Kia Carens obtains 5 stars for kid safety, Honda Amaze gets 0 ratings

Kia Carens obtains 5 stars for kid safety, Honda Amaze gets 0 ratings

The Mahindra Bolero Neo, an under 4m SUV generally lauded for its adaptability and toughness, got a 1-star safety certification for both adult and child safety.

Nearly six months after providing 5-star ratings to Tata Safari and Harrier SUVs, the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP) has granted three, two, and one star ratings to Kia Carens, Honda Amaze, and Mahindra Bolero, respectively.

This assessment represents one of the last assessments under Global NCAP's Safer Cars for India project as the nation moves to its own Bharat NCAP safety evaluation program.

The 2024 Kia Carens obtained a 3-star rating for adult safety and 5 stars for kid safety. GNAP reported that the general build quality of the newest version has been enhanced by strengthening neck performance and restraint mechanisms, according to GNAP.

The Kia India Spokesperson did not react to emails till the time of writing this piece.

While presenting the test findings, Alejandro Furas, Global NCAP Secretary-General, remarked, "There has been an improvement in Kia’s rating for the Carens from our first test when the vehicle got a zero rating for adult occupant safety. However, we were anticipating a better performance in the tests since the Carens is furnished with six airbags as standard.”

The Honda Amaze, which previously received a four-star rating for adult occupant safety and one star for child occupant protection during its 2019 evaluation, witnessed a reduction in its ratings under more tougher testing requirements. For adult protection, the sedan's rating fell to two stars, while for kid safety, it fell to zero stars.

"Unfortunately, Honda missed the chance to equip the Amaze with additional safety features, which accounts for its unsatisfactory rating," Furas said.

The South Africa-spec 2nd Generation Amaze has already received a 4-star rating from GNCAP, according to a statement from Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL) via email.

Based on a revised technique, the most recent test reveals a 5-star overall score with a stable body shell. "We are committed to continuously working to enhance our vehicles on all parameters of safety and improve them further at model change timing," HCIL stated in an email. "However, mainly due to requirements together of certain equipment like Electronic Stability Control and Side Curtain Airbags, it resulted in a lower rating."

The Mahindra Bolero Neo, an under 4m SUV generally lauded for its adaptability and toughness, got a 1-star safety certification for both adult and child safety. According to GNCAP, the model underwent testing and revealed minimal protection for adult safety in a frontal accident due to its unstable construction, unstable footwell region, weak driver chest protection, and inadequate foot protection.

Delivering automobiles that guarantee the security and contentment of our clients and users is our top priority at Mahindra. The Bolero Neo is the go-to utility vehicle in India because of its strong construction, exceptional dependability, and inherent capacity to manage a range of driving situations. In response to questions from Moneycontrol, M&M said via email that "it has always complied with safety regulations that have been introduced over duration and continues to be completely in accordance with the latest Indian safety standards."

David Ward, President of the Towards Zero Foundation, says that these contradictory findings show that some manufacturers still need to put in more work to prioritize car safety in the Indian market.

"Throughout our #SaferCarsforIndia campaign, we have seen a tremendous deal of progress, but it is evident that sustaining this safety momentum is very critical. Later today, we will have a panel discussion on NCAP24 on these and other important car safety issues for India.