The New Car Assessment Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, Latin NCAP, publishes today the second crash tests results for 2024 with a disappointing zero star result for the Chevrolet Groove and a five stars result for the Volkswagen T-Cross.
The Chevrolet Groove, produced in China, achieved zero stars. The Groove that offers 4 airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard, reached 39.42% in Adult Occupant, 68.57% in Child Occupant, 36.37% in Pedestrian Protection and Vulnerable Road Users and 58.14% in Safety Assist. The Groove was the best-selling SUV in Chile for at least one year. The model was assessed in frontal impact, side impact, whiplash, pedestrian protection and ESC.
The frontal impact showed unstable structure and footwell area, offering marginal protection to the driver’s chest, knees and feet. Side protection was good in all body regions however the side impact structure showed relevant intrusion in the passenger compartment. The car does not offer side head protection as standard. Child occupant protection was almost full in dynamic tests, some CRSs failed the installation. Pedestrian protection showed weak and marginal protection to the head, poor protection to the upper leg and good and marginal protection areas for the lower leg. The Groove does not offer ADAS technologies, even as optional.
The Volkswagen T-Cross, produced in Brazil, achieved five stars. The T-Cross that offers 6 airbags and ESC as standard and optional ADAS that will soon become standard in some markets, achieved 92.31% in Adult Occupant, 89.80% in Child Occupant, 65.62% in Pedestrian Protection and Vulnerable Road Users and 84.96% in Safety Assist. The car was assessed in frontal impact, side impact, side pole impact, whiplash, pedestrian protection, ESC, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) for Vulnerable Road Users (VRU), AEB City, AEB Interurban and Speed Assist System (SAS).
The T-Cross showed, in general, a good performance with stable structures in the frontal impact. The car showed adequate to good adult protection in the dynamic frontal and side impact tests, while the side pole impact showed marginal chest protection to the adult occupant. The whiplash test showed border line marginal neck protection. Pedestrian protection showed mostly adequate to good head protection in most hood areas, adequate in the lower leg and mostly poor or weak protection for the upper leg protection. The three AEB systems tested reached good levels of performance and SAS met the technical requirements and is fitted as standard. Lane Support Systems and Blind Spot Detection are offered as optional equipment in the car but did not meet the fitment requirements for scoring.
This result is valid for Volkswagen T-Cross units with tenth digit of the VIN number is a letter S or following consecutive letters. The model was tested as a voluntary decision of the manufacturer.
Latin NCAP tests the most basic passive safety specification of the models and strongly recommends to buy versions equipped with tested good performing ADAS technologies.
Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Latin NCAP said:
“Volkswagen leads in terms of safety performance with T-Cross and gives a clear message to consumers that five star performing models in the smaller segments are feasible and available in the market. On the opposite side, Chevrolet disappoints with the Groove negatively standing out of the manufacturers policy of offering 6 airbags as standard and good safety performance. We encourage GM to soon come back to its standard of better safety and replace or improve the Groove soon. Independent consumer testing for the best-selling models has proven to bring voluntary safety improvements faster than regulations in Latin America and the Caribbean. A mandatory safety labelling system will cause the necessary changes in the market. We are still waiting for governments to act”.
Stephan Brodziak, Latin NCAP Chairman said:
“We make an urgent call on Chevrolet to address the serious safety deficiencies of the Chevrolet Groove, which received a zero-star safety despite its popularity in Latin America. Latin NCAP tests revealed the unstable structures and marginal protection for adult occupants, alongside poor pedestrian safety and the lack of essential technologies like ADAS. As the best-selling SUV in Chile, its widespread use poses a significant risk to consumers.
We urge Chevrolet to prioritize safety by improving structural integrity, enhancing occupant protection, and equipping all versions of the Groove with advanced safety features. We strongly recommend consumers avoid this model until meaningful improvements are made and tested. We also urge all regional governments to implement a vehicle safety labelling system, empowering consumers and decision-makers with clear, accessible information about the safety performance of cars sold in the market. This initiative would enable better-informed purchasing decisions and promote higher safety standards across markets in the region”.
SOURCE: Latin NCAP
