The global New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) and the Automobile Association of South Africa’s second set of SaferCarsForAfrica crash tests, using four models sold in South Africa, were released this month, revealing varying safety concerns and performance parameters for local customers.

The tests were supported by the FIA Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies and were undertaken at an international test facility in Germany.

This followed last year’s tests – the first time the NCAP worked with South Africa – when tests were undertaken on budget cars available on the local market. The tests are international standard frontal offset collision tests, at 64 km/h.

The four models tested this year were the Nissan NP300, the Hyundai i20, the Kia Picanto and the Toyota Yaris.

Entry-level vehicles for each model were selected, thereby ensuring all were fitted with a minimum of one airbag.

For this year’s tests, the models scored on safety performance from zero to three stars for adult protection.

The Nissan NP300 Hardbody had the lowest ratings, which implied a high probability of life-threatening injury in a crash.

The body shell of the car collapsed during the test and was rated as unstable, at odds with its ‘Hardbody’ name.

The vehicle produced the lowest score of all the tests completed to date, with a zero-star rating for its poor adult occupant protection, mainly the driver head and chest area, and only two stars for child occupant protection.

The latter is mainly the result of the manufacturer installing one of the child seats without following the instructions properly.

The vehicle, despite being the most expensive from the pool, scored the lowest.

Zero-rated vehicles are discouraged by the NCAP from even being on the road.

The Toyota Yaris achieved a three-star rating for adult occupant protection, and the structure was rated unstable.

The car provided seatbelt reminders for both frontal positions, and included seatbelts with pretensioners for both front passengers.

Using child seats Toyota recommended for this model, a three-star rating was achieved for child occupant protection.

The car offers a standard Isofix anchorage for child restraint systems.

The Hyundai i20 also achieved a three-star rating for adult occupant protection, and the vehicle structure and footwell area were rated unstable.

The car provided seatbelt pretensioners for both front passengers and seatbelt reminders for the driver.

The Hyundai-recommended child seats receieved a two-star rating for child occupant protection, owing to the lack of Isofix anchorages.

The Kia Picanto also achieved a three-star rating for adult occupant protection. The vehicle structure was rated stable and the footwell area rated unstable.

The car offers seatbelt pretensioners for both front passengers and seatbelt reminders for the driver.

Kia-recommended car seats achieved a two-star rating for child protection, owing to the detachment of the Isofix anchorages during the crash test.