You may remember a report from earlier this year about five vehicles each failing to score a single star for adult occupancy during Global NCAP crash-tests conducted in India. The Renault Kwid was one of those cars.
At the time, the organisation said a few versions of the budget mini-crossover were tested, but each scored zero stars for adult safety. Renault then promised that a safer version was on the way.
Global NCAP has just tested this latest version (still without ABS), but unfortunately the results aren’t much better. The Kwid was again assessed in the 64 km/h frontal impact test but could muster just one star for adult occupant protection.
The standard Kwid in India is offered without airbags. The latest version includes an airbag only for the driver and a seatbelt pretensioner for the driver’s seat. During the test, Global NCAP said that this version still showed “high chest deflection” for the driver, explaining the one-star rating.
“The protection offered to the driver head and neck by the airbag was good. However, the protection to the chest due to high chest compression was poor and the passenger’s chest received weak protection as well. The passenger’s knees could impact with dangerous structures in the dashboard,” the report read.
“The body-shell was rated as unstable and cannot withstand further loadings. It was confirmed that Renault added reinforcements in the structure but only in the driver side and not in the passenger side,” the report concluded.
The Kwid also scored just a single star in the child occupancy safety test.
“Renault has made limited progress; they should be offering their one-star car as the standard version, not an option,” said David Ward, secretary general of Global NCAP.
Last we heard, the Renault Kwid is scheduled to be launched in South Africa in the final quarter of this year, although specification and safety equipment levels have yet to be revealed.
Watch the crash test below…
