Vehicle safety standards in South Africa have come under intense scrutiny recently, with two popular models being given zero-star ratings by Global NCAP, while the organisation’s latest batch of results show the situation is not much better for compact SUVs.
In the most recent round of Global NCAP crash assessments, released on Wednesday, the Kia Sonet received a dismal one-star rating for adult protection, while the GWM Haval Jolion attained just two stars.
These ratings apply to South African-specification vehicles, which were randomly purchased from local dealers and then crash tested in Germany as part of Global NCAP’s Safer Cars for Africa campaign, run in conjunction with the Automobile Association (AA).
The Haval Jolion received a two-star rating.
In line with the organisation’s crash testing protocol, the entry-level variants of both vehicles were tested, and in both cases the low safety ratings were attributed to a lack of standard side head protection airbags.
Kia Sonet: One-star rating explained
In the Kia Sonet’s case, the footwell area and bodyshell were deemed to be unstable and not capable of withstanding further loads.
However, it was the poor chest protection offered in the side impact test that sealed the deal for a one-star safety rating. The entry-level LS and LX versions of the Kia Sonet are fitted with just two frontal airbags. EX+ and SX variants have six airbags as standard. Following the announcement of crash test results, Kia South Africa mentioned that a new LS+ model will be introduced to the range during the third quarter, featuring six airbags as standard.
In the Child Occupant Protection test, the Kia achieved three stars, with both child dummies receiving full protection in the dynamic test. However, the lack of a passenger airbag disabling switch, as well as a low child restraint system installation score and the absence of three-point belts in all seating positions, limited its overall score.
Haval Jolion: Two-star rating explained
The Haval Jolion fared a little better, with the frontal impact showing good protection to the head, neck and chest. However, knee protection was deemed marginal.
The side movable barrier test showed good protection. However, as with the Kia, the side pole test was not carried out because side head protection airbags are not fitted as standard.
Likewise, the Jolion also received three stars for child protection, thanks to strong protection in the dynamic test. However, the lack of a passenger airbag disabling switch and the lack of proper marking prevented it from attaining full marks in this segment.
The latest round of Global NCAP testing follows the dismal zero-star ratings awarded to the Toyota Starlet and Hyundai Grand i10 in the past year, while the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro received a two-star rating.
Why head-level airbags are so important
AA CEO Bobby Ramagwede said the sub-R400,000 vehicle market was a “dangerous game” at present, particularly in the case of entry-level models. He warned that in a side impact, curtain-level airbags were often the difference between life and death.
“Because otherwise, what protects everything from your rib cage to your head? It’s just a sheet of glass,” Ramagwede told IOL.
“So in the absence of some additional barrier, you’re either being decapitated, you end up with a laceration on the neck that’ll leave you bled out, or you’ll have your neck snapped because you’ve got no real protection.”
Ramagwede lamented the South African government’s minimum vehicle safety requirements, which he described as “wheelbarrow standards”, and said many manufacturers were complicit in this by not raising the safety standards of their own vehicles.
“They know how to do better,” Ramagwede said. “In fact, you have cases where exactly the same car has been stripped down for the African market. I just don’t understand how you go through a moral process of stripping down a car from a safety perspective. I get removing sunroofs, maybe alloy wheels, but when you remove safety features and you introduce that car to a market, you are implicitly trying to kill people,” Ramagwede said.
He said South African motorists should exercise extreme caution when purchasing a new or used entry-level vehicle, as the recent series of crash tests has shown a worrying trend of entry-level models lacking adequate crash safety.
“Perhaps more worryingly, very few of the vehicles tested offer safety ratings similar to those of the same models on sale abroad,” Ramagwede added.
Global NCAP response
Global NCAP CEO Richard Woods echoed these statements, saying it is unacceptable that global manufacturers continue to sell cars in Africa with safety standards they would never offer in markets like Europe.
“The Kia Sonet’s one-star result and the GWM Haval Jolion’s two-star result show how far the industry still has to go. Side head protection airbags should be standard on every new car, in every market. African motorists deserve the same life-saving protection as drivers in the rest of the world.”
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