SEAT Completes Top Star Fleet With The Tarraco While New Duster Renews Four Stars

The New Car Assessment Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, Latin NCAP, eighth set of results of 2019 was released today with one SEAT model achieving five stars and double Latin NCAP Advanced Award and the new version of the popular Renault Duster renewing four stars for adults.

The recently launched SEAT Tarraco, produced in Germany, comfortably reached top safety rating for Adult and Child Occupant Protection and was awarded with two Latin NCAP Advanced Awards for Pedestrian Protection and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB). SEAT’s new SUV, equipped with 7 airbags as standard: three frontal, two side body and two curtain airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), achieved a solid five star result for all occupants with a stable structure. During the side impact the front door opened bringing one point reduction to the full score but still comfortably reaching a five stars score. This behaviour is not expected in a car that pass United Nations Regulation 95. Tarraco’s Child Occupant Protection was good with limited protection to the 3 years old chest however it could probably been optimized using rearward facing Child Restraint Systems for the 3 years old dummy. The Tarraco offers standard Pedestrian Protection following United Nations regulations for which was awarded with a Latin NCAP Advanced Award. A second Advanced Award was earned for the availability of optional AEB in the model.

The Renault New Duster, manufactured in Romania, Brazil and Colombia reached four stars for Adult Occupant Protection and three stars for Child Occupant Protection. The new version of the popular SUV model from Renault offers two frontal airbags and Electronic Stability Control as standard safety equipment. The structure was rated as unstable during the frontal crash test and could not withstand further loadings. In the side impact test, the structure showed relevant intrusion that was not expected in such a new version of a car. Both child dummies showed head contact with the interior of the vehicle during the crash which increases the probability of injuries. The New Duster offers standard ISOFIX and top tether anchorages in both rear outboard seats and also offers standard Seatbelt Reminders (SBR) in both front seats. The 3 years old dummy was installed with ISOFIX anchorages and top tether while the 18 months dummy was installed rearward facing using the adult seat belt. The New Duster offers the possibility to disconnect the passenger airbags manually. The New Duster was tested in the Romanian version imported mainly to Chile. The Latin American made versions will be audited as soon as they become available and will be also published.

Latin NCAP recommends consumers from the region to only buy cars offering ESC.

Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Latin NCAP said:
“Good results are encouraging Latin American consumers to demand better safety. It was expected a better safety performance in the New Duster and an equal safety equipment with its counterpart Dacia Duster in Europe, which offers side head airbags and side body airbags as standard, among other safety features.

Informing consumers will shift the market for safer cars voluntarily, without unnecessary political friction and faster than expected. But to achieve this, consumers must have clear independent safety information like Latin NCAP’s star ratings which is the only one assessing local cars. We call Latin America and the Caribbean Governments to incentive and support independent consumer information on vehicle safety following UN’s recommendations about NCAPs. Latin NCAP has proved that the changes are possible by testing some models sold in the region. With support and commitment from Governments, for example, by incentivizing and making mandatory star rating labeling requirements, vehicle safety levels could improve very fast and many lives could be saved over a short period of time”.

Ricardo Morales, Latin NCAP Chairman said:
“Latin NCAP continues to demonstrate the importance and the power of consumer information. It is very relevant to see how several manufacturers are concerned with bringing to the market models that are well above what is required by governments in reference to vehicle regulations. This is due to the pressure that consumers are exerting on the region’s market. During these years we have worked close to governments, unfortunately without the expected effect. It is time that the governments of the region emit clear signals and make real commitments towards safer vehicles securing independent vehicle safety information sources for the consumer, to seriously attack this problem that affects our countries”.

Renault New Duster (2 airbags)
Read the full crash test report
Watch the crash test video
Watch ESC test video
Download crash test image

SEAT Tarraco (7 airbags)
Read the full crash test report
Watch the crash test video
Watch ESC test video
Watch Advanced Awards video
Download crash test image

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 one hundred twenty cars, all results available at www.latinncap.com/results.

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