2024
The changes for 2024 are more significant than you might think (highlighted in bold in the image below).
Changes for 2024
A car can no longer get 3 stars without
curtain airbags at least on one variant.
For 4 stars, they cannot just be "offered" anymore but need to be fitted to 30% units sold.
For 5 stars, they need to be fitted to 70% variants - something even some of the 2022 5-star cars would struggle to meet.
Also, for 3 stars,
ESC now needs to be standard or an independent option, not just "offered".
All of this should serve as a reminder:
when looking at a rating, check the test year.
Citroën ë-C3
The only car on the list to attract BOTH penalties, Global NCAP first limited it to 1 star because of its poor frontal chest protection, then penalized it by 1 star for too good a side impact score (which couldn't make a difference). This made it a 0 star car. It would have scored 1 star had its side impact protection been worse.
Tata Nexon
As good as it can get in the test.
Kia Carens (May to December 2023)
The driver's neck snapped back violently, leading to readings of neck shear/extension so high that a special provision had to be invoked to cap the whole score and star rating at 0.
Kia Carens (present)
Neck readings were still high, but just barely under the limit above which the special provision for 0 stars is invoked. With an excellent side impact performance thanks to its inherent height and side airbags, the Carens racked up a total score good for 4 stars, but was set to be penalised to 3 stars anyway for the variation in front and side scores, so Kia didn't sponsor a side pole test.
Mahindra Bolero Neo
Believe it or not, if it had a lower side impact score it might have scored 2 stars. Despite structural collapse, none of the critical parts went 'red', even though they were higher than seen in any modern car, especially for the driver's head. The total score was sufficient for 3 stars (side impact had the height advantage), the lack of ESC and curtain airbags made it 2 stars, and the variation in scores then made it 1 star, much like the Wagon R or Swift.
Honda Amaze
A perfect example of the difference between the old and new protocols: the Amaze's frontal crash score was equivalent to 5 stars under the pre-2022 protocols (rated 4 in Africa because of no passenger seatbelt reminder), and even today its total score is above the 5-star threshold despite GNCAP claiming it doesn't have a passenger-side seatbelt reminder (it does in India). But it does not offer curtain airbags or ESC, limiting it to 2 stars overall, something a number of older five-star cars are likely to face without updates.
![Every GNCAP result since 2022, broken down-amaze.png](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attachments/road-safety/2601761d1714643239t-every-gncap-result-since-2022-broken-down-amaze.png)