The New Car Assessment Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, Latin NCAP, sixth and final publication for 2022 shows a concerning zero stars result for the JAC E10X, improvable three stars for the Kia New Sportage and five stars for the Mitsubishi Outlander.
The first Electric Vehicle tested by Latin NCAP, the JAC E10x also called e-JS1, E-S1, produced in China and/or assembled in Mexico, achieved zero stars. The JAC E10X that offers two airbags as standard, achieved 0.00% in Adult Occupant, 6,34% in Child Occupant, 20.25% in Pedestrian Protection and Vulnerable Road Users and 6.98% in Safety Assist. The car was tested in frontal impact, side impact, whiplash, pedestrian protection. The car does not offer Electronic Stability Control as standard. The model showed unstable structure and unstable footwell area in the frontal impact with poor protection to driver’s chest, which means a high probability of life-threatening injuries leading to zero points in the frontal crash for adult safety. The emergency cut-off system to prevent electric shock risk after a crash did not work in the frontal crash test, creating additional serious risks that should not be overlooked. The result is valid for the electric and Internal Combustion version of the car, called S1. The assessment was done without any cooperation from the car manufacturer.
The Kia New Sportage produced in South Korea and Slovakia, achieved three stars. The Sportage that now offers six airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard, achieved 82.31% in Adult Occupant, 71.57% in Child Occupant, 47.56 % in Pedestrian Protection and Vulnerable Road Users and 55.81% in Safety Assist. The car was tested in frontal impact, side impact, side pole impact, whiplash, pedestrian protection and ESC. The Sportage was assessed as a corporate twin of the Hyundai Tucson recently tested by Latin NCAP earlier in 2022. The manufacturer decided to standardize the 6 airbags and ESC, among other items, as a consequence of Latin NCAP test of the Tucson. The car has some optional safety equipment that in the case that the manufacturer makes them more available it might bring a better rating for the New Sportage. The model was tested as voluntary decision of the manufacturer and the result is valid for all production plants. This result is valid as from VIN: KNAPU81CMN7093201 (start of production July 15th, 2022) for the vehicles produced in South Korea plant and for VIN: U5YPX81DBPL089757 (start of production September 16th, 2022) for vehicles produced in the Slovakia plant.
The Mitsubishi Outlander made in Japan, achieved five stars. The Outlander with seven airbags (two frontal, one driver knee airbag, two side body and two side head curtain airbags) and ESC as standard, achieved 90.5% in Adult Occupant, 91.33% in Child Occupant, 54.71% in Pedestrian Protection and Vulnerable Road Users and 84.17% in Safety Assist. The car was tested in frontal impact, side impact, side pole impact, whiplash, pedestrian protection, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) city and interurban, Blind Spot Detection and ESC. The Outlander showed overall a good performance, stable structures in frontal impact, adequate to good protection in the four crash and dynamic tests for adults and almost full protection for child occupants. The model was tested as voluntary decision of the manufacturer.
Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Latin NCAP said:
“Latin NCAP is highly concerned with the JAC’s result and the lack of response from the car manufacturer. The myth that usually consumers relates EV to high tech and safer vehicles was proved to be mistaken and reaffirms that like any other car their safety must be assessed. Latin NCAP openly invites JAC to either improve this car or any other model in order to show consumers that JAC ‘s fleet has better safety performing cars.
The updated standard equipment of the Kia New Sportage proves how powerful Latin NCAP tests are, as by assessing the twin corporate, the Tucson, with only two airbags and ABS, encouraged Kia to standardize six airbags and ESC in the Sportage. We welcome Outlander’s result and hope that Mitsubishi brings this performance and score to lower priced models that usually are the large volume of sales. Vehicle safety labelling including Latin NCAP star rating is the most efficient tool to bring safer cars to the region earlier than regulations and as a result of a voluntary decision of the car manufacturer”.
Stephan Brodziak, Latin NCAP Chairman said:
“As consumers we are very grateful to Latin NCAP, because thanks to the programme it is possible to detect risks to the life and integrity of the population such as the one represented by the JAC E10X model. It strikes us that a company as new as JAC has decided to bet on such poor safety for a vehicle with which they were surely seeking to expand their market coverage among electric vehicles. For the good of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean, I hope that this result is useful, in addition to alerting consumers, so that the JAC improves the safety of this model and all the others that they offer in our countries.
Regarding the Kia New Sportage, although it achieved three star rating, it still has a lot of room for improvement in terms of protection performance provided. Hopefully Kia opts for a greater protection ambition for the models offered in Latin America. We congratulate Mitsubishi for achieving the highest rating, it is always nice to recognize models that have, from the basic version, adequate safety performance for human vulnerability, regardless of where the model in question is marketed. We hope that the entire range of Mitsubishi models in Latin America and the Caribbean have the same levels of occupant protection and that they can further increase the safety that Mitsubishi vehicles provide to vulnerable road users”.
SOURCE: Global NCAP
