The newest #SaferCarsForAfrica crash tests have revealed a worrying trend of sub-standard safety in entry-level vehicles across various price points, says the Automobile Association of South Africa (AA).

The Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP) this week awarded the entry-level version of the GWM Jolion a two-star crash test rating, while the range-entry Kia Sonet received a disappointing one star.

The top score is five stars.

The AA says both models demonstrated serious gaps in the safety protection offered to occupants, driven largely by a lack of standard side head-protection airbags (curtain airbags) in both vehicles.

The newest results follow the entry-level Chery Tiggo 7 Pro receiving a two-star rating for adult occupant protection in February, with child occupant protection rated at three stars.

In January, the locally-made Toyota Corolla Cross also received a two-star rating for adult occupant protection, and three stars for child occupant protection.

“South African motorists should exercise extreme caution when purchasing a new or used entry-level vehicle, as the recent series of crash tests has shown a worrying trend with entry-level models on sale in South Africa lacking adequate crash safety and, perhaps more worryingly, very few of the vehicles tested offering safety ratings similar to those of the same models on sale abroad,” says AA CEO Bobby Ramagwede.

“The tests also show the significant difference that basic safety features such as side-impact airbags and electronic stability control can make.

“These features offer a major safety boost to any vehicle and, in most cases, can be added with only a marginal increase in vehicle price.”

Ramagwede’s views are echoed by the CEO of testing body Global NCAP, Richard Woods.

“It is unacceptable that global manufacturers continue to sell cars in Africa with safety standards they would never offer in markets like Europe.

“The Kia Sonet’s one-star result and the GWM Haval Jolion’s two-star result show how far the industry still has to go.

“Side head protection airbags should be standard on every new car, in every market,” says Woods.

“African motorists deserve the same life-saving protection as drivers in the rest of the world.”

“We are awaiting meaningful actions to the ranges of vehicles tested recently, be these in the announcement of additional safety added to the spec of the entry-level vehicle, the discontinuation of the entry-level model in the wake of the safer next-up model in the range, or in the case of major structural flaws, the consumer being availed of options that exist within other model ranges,” says Ramagwede.

“We welcome feedback from Hyundai regarding the Grand i10, Toyota regarding the Starlet and Corolla Cross, and Chery regarding the Tiggo 7 Pro, per recent announcements.”

For the NCAP tests, the #SaferCarsForAfrica programme anonymously purchases two versions of each model which are then transported to Germany.

Here, the vehicles are subjected to a series of crash tests by Global NCAP scientists. (The South African government does not mandate a certain crash test rating for vehicles to enter the local market.)

Global NCAP is a UK-registered charity working internationally to promote vehicle safety.