Fewer winners drive out in latest Euro NCAP results
by Michael Ottis LincsMag Photographer & Writer.
Date: 03 March 2010
Early March, Euro NCAP released the crash test results for five new cars the Citroen Nemo, the Kia Venga, the Nissan Cube, the Seat Exeo and the Toyota Verso. In this latest set of results only one car, the Toyota Verso, receives Euro NCAP’s maximum five star rating.
New Euro NCAP rules and further demands in European legislation in 2010, means this year carmakers face even tougher challenges.
In 2010, Euro NCAP raises the bar for carmakers to achieve five stars across three areas of safety protection. Performance thresholds for Adult Occupant Protection and Child Occupant Protection rise from 75% to 80% and from 70% to a 75% respectively.
However, it is in Pedestrian Protection where the difference is felt the keenest increasing the minimum level required from 25% to 40%.
The Toyota Verso is the only car to receive a maximum five star award in these results, with good scores achieved in all areas and a worthy 69% in pedestrian protection., which will come as good news to the embattled car company who has hit recently an incredible run of bad luck.
Most manufacturers today offer several solutions to the family wagon formula, some of which are based on their commercial range. Euro NCAP has noticed that the latter cars are particularly poorly fitted with regard to their safety features and equipment.
The latest model sold by Citroen, the Nemo Multispace, is a direct derivative of the Nemo commercial van. The car achieved an overall rating of three stars and a lacklustre 29% in Safety Assist as Electronic Stability Control and Speed Limitation Assistance are both not available as options.
The low score in Adult Occupant Protection is attributed to the lack of a standard curtain airbag and poor whiplash performance of the seats.
The Seat Exeo, a saloon car based on the previous generation Audi A4, achieved an overall rating of four stars. Stiff structures in the dashboard presented an elevated risk of injury to knees and femurs, which the fitted knee airbag was unable to mitigate.
However, the car did well in protection of pedestrians and the infants in the rear. The Nissan Cube, otherwise a solid performer, was let down by its child occupant protection during the frontal impact test with a overall four star rating as the result.
The Kia Venga also achieved a four star rating, although not without problems. During the frontal test the driver seat belt was partially cut by the lower seat rail, a serious flaw that potentially can undermine proper restraint of both frontal occupants.
Kia swiftly introduced a solution and is currently taking market action to respond to Euro NCAP’s findings.
Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Secretary General of Euro NCAP says “Any reduction of the performance of the seat belt not only poses a serious risk to the driver and passenger, but also compromises the validity of the Euro NCAP rating awarded to the car. Customers must ensure that the modification is fitted, so that the four star rating applies.”
Safety information on the KIA Venga
Euro NCAP is advising all customers of the 2010 Venga to contact their local Kia dealer without delay to ensure the fitment of a safety modification. During recent tests, the organisation identified a weakness in the restraint system of the Venga that requires immediate attention. Last week, Kia swiftly launched a service campaign to respond to Euro NCAP’s concerns.
Euro NCAP discovered a cut in the webbing of the seat-belt on the driver’s side following the frontal impact crash test. Euro NCAP inspectors concluded that the seatbelt was damaged by interaction with the seat runners when it was under load from the dummy.
Kia has produced a polypropylene sleeve to be added to the seat belt as an effective countermeasure to the problem. The car manufacturer has delayed deliveries of all new cars until the modification is fitted and is requesting those already with the vehicle, to return the car to dealers to have the protective sleeve fitted to the seat belt.
In total 2100 cars will be affected by this modification, of which 1100 have been delivered to customers and 1000 are dealer demonstrator vehicles.
Euro NCAP advises all customers that the star rating awarded to the car can only apply following the fitment of this safety modification.
