EDARAN Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd (ETCM) last Thursday announced that Nissan’s flagship model, the Teana, has made history by being the first car to achieve perfect score (16.00 points) in the Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), and the first car to achieve 5-star rating in Child Occupant Protection (COP) with 88% compliance in the Asean New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP).

The presentation of the award was held at the Thailand International Motor Expo 2014 in Bangkok last Wednesday by Asean NCAP chairman Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon to Nissan Motor Thailand Co Ltd president Mr Hiroyuki Yoshimoto.

A global success, the third-generation Nissan Teana has sold more than 600,000 units worldwide since its launch in China in February 2013.

The Nissan Teana comes with six SRS airbags and driver and front passenger seatbelt reminder, and Nissan’s electronic stability control system — known as the vehicle dynamic control — traction control system and active understeer control to help the driver stay in control during emergency situations.

ETCM director of marketing and product planning Tan Keng Meng expressed his delight on the Asean NCAP safety accreditation. “We are truly heartened by this acknowledgement, as the well-being and safety of our customers is always a priority for us at ETCM. This achievement further reinforces our commitment to continue enhancing the safety and performance of Nissan cars on Malaysian roads.”

The crash test Teana unit, although assembled in Thailand, carries the same specifications as the Teana that is assembled by Tan Chong Motor Assemblies, and sold in Malaysia by ETCM.

This achievement comes after the Teana’s latest recognition, where it won the Executive Car of the Year title at the recent NST-Maybank Car of the Year 2014 Awards.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on December 8, 2014.