The Volkswagen T-Cross, produced in Brazil, achieved a solid five stars for Adult Occupant Protection and five stars for Child Occupant Protection. The recently launched Volkswagen T-Cross, equipped with 6 airbags as standard and ESC in all versions, showed very good protection to its occupants in the three crash tests performed (front, side and side pole impact tests). The model also comfortably met the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) test requirements. Child Occupant Protection includes I-size approved anchorages which facilitate the installation of Child Restraint Systems (CRS) for older children facing rearwards, in line with global best practices, passenger airbag disconnection switch and capability to safely accommodate all tested CRS used in the installation tests. Volkswagen’s first compact SUV for the Latin American and Caribbean market achieved top star ratings for adult and child occupants plus the Latin NCAP Advanced Award for its Pedestrian Protection and Multi Collision Braking technology.
The Toyota Yaris, produced in Brazil, achieved four stars for Adult Occupant Protection and four stars for Child Occupant Protection, for both hatchback and sedan versions. The Toyota Yaris, with 2 frontal airbags and ESC as standard safety equipment, showed good protection for adult occupants in side impact and acceptable protection in the frontal impact. The structure was rated as unstable; which added to the car’s acceptable to good passenger protection in frontal crash and to the lack of side head protection airbags, limited the model to a four stars result for Adult Occupant Protection. The 3 years old child passenger was installed rearward facing in line with latest global recommendations for passengers of this age, explaining the full score protection for both child passengers in the dynamic test assessment. The lack of ISOFIX anchorages marking meeting Latin NCAP requirements and the lack of passenger airbag disconnection switch explains the four stars for Child Occupant Protection.
Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Latin NCAP said:
“Volkswagen T-Cross top result is very encouraging; we call all car manufacturers to aim to five star results and top scores for their entire fleet in Latin NCAP markets It is unacceptable that in 2019 there are still global manufactures that haven’t achieved five stars results in Latin NCAP tests. Toyota’s decision to be the first car maker in the region to recommend rearward facing for the 3 year old child occupant, since 2015 in most of Latin NCAP tests, shows the relevance that the manufacturer gives to child occupant protection. At the same time, it sets a beacon for other car makers to follow in terms of children’s safety”.
Ricardo Morales Rubio, Chairman of the Board of Directors said:
“These latest Latin NCAP results show that manufacturers are voluntarily offering models to consumers with safety levels beyond governmental requirements. While some of the manufacturers inform consumers about their performance in the Latin NCAP tests, others continue to offer levels of safety and equipment below those offered in the mature economies markets. Latin American governments should commit to support Latin NCAP so that consumers can have independent information on the vehicles safety offered in the “These latest Latin NCAP results show that manufacturers are voluntarily offering models to consumers with safety levels beyond governmental requirements. While some of the manufacturers inform consumers about their performance in the Latin NCAP tests, others continue to offer levels of safety and equipment below those offered in the mature economies markets. Latin American governments should commit to support Latin NCAP so that consumers can have independent information on the vehicles safety offered in the market, and thus voluntarily speed up the change to safer vehicles and sooner save lives and reduce injuries in Latin America and the Caribbean”.
Next round of Latin NCAP results will be released in May.
SOURCE: Global NCAP
