Stellantis keeps disappointing with zero stars for the C3 Aircross / New Aircross and Toyota Corolla drops to four stars after audit test

The New Car Assessment Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, Latin NCAP, publishes today the fourth crash tests results for 2024 with a disappointing zero star result for the Citroen C3 Aircross / New Aircross.

The Citroen C3 Aircross / New Aircross, produced in Brazil, achieved zero stars. The C3 Aircross / New Aircross offers 2 airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard, achieved 33.01% in Adult Occupant, 11.37% in Child Occupant, 49.57% in Pedestrian Protection and Vulnerable Road Users and 34.88% in Safety Assist. The car was tested in frontal impact, side impact, whiplash, pedestrian protection and ESC. Side pole impact test was not performed and was rated zero points because of the lack of side head protection in front and rear rows, which is not offered even as optional.

The frontal impact showed weak chest protection for the front passenger. The side impact test showed a relevant intrusion in the passenger compartment, increasing the risks of injuries to its occupants. The whiplash test showed poor protection for the adult neck. Dynamic child protection could not score points because the ISOFIX anchorages marking do not meet Latin NCAP requirements, and Latin NCAP has not been informed by the manufacturer of any plan to update them. Most of Child Restraint Systems (CRS) tested for installation failed and it is not possible to disconnect the airbag of the passenger seat when installing a CRS rearward facing in that position. Pedestrian protection for the head showed marginal, adequate and weak protection with a limited area of good protection. Seat Belt Reminders do not meet Latin NCAP requirements. The car does not offer Speed Assist Systems as standard and does not offer Lane Support Systems and Autonomous Emergency Braking, not even as optional.

This result would be the same for a car with side body airbags as side head protection or curtain airbags, is missing. Side impact test could have been improved with side body airbags by a few points, but the Adult Occupant box would have kept its score in zero star level. The Child Occupant box would remain in zero stars level as well.

Toyota Corolla drops to four stars after audit test

Latin NCAP performed an audit test to the Toyota Corolla sourced from the Mexican market which is a different production plant sourced for the original test. The Toyota Corolla was tested and rated in 2022 and achieve five stars. According to the requirements of the assessment protocols, Latin NCAP has the right to audit any voluntary test at any time.

In the 2024 audit test the frontal crash test was of similar performance, but the area covered by the side curtain airbags showed less coverage than in the version tested in 2022, which made the result to be penalized with 2 points. The audited Corolla showed airbag warning marking in the passenger seat not meeting Latin NCAP’s requirements causing points reduction in the Child Occupant. The audit test negatively affected the score in the Adult and Child occupants. Consequently, the safety rating was recalculated, and it resulted in a downgraded to four stars, with 72.84% for Adult Occupant, 71.57% for Child Occupant, 59.72% for Pedestrian Protection and Vulnerable Road Users and 81.57% for Safety Assist. Both aspects that explain the point reduction can be addressed at production stage as they are not related to test performance. Data for 2022 test was updated on the Latin NCAP website.

Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Latin NCAP said:

“Stellantis disappoints once again with a zero-star model. Citroen’s and Stellantis’ engineers know well how to offer cars with better safety performances, but unfortunately the corporate decision goes in a different direction. While other competitors are offering more safety and better performances, Citroen remains offering low safety as standard in their cars. Latin NCAP urges Stellantis, PSA and Citroen to change its approach, to improve basic safety equipment in cars, and to volunteer the cars in Latin NCAP to show consumers their performances.

As Toyota’s disappointment keep piling up, it is time for the manufacturer to engage again in producing their cars focusing on the five stars as they have just lost the only current valid five stars model in Latin NCAP. Four stars is a good safety level however Toyota traditionally leaded with top safety results. Today’s results prove once again the relevance and the need for a standardized vehicle safety labelling that includes the Latin NCAP star rating”.

Stephan Brodziak, Latin NCAP Chairman said:

“It is very worrying that the Stellantis Group continues to offer Latin American and Caribbean consumers popular vehicle models with such low safety levels. In the current Latin NCAP protocols, its tested models have only obtained zero, one and two star results. Once again, we call on the Group to reconsider its safety policy and follow the example of several of its competitors that offer popular models with good safety levels. We hope that Toyota, which was once a leader in terms of vehicle safety in the region, especially with the Corolla, will implement the necessary changes as soon as possible to improve the model and for all its customers to once again access the five-star Latin NCAP level that they had historically achieved.

Thanks only to the exhaustive work of Latin NCAP, is that this level of monitoring of vehicles produced for the region can be achieved. It is time for governments to promote vehicle safety, not only through their regulations, but also through vehicle safety labelling that include Latin NCAP results under the principle of maximum transparency and protection for Latin American and the Caribbean consumers”.

Citroen C3 Aircross / New Aircross (2 airbags)

Read the full crash test report
Watch the crash test video
Download crash test images

Toyota Corolla (7 airbags)

Read the full crash test report
Watch the crash test video
Download crash test images

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 150 models, all results available at www.latinncap.com/en/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 and the Stop the Crash Partnership.

More information: www.latinncap.com