Latin NCAP Latest Results

The First BYD tested scores zero stars and the Fiat New Palio drops to one star under the new assessment protocol

Latin NCAP’s latest crash test results were released today at the annual FIA Region IV American Congress being held in Paraguay. The results were disappointing with a zero star model and a star reduction for a top selling model in the region.

The BYD F0’s most basic safety equipped version disappointed by scoring zero stars for adult safety and only one star for child occupant protection. The model, similar to the well-known Peugeot 107, offered a stable structure in the frontal impact, but showed high-risk injuries in adult dummies due to the lack of airbags. The Fiat New Palio scored only one star for adult occupant and three stars for child occupant protection. The poor adult result was due the chest impact recorded by the dummy, however there was a good performance of the structure during the side impact test. The model obtained maximum protection for child occupants in the side impact test.

María Fernanda Rodríguez, Latin NCAP chairperson said:

“These Latin NCAP results again show how some manufacturers in the region still do not make safety, and more specifically child safety, as a priority. In the last six years and as the voice of consumers, we have been asking governments and manufacturers to work with us and other organisations to democratise car safety, so that all countries in our region provide the same safety levels no matter the price of the car. Our citizens deserve the same vehicle safety as Europeans, Japanese, Australians and North Americans citizens receive”.

Jorge Tomasi, FIA Region IV President said:

“These Latin NCAP’s latest results have been disappointing as they continue to find popular, sale leading models with very low levels of protection for both adults and children. The FIA and particularly FIA Region IV work to promote road safety in Latin America and the Caribbean and we are convinced that by supporting initiatives such as Latin NCAP, the shift to safer cars is possible. Consumers in our region deserve to have access to vehicles with the same safety standards comparable to developed markets without paying more for it”

Commenting on the latest crash test results, Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Latin NCAP said:

“It is a major concern for Latin NCAP that in 2016 some models are still offered without airbags. The F0 aims to emulate the Peugeot 107, a model that when launched had 100% frontal airbags, to do so it would have been important that F0 not only the look the same but also have the same safety features. Despite the poor result for the adult protection, the side impact of the New Palio was a positive surprise with a good performance for a popular locally developed model.”

Latin NCAP is pleased to announce that next results will be released in September.

BYD F0

The BYD F0 was tested in the most basic safety version available in Latin NCAP markets. The lack of airbags explained the poor result in the test as the structure was rated as stable in the frontal crash test. The low score in child occupant protection is explained by the high readings in the dummies during the crash test, the lack of 3-point belts in all seating positions, poor instructions manual in relation to child occupant protection and low score in the CRS installation. The F0 was not tested in side impact because the frontal test was already a zero star car, however, and in contrast with the more expensive and also tested Peugeot 208, the BYD as well as the New Palio and the Picanto offers basic side impact structural and interior protection like door reinforcements.

Fiat New Palio

Latin NCAP tested the New Palio for frontal impact in its most basic safety version in 2014. Back then, Latin NCAP’s protocols required that cars were be tested only in frontal crash test and the score was four stars for adult occupant protection and three stars for child occupant protection. As the frontal test configuration in 2016 is the same in 2014, now Latin NCAP tested the model in the side impact in order to get the star rating according to the latest protocol. The car is not equipped with side airbags however it showed a side impact structure capable of offering good side impact protection and achieving low instruction in the occupants’ area. The lack of side airbags probably explains the low side impact protection.

About Latin NCAP

The Latin New Car Assessment Programme (Latin NCAP) was launched in 2010 to develop a regional system of independent crashworthiness and safety rating across Latin America and Caribbean (LAC). Latin NCAP replicates similar consumer testing programmes developed over the last thirty years in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, and which have proved to be very effective in improving the safety of motor vehicles. Since 2010 Latin NCAP has published the results of more than fifty cars in six test phases.

Latin NCAP acknowledges the support received by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP), International Consumer Research and Testing (ICRT), FIA Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Road Safety Initiative.

Latin NCAP is an Associate member of Global NCAP and supports the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020 and the Stop the Crash Partnership.

More info: www.latinncap.com