Euro NCAP Test Results for May 2009
The latest round of Euro NCAP test results are out and 5 out of the 6 cars tested have scored 5 stars, causing all of the manufacturers namely Audi, Hyundai, Kia and Peugeot to be sending out press releases boasting about their 5-star rating. But beyond the 5 star rating are a few other statistics that you can look at.
The Audi Q5 was just launched here in Malaysia, and the model tested by Euro NCAP was the 2.0 TDI Steppe model in right hand drive. The Jazz was the Jazz 1.4 ES left hand drive, the i20 was the 1.4 GL left hand drive and the Soul was the 1.6 EX left hand drive. The Pug was the 3008 1.6HDi also in left hand drive.
All of the cars scored pretty well in the adult and child safety area as well as the safety assist points but only the i20 and Jazz did relatively well in the pedestrian safety tests. All of the cars were reported to offer only good pedestrian protection with the front bumper, with poor results when it comes to the bonnet.
Even for the Jazz and Hyundai it was the same – the weak point was the car bonnet, which was rated to offer good protection to an adult pedestrian only, but not a child’s, which explains the 60+ marks instead of something higher. It seems that pedestrian safety is not taken as seriously in Europe as it is in countries such as America, which has stringent rules that most of the time call for entirely new larger bumper designs to be installed onto American spec cars.
Out of the 5 cars which scored 5 stars, only the Q5, Soul and Peugeot has stability control as standard, which the Jazz and Hyundai i20 (which are in the same segment, the i20 is the replacement for the Hyundai Getz sold here in Malaysia) only having standard stability control on certain models. However Euro NCAP says according to sales trends for the models, a majority of the model mix sold are equipped with ESC as standard.
It’s also very interesting to compare the Jazz and the i20 which are in the same segment’s results. I believe it represents how far Korean automotive engineering have come now, because the i20 outscores the Jazz in pretty much every area, sometimes by more than 10%.
Look after the jump for videos of all the 5 crash tests.
VIDEO: Audi Q5 EuroNCAP Crash Test
VIDEO: Honda Jazz EuroNCAP Crash Test
VIDEO: Hyundai i20 EuroNCAP Crash Test
VIDEO: Peugeot 3008 EuroNCAP Crash Test
VIDEO: Kia Soul EuroNCAP Crash Test
May 28, 2009 @ 2:33 am
i am impressed with the hyundai i20 results..outscore the jazz in every aspect…
May 28, 2009 @ 2:53 am
when they will sell i20 here?
May 28, 2009 @ 2:53 am
korean car are getting better
May 28, 2009 @ 3:22 am
Notice the Kia Soul also outscores the Peugeot 3008 in all aspects except for safety assist!
May 28, 2009 @ 5:03 am
just wanted to point out that NCAP test only represents the best of particular model, which is, most of the time, europe models. most of the manufactures are offering different model in asia pacific. If u want the same car in as in the test, only imported euro car will satisfies u…
May 28, 2009 @ 5:33 am
My fellow pedestrians… when you see an Audi Q5 or a Pug 3008 driven by… RUN! : D
May 28, 2009 @ 6:34 am
wat about the exora? can’t wait for it to be tested here in euro ncap
May 28, 2009 @ 8:31 am
I’ll give it to the Koreans though, they are catching up somewhat to the Japanese.
As per the comment on “larger bumpers on American cars”, AFAIK they are there for thier low speed impact protection (5mile/hr crash). This is to limit repair costs for low speed mishaps.
The Canadian low speed impact is even stricter, leading to the Evo being banned until the Evo X.
Done more to satisfy the insurance companies than for help pedestrians. I think Europe still rank the best in pedestrian safety.
May 28, 2009 @ 8:34 am
[quote comment="241660"]wat about the exora? can’t wait for it to be tested here in euro ncap[/quote]
So what about it?
Proton has stated they are only expecting for a 4 star rating.
Kind of odd if you ask me. If you are doing up an old platform perhaps, but the Exora being a new design, what stopped it from designing one for a 5 star rating…probably all it needed was a knee airbag to snag the extra star.
May 28, 2009 @ 10:05 am
impressive! especially for the korean car
cheers!
May 28, 2009 @ 10:42 am
Which proofs a point that the front of a car doesn’t have to look like a dugong to be pedestrian safe : )
May 28, 2009 @ 10:49 am
Great! I think it’s time to raise the bar. Other criteria should be introduced. i.e.: 70-90km/h test speed as an additional of 50-64km/h crash test & moving mass crashing (vs.) moving mass as an additional of moving mass vs. wall crash test. But yeah.. who would listen to my idea anyway?
Don’t get me wrong, I believe in an active safety percaution. Drive safely first, then only safe cars!
p/s: I read an article at Yahoo! US yesterday comparing smart fortwo crashing head on larger cars. Even that tiny car has 4-5 stars rating ncap, the results do not really project the stars.
May 28, 2009 @ 11:30 am
[quote comment="241660"]wat about the exora? can’t wait for it to be tested here in euro ncap[/quote]
I’m not sure about Exora but they’ve tested our Waja, got the worst score with 3 stars! Run away … when u see a Proton!
May 28, 2009 @ 12:16 pm
This is not applied to the local ones sold here. The NCAP ratings include side impact protection. Even a Honda Accord without side airbags will score badly in EuroNCAP.
I’m pretty sure our Jazz here doesn’t come with side airbags. So do other non-premium cars tested here when it comes to our shores.
May 28, 2009 @ 12:50 pm
[quote comment="241726"][quote comment="241660"]wat about the exora? can’t wait for it to be tested here in euro ncap[/quote]
I’m not sure about Exora but they’ve tested our Waja, got the worst score with 3 stars! Run away … when u see a Proton![/quote]
Heheh 3 stars where got the worse, Black Dog. There’s car got ZERO STAR!
May 28, 2009 @ 2:04 pm
Peugeot 3008 scores a very high 97% in safety assist.
other areas they didn’t scores the highest but very much ok.
back to safety assist, both koreans scores 86%, audi honda only 71%.
suzuki <30% – fail.
what Peugeot put in 3008 that beat the rest? DSC? lane departure? TC?
May 28, 2009 @ 3:18 pm
[quote comment="241726"][quote comment="241660"]wat about the exora? can’t wait for it to be tested here in euro ncap[/quote]
I’m not sure about Exora but they’ve tested our Waja, got the worst score with 3 stars! Run away … when u see a Proton![/quote]
But in majority malaysian buyer don’t really give a f&%# about all these EuroNCAP, kneeCAP, CAP ayam rating… They just want the car cheap!
I also observed they don’t really care about design… they just want the car to be sporty… the lower the better, the bigger wheels the better!
They don’t give a damn about engine technology… convert to turbo when have enough money!
May 28, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
[quote comment="241678"][quote comment="241660"]wat about the exora? can’t wait for it to be tested here in euro ncap[/quote]
So what about it?
Proton has stated they are only expecting for a 4 star rating.
Kind of odd if you ask me. If you are doing up an old platform perhaps, but the Exora being a new design, what stopped it from designing one for a 5 star rating…probably all it needed was a knee airbag to snag the extra star.[/quote]
the expected 4 star on the exora is as tested for the malaysian spec car. as you yourself said, an extra kneebag could snag an extra star.. so lets see how the eurospec exora will do when they launch it there eventually, if ever…
May 28, 2009 @ 5:32 pm
In response to intermilan’s question, here’s EuroNCAP’s criteria. The 3008 managed 6.8 points out of 7 points for safety assist because it has active speed limitation assistance (0.8 points out of 1 point, not full points probably because it is available but optional), standard and well-implemented stability control for all cars (3 points out of 3) and a well-implemented seatbelt reminder for driver, passenger and rear (3 out of 3 points). None of the other cars tested in this batch have any speed limitation assistance feature in the UK.
May 28, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
Agree with what has mentioned about specification by region. Just because it gets 5star there doesn’t mean its the same here. If the i20 is here, i doubt it will have 6 airbags and esp option at all. But yet you will still see the dealers shouting 5star ncap despite the shortcomings of the safety features.
May 28, 2009 @ 11:19 pm
[quote comment="241832"]Agree with what has mentioned about specification by region. Just because it gets 5star there doesn’t mean its the same here. If the i20 is here, i doubt it will have 6 airbags and esp option at all. But yet you will still see the dealers shouting 5star ncap despite the shortcomings of the safety features.[/quote]
True! Very misleading!! But then again what to do, when client ask us (advertising/branding agencies), to advertise that, unlikely we want to bite the hands that feed us
Dont worry… there will always be a ‘little star’ on the horizon called asterisk* : D
May 29, 2009 @ 10:00 am
most of the time the difference between 4 star and 5 star car are mostly those airbags and the safety assists such as VSC, ABS, EBD etc…. not much on the structure of the car.
May 29, 2009 @ 12:22 pm
The Koreans have finally caught up and even beaten the Japanese, at least in the European markets. It will have different and lower specs for other markets such as Asia Pacific, to make the cars more ‘affordable’ in the region.
IMO Proton can make the Exora and other models achieve 5 star ratings, but will our buyers be willing to cough out the higher price for all the safety features? Or will they care if the car is 4 stars or 5 stars? OTR price is still the main selling and buying factor here, unfortunately.
May 29, 2009 @ 2:34 pm
did anyone noticed that all the test was conducted in IDIADA Spain? look carefully on the last video of Kia Soul. IDIADA was visible on the roof…. Proton Exora once tested here….remember?