Latin NCAP has released the results of its latest crash test, with the Ford Figo (also badged as the Ford Ka in some markets) scoring zero stars for adult occupancy safety. It did, however, score three stars for child occupant protection.
It must be noted, though, that the sedan model tested was built in Brazil for markets such as Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Brazil itself. The Figo offered in South Africa, meanwhile, is produced in India, and scored three stars for adult occupant protection (with less safety kit than is offered in SA) in its Global NCAP crash-test back in March.
Still, it’s interesting to note that the Figo assessed by Latin NCAP failed to score a single star for adult occupancy protection despite the presence of two airbags, ABS, front seatbelt tensioners and Isofix child-seat anchors (SA-spec models, for the record, range from similar safety spec for the base derivatives – minus Isofix – through to a full complement of six airbags and stability control for the range-topper).
Latin NCAP said the Figo it evaluated “offered a particularly poor performance in side-impact protection”, which was “the main reason for the low star rating”.
“[It] performed poorly in the side-impact test, showing high levels of injuries in the adult chest, high B-pillar intrusion in the occupant compartment and a door opening. [It] did not offer side-impact energy absorption devices in its structure and in its inner door panel,” the Latin NCAP report explained.
Watch the crash-test footage below…
