[ron178]

Global NCAP has released the fifth publication of crash test results for its Safer Cars for Africa campaign in partnership with the Automobile Association of South Africa. This is the second publication of results for 2021.

The publication brings average to good results, but seat failures observed in both of the cars tested, that are not directly part of the assessment, are a major cause for concern.

Models tested:

1. Mazda 2
2. Nissan Almera

Presentation of results:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ8duKxs5Fg

Results:
1. Mazda 2 - 2 airbags, dual SBR, ISOFIX, ABS
The Mazda 2, made in Thailand, scored a solid 4 stars for adult occupant protection (/16.00) and 3 stars for child occupant protection (/49.00). The model met the minimum frontal test requirements for five stars for adult protection, but could not do so because the manufacturer did not sponsor a UN ECE R95 side impact test.

Testers' comments
Adult Occupant Protection:

The protection offered to the driver’s head was adequate and passenger’s head showed good protection. Driver and passenger’s neck protection
was good. Driver and passenger’s chest showed good protection. Driver’s knees showed adequate protection as they could impact with dangerous structures in the steering column. Passenger’s knees showed good protection. Driver seat backrest impact on driver’s back can increase risk of injuries. Driver’s tibias showed adequate protection while passenger’s tibias showed good protection. The bodyshell was rated as stable and it was capable
of withstanding further loadings. Footwell area was rated as unstable. The car offers standard SBR for driver and passenger and meets Global NCAP requirements. All of the above explained the four stars for adult occupant protection.

Child Occupant Protection:

The child seat for the 3 year old was installed FWF with ISOFIX anchorages and top tether and was able to prevent excessive forward movement during the impact however the chest showed high biomechanical readings. The 18 month old CRS was installed with the ISOFIX base and support leg rearward facing offering good protection to the child occupant as the head was contained and values in the chest showed good protection. CRS marking was permanent. The recommended CRSs did not show incompatibility. The vehicle offers 3 point belts in all seating positions and offers ISOFIX anchorages but with poor marking. The car does not offer an airbag disconnection when a rearward facing CRS is installed in the passenger seat. All of the above explained the three stars for child occupant protection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lp7HSY4qHk

2. Nissan Almera - 2 airbags, driver SBR, ISOFIX, ABS
The Nissan Almera, made in India (and sold in India till early 2020 as the Sunny) scored a weak 3 stars for adult occupant protection (8.06/16.00), barely making the cut thanks to a driver side seatbelt reminder, and 3 stars for child occupant protection (35.34/49.00).

Notable differences from the car that was sold in India include presence of standard-fit ISOFIX anchorages and three-point seatbelts in all seating positions. (I'm not sure about driver SBR)

The performance was similar to that observed in Latin NCAP audit tests on the Mexican-made LHD car in 2015.

Testers' comments
Adult Occupant Protection:

The protection offered to the driver’s head was adequate and passenger’s head protection showed good protection. Both necks showed good protection Driver’s chest showed marginal protection and passenger’s chest showed adequate protection. Driver’s knees showed adequate and poor protection, while passenger’s knees showed marginal protection as they could impact with dangerous structures behind the dashboard supported
by the Tranfascia tube. Driver seat partial detachment from the rail can increase risks of injuries. Driver’s tibias showed adequate protection while passenger’s tibias showed good protection. The bodyshell was rated as unstable and it was not capable of withstanding further loadings. Footwell area was rated as unstable. The car offers standard SBR for driver only. All of the above explains the three stars for adult occupant protection.

Child Occupant Protection:

The child seat for the 3 year old was installed FWF with ISOFIX anchorages and top tether and was able to prevent excessive forward movement during the impact. The 18 month old CRS was installed with the ISOFIX base and support leg rearward facing offering good protection to the child occupant as the head was contained and values in the chest showed good protection. CRS marking was permanent. The recommended CRSs did not show incompatibility. The vehicle offers 3 point belts in all seating positions and offers ISOFIX anchorages but with poor marking. The car does not offer an airbag disconnection when a rearward facing CRS is installed in the passenger seat. All of the above explained the three stars for child occupant protection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJFQscRYQIk

Press release

Latest #SaferCarsForAfrica crash test results: Mazda 2 reaches four stars and Nissan Almera three stars for adult occupant protection

Global NCAP and the Automobile Association of South Africa launch a new round of #SaferCarsForAfrica crash test results today with the welcome support of the FIA Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

The Mazda 2 with driver and passenger airbags achieved four stars for adult occupant protection and three stars for children. The Nissan Almera with driver and passenger airbags scored three stars for adult occupants and three stars for children.

Both models showed seat failures during testing, the Nissan with a seat detachment and the Mazda with a backrest failure. Although these did not have significant effects on our assessment ratings, which are based on injury criteria, the failures are of serious concern and Global NCAP has raised them with each manufacturer as a matter of urgency.

Both models were equipped with ISOFIX anchorages and combined with effective Child Restraint Systems (CRS) showed good protection in the dynamic test. Neither vehicle offers the possibility of disconnecting the passenger airbag when a rearward facing CRS is installed in the passenger seat.

Global NCAP’s #SaferCarsForAfrica project currently tests frontal crash protection for occupants only. Side impact and pedestrian protection assessments will form part of the further evolution of Global NCAP’s crash test protocols in Africa.

Alejandro Furas, Secretary General said,

"Although the latest #SaferCarsForAfrica tests showed average results, we are concerned that both cars had failures in their driver seats, more severe in the Nissan than in the Mazda.

"Global NCAP calls on both car makers to review these failures as a matter of urgency. We would also call on them to improve the basic safety offered in these models as standard, adding Electronic Stability Control (ESC), pedestrian protection and side body and head airbags as soon as possible."

Willem Groenewald, AA South Africa CEO said,

"#SaferCarsforAfrica is an important programme for the AA as we continue to push for better safety standards on vehicles for local consumers. The results of the fifth round of testing are encouraging, especially the 4 star rating achieved by the Mazda 2.

"However, the results show there are still some safety deficiencies on vehicles available in South Africa and this should, again, serve as a marker to manufacturers and safety authorities of the need for improved basic safety features which should be offered as standard on all models available locally. "

David Ward, Executive President of the Towards Zero Foundation said,

"It is troubling to see seat failures of the kind revealed in our latest #SaferCarsforAfrica tests. We would urge Mazda and Nissan to address these issues as a priority and more generally to significantly improve the safety features equipped on their models as standard. Consumers in Africa deserve the same levels of vehicle safety performance which are taken for granted in other parts of the world."

Originally Posted by ron178

Or, I could be entirely wrong.

More than I could imagine

Originally Posted by GTO

The XL (middle variant) made the most sense as it has all the required goodies including dual airbags, ABS

GTO, this result might be of interest to you.

[ron178]

Global NCAP publishes updated list of results for Safer Cars for Africa project from 2017-21.



The highest adult protection rating is still held by Mahindra's XUV300 with five stars, whose India result was extended to South Africa earlier this year by a production compliance review.

The highest child protection rating is still held by Renault's Sandero with 38.75 points and four stars, followed closely by the Mahindra XUV300 also with four stars.

The Mazda 2 just fell short of achieving four stars for child occupant protection, with 36.23 points (minimum score for 4 stars is 37.00). So did the Nissan Almera with 35.34 points.

Global NCAP observes lack of manufacturer interest in their Safer Cars for Africa project and hopes for manufacturers in South Africa to sponsor tests and to view it as a marketing opportunity as they are doing in India and Latin America.

While there are no crash-test facilities in SA, local manufacturers have been encouraged to offer their cars to NCAP to test but have not shown much interest. In contrast, in other countries, the same manufacturers have sponsored cars to be crash tested by NCAP in recent years, to market the cars with NCAP ratings.

This time last year, Furas told TimesLIVE that more than 50 models in Latin America and in India, including the Renault Duster, the Mahindra XUV300 and TATA Zest had submitted by their manufacturers for testing. That Mahindra SUV achieved a five-star rating for adult protection and four stars for child protection when crash tested in India, and because the identical vehicle is on sale in SA, the five-star rating applies here as well.

Source

Models like the Mazda 2 and the Honda Amaze (equipped with double seatbelt reminders since a recent update) have achieved minimum frontal crash test requirements to score five stars for adult protection but haven't done so because their manufacturers have not sponsored the required additional tests (ECE Regulation 95 side impact) to achieve that star rating.

The Mazda 2's seat failure follows similar observations in a 2019 Latin NCAP test on an LHD car of the same model. (See 00:00:43)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A6e578pqCU

It is not clear whether there are more results in 2021 for Global NCAP's India and Africa crash test campaigns but there will be more results in a few days for Global NCAP's crash test programme for Latin America, Latin NCAP.