India-Made Kia Sonet Scores 1-Star Safety Rating In Global NCAP Crash Test

South African-Spec Kia Sonet Gets 1-Star Rating In Global NCAP Test While India Model Offers More Safety Features

The Kia Sonet is a very popular SUV in South Africa, but it recently faced a tough challenge in Global NCAP's "Safer Cars for Africa" crash tests. The India-made SUV scored a 1-star safety rating in the latest assessment. While the Sonet remains a top seller, the results show a big difference between the models sold in different countries.

Adult and Child Safety Ratings

In the crash test, the Kia Sonet scored lower than many expected for adult occupant protection. It managed to get only 1 star out of 5 for adult occupant protection. However, it did better for children, earning a 3-star rating for child occupant protection.

The SUV was tested for how well it protects people during a crash. Here are the points it scored:

Why the Score was Low

The model that was tested was the South African-spec Kia Sonet. It comes with only two front airbags for the driver and passenger, along with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard. Global NCAP found that the bodyshell and footwell area were unstable during the crash, which means the structure of the car could not handle the impact as well as expected.

There were also some missing safety features that affected the final score:

• It did not have 3-point seatbelts for every seat.

• There was no switch to turn off the passenger airbag.

• Some issues were found with how child seats are installed.

Even though the child dummies had good protection during the hit, these missing features pulled the score down. The car had basic safety like Electronic Stability Control (ESC), ISOFIX child-seat anchors, and seatbelt reminders, but it was not enough for a higher rating.

India-Spec Kia Sonet is Much Safer

It is important to note that the Kia Sonet sold in India is quite different from the model tested in South Africa. Kia builds the Sonet in India and exports it to other places like South Africa. But the safety levels change based on local rules.

In India, the government has strict rules for car safety. Because of this, the India-spec Kia Sonet comes with a lot more safety gear. You will find that the Indian model has:

• Six airbags as a standard feature.

• Level 1 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems).

• A 360-degree camera to see everything around the car.

• Blind View Monitor and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

• Other features like ABS, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Emergency Stop Signal (ESS), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), Brake Assist (BAS), Hill-start Assist (HAC), rear parking sensors, front disc brakes, and ISOFIX child-seat anchors.

• More than 15 safety features across the range.

Car makers often change the features of a car to keep prices competitive in different markets. The South African model was built with fewer airbags and safety features to meet local market requirements. However, the India-spec Sonet has gained more safety technology over the years.

In recent years, safety regulations in India have become stricter, which is one reason why the India-spec Sonet comes with more safety equipment.