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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Best-selling PROTON in Australia! And highly-sought after in Malaysia today!
Of course! In Malaysia, Potong is the second most bought cars. Not sure if those people want to or have to buy Potong, but most people probably won’t want to if they could afford ANY better cars.
Goes to show Aussies don’t give a toss about their ANCAP they will get cars that suits their needs more than any safety gadgets.
Exactly what one should expect from Potong! Pride of Malaysians throughout the world!
To be fair, cars of that era were probably similar? I don’t know. The Sunny and the Corolla surely could not have done significantly better? Anyone has this data? Paultan perhaps?
1990s Proton mah. What did u expect? The Preve and Iriz, despite their flaws (im one of proton’s bashers), achieved a 5 star rating NCAP. They got high tensile steel compared to tin milo P2 and Perodua.
I know you’re dissatisfied with Malaysia due to politics but you know, you can go complain on political FB groups….oh wai!
64km/h, total lost.
Did they sent another upgraded non-production unit for retest to achieve a better result?
Wrong company bro.
Those were the days when safety features of cars on malaysian road is minimal. Waja 2004/5 still without ABS but with dual airbag on premium version. Note though, no seat belt pretensioner is a bit strange….
Nevertheless, Proton had made much progress since then. my old Saga flx 2010, have dual airbag and ABS. The most basic safety requirement. Stability control feature only started with Preve models.
Well at least better than no stars. Can we get no-star?
Well, the name says it all.. Proton Jamban (Jumbuck)
Even the name “jumback” is destined to junk sooner or later. Someone’s pet project car. Waste of money.
Hardly see the point (or at least whoever decided this should have already known the results) of doing the ANCAP test even in 2009. Arena was based on a Wira, which is based on the Lancer from the early 90s.
if jumbuck like that, i wonder how the real wira gonna be
Sure die.
Just don’t crash and you’ll be fine lol
the car design is over 20 years. at that period, passing crash test isn’t priority. so not fair to bring back an old car and talk about it.
Ahh. But the report fail to take into consideration a “passive safety” feature that comes with every Proton.
Proton has reliabilty and spare part availability problems that prevent the vehicle to be on the road at the first place…thus ultimate prevent an accident to happen… 5 star in my book!
I had a proton aeroback and one thing I remembered was the car was seriously under specced in the brakes – with horrible brake fade and comically tiny disc brakes and drum brakes