India-made Kia Sonet for South African market gets a 1-star safety rating from Global NCAP

The South Africa-spec Kia Sonet has received a 1-star safety rating from the Global NCAP. The SUV is made in India for the South African market. However, unlike its India-spec version, the Sonet sold in SA does not offer 6 airbags and ESC as standard, which explains its low safety rating. The SUV is yet to be tested by the Bharat NCAP.

Read Also: Jeep Meridian and Compass offered with discounts worth up to Rs 1.65 lakh

Kia Sonet: GNCAP test results explained

In the Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) test, the Kia Sonet was awarded 1 star after scoring 21.29 points out of a possible 34. In the Frontal Offset Deformable Barrier Test, the SUV showed good protection to the driver’s head, neck, and left tibia. The chest and right tibia were adequately protected, while marginal protection was shown to the knees. The feet showed poor protection. The front passenger’s head, neck, and chest showed good protection, but the knees were marginally protected. Adequate protection was offered to both tibias.

In the Side Movable Deformable Barrier Test, the driver’s head and pelvis showed good protection, while the abdomen and chest showed adequate and poor protection, respectively. GNCAP did not conduct a Side Pole Impact test due to the lack of curtain airbags on the SUV.

In the Child Occupant Protection (COP) test, the Kia Sonet was awarded 3 stars after scoring 28.57 points out of a possible 49. The child seats for 18-month-old and 3-year-old children were installed in a rear-facing position using ISOFIX anchorages and a support leg. The SUV got docked points for CRS installation in the rear seat due to the presence of a lap-type seatbelt instead of a 3-point unit. The SUV got a Dynamic score of 24 points (out of 24) and a CRS installation score of 4.57 points (out of 12). However, it did not manage to garner a Vehicle Assessment score (0 points out of 13).

Bobby Ramagwede, Chief Executive Officer of the Automobile Association of South Africa, said, “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.

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.”

Read Also: Discounts worth up to Rs 3.35 lakh on Tata Curvv EV, Harrier EV, and more

Final Thoughts

In India, the Kia Sonet is priced between Rs 7.33 lakh and Rs 14.19 lakh. As we mentioned earlier, it is yet to be tested by the Bharat NCAP. It rivals the Hyundai Venue, Mahindra XUV300, Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Nissan Magnite, Tata Nexon, and Renault Kiger in India.