All zeros: Kia Sportage, Hyundai Accent and Great Wall Wingle 5 in Latin NCAP crash tests
The Latin NCAP committee at the end of the year published the crash test results of three models for the Latin American market. The zero vote of the “Koreans” worried the experts the most, their rhetoric against the Hyundai Motor concern is becoming more and more harsh.
Last year, Hyundai's HB20 and Kia Picanto small sedans emerged from Latin NCAP testing with zero ratings, while this year's Hyundai Tucson received zero stars for the Latin American market. Considering that the last third generation Tucson, which has already left most markets, participated in the tests, we did not give it a separate note, but the fourth generation Kia Sportage of the last session is still relevant, since the “Fifth” Sportage has not yet reached many countries, including up to and including recent times.
The “fourth” Sportage took part in the Euro NCAP tests in 2015 and then received a maximum of 5 stars in the final rating, but it was a car for the European market with a full set of airbags and ESC (stabilization system), and the Sportage is coming to Latin America and the Caribbean swimming pool from South Korea with only two front airbags as standard, ESC is only available at an additional cost.
kia sportage
With crash tests (the Latin NCAP program is essentially a truncated Euro NCAP program of the 2019 model, in 2020 Euro NCAP has significantly complicated its program) impact at a speed of 64 km / h on a deformable barrier installed with an offset of 40%: due to the risk of contact with solid parts of the front panel structure, these areas are marked in orange, indicating the border of the danger level at which minor and moderate injuries are possible. In the same test, the floor of the Korean crossover was found to be unstable, unable to withstand additional impacts in complex traffic accidents.
Side impact on the Sportage pillar did not go through due to the lack of standard window cushions. The Latin NCAP committee suggested that Kia voluntarily submit tests of the Sportage with optional active and passive safety systems to demonstrate their advantages over the base crossover version, but this was rejected. In addition, Kia refused to make recommendations for child restraint systems in the cabin, for which the child protection rating was lowered. Experts were also outraged by the 7-month waiting for parts after shelling the front of the Sportage with mannequins from body parts of pedestrians, which the Latin NCAP considered malicious intent – they say, the Koreans deliberately delayed deliveries so that the test results were not published as long as possible. The result is zero stars.
Hyundai accent
Hyundai Accent is a Solaris sedan, well known in recent times, but with a different name. For Latin America, this model is relatively cool, it is assembled in Mexico and also brought from India. The base contains only one front airbag for the driver, ESC and other airbags are optional. On a Latin NCAP proposal to send a more equipped car for testing, Hyundai rejected the offer, as well as a request for recommendations on restraint systems for small passengers.
According to the results of a frontal impact, the body of the Accent turned out to be stable even in the floor area, but the load on the driver's chest is prohibitively high – a red level of danger with a high probability of death. The knee and thigh protection for the driver and front passenger in this test is rated “C” – an orange level of danger. Lateral impact loads on the chest of the dummy at 50 km/h against the deformable barrier are also at the level of the orange edge. There was no side impact. The overall rating of the model is zero stars.
Great Wall Wing 5
The Great Wall Wingle 5 pickup arrives in Latin America from China with two front airbags in the base and no ESC, the buckle reminder is for the driver only, the middle belt in the second row is an obsolete type of belt that is considered unacceptable today.
Great Wall Wing 5
The result of the frontal crash test of the Chinese pickup truck is deplorable: the unstable body “floated”, the head, chest, legs and feet of the driver are exposed to the greatest mortal danger (red). The front passenger's chest, left thigh and left knee were also required to be painted red on the protocol due to fatal g-forces and the risk of serious injury. Whip protection was not satisfactory – very bad head restraints.
On the protection of children, Wingle 5 has an absolute zero, while the Koreans managed to score at least a few points for this. Pedestrian protection is one of the worst Latin NCAP tests ever. But the “Chinese” coped well with the side impact: fictitious sensors did not record dangerous loads.
Recall that a year ago, the Great Wall Steed 5 participated in the Global NCAP tests – this is the same as the Wingle 5, only for the African market and without airbags. So now it is clear that with such a weak body, pillows do not save, they make no sense. The final rating in both cases is zero stars.
Latin NCAP leaders have been methodically urging zero-emission car manufacturers to take urgent action to end discrimination against South American consumers and improve basic safety equipment, but their demands are unlikely to be heard. Only the strictest national safety standards can affect the equipment of cars, but for the authorities of countries with a large number of low-income people, this is a bad decision, which will lead to a significant increase in the cost of already expensive cars.