Indian-made Kia Sonet sold in Africa gets just one star in crash test
Kia Sonet manufactured in India and sold in Africa comes with only two airbags.
In the latest Global NCAP crash test conducted under the 'Safer Cars for Africa' program, the Kia Sonet received 1 star for adult occupant protection and 3 stars for child occupant protection. While this result is concerning, we can take some solace in the fact that there are significant differences between the South African model tested by Global NCAP and the model sold in India.
In India, 6 airbags are standard across all variants of the Sonet. However, the Kia Sonet has not yet been subjected to the Bharat NCAP test. The Hyundai Venue, which is the Sonet's sibling, has a 5-star rating.
Indian-made compact SUVs like the Mahindra 3XO and Nissan Magnite have achieved a 5-star crash rating in Africa.
Sonet in the African test
In the frontal offset crash test, Global NCAP assessed that there was good protection for the driver’s and passenger’s head and neck. The driver's chest protection was deemed adequate, while the passenger's chest protection was rated as good. However, knee protection was noted as only 'marginal' due to the risk of impact with dangerous structures behind the dashboard.
A major concern highlighted in the report is the structural integrity of the vehicle. Global NCAP stated that the footwell area is unstable and the bodyshell of the vehicle is not capable of withstanding further loadings.
In the side impact test, while head and pelvis protection were rated as good and abdominal protection as adequate, chest protection was found to be 'poor.' This poor rating significantly impacted the overall adult safety score. A side pole impact test was not conducted because the vehicle tested did not have side curtain airbags as a standard feature.
Global NCAP also highlighted the absence of three-point seatbelts in all seats, the lack of a passenger airbag deactivation switch for rear-facing child seats, and limitations in installing child seats in certain positions.
According to the report, the South African Sonet only came with frontal airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, and load limiters as standard. It lacked side curtain airbags, side chest airbags, and other advanced safety technologies. In contrast, the model sold in India offers several advanced safety systems, including ADAS features, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), and Vehicle Stability Management (VSM).
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