’s the worst current ute on record, and is only beaten by three other makes overall: The Mitsubishi Express van from 2003-2015, the Nissan Urvan from 2001-2009, and the Proton Jumbuck ute from 2003-2010.
The above video shows how it performed in the frontal offset test, running at 64km/h. The new Steed actually scored the same points as it’s predecessor V240, 16.49 points out of a possible 37. Both got 16/16 for side impact, but the Steed scored better in the frontal offset test (8.3 versus 2.36). We aren’t sure how the test are calculated to become the same, but will endeavour to find out.
See more bad ANCAP crashes here.
This result will no doubt make a negative impact on the sales of the Steed, which is aiming to compete strongly at the bottom end of the market. A six-speed manual gearbox, plenty of spec and low asking price does make for a competitive product. The diesel engine is a 2-litre turbocharged and intercooled model, and it has the ability to run in 2WD, AWD and 4WD like Mitsubishi’s Super Select technology.
Want to read a roadtest on the Great Wall Steed? Check it out at Unsealed 4×4
Another important note that buyers need to consider with this ute is the below comment from ANCAP, regarding the carriage of kids, which is a huge omission for the current dual-cab market.
“There are no top tether anchorages for child restraints. This vehicle is not suitable for transporting young children.”
