Hyundai i20 scores three stars in Global NCAP crash test

The made-in-India Hyundai i20 was tested as part of the ‘Safer cars for Africa’ project. It scored three-stars for adult occupant safety

Global NCAP recently put the made-in-India Hyundai i20 through their crash testing regime and it scored a reasonable three-star for adult occupants. The i20 was tested for frontal impact at a speed of 64km/h. The hatchback could only score 10.15 out of 17 – giving it a three-star rating. Although the model comes with seat-belt pretensioners and reminder, the vehicle’s structure and footwell was rated unstable. The vehicle, however, does not come with a side or curtain airbags.

As per the Global NCAP report, the protection offered to the neck and head of the driver/front passenger was good. In fact, the driver’s chest showed marginal protection while the protection for the front passenger was adequate. The Global NCAP report read, “The passenger’s knees showed adequate and marginal protection as they could impact with dangerous structures behind the dashboard supported by the Tranfascia tube.”

The i20 didn’t prove to be exceptionally safe for child occupants either. Using the child seats recommended by Hyundai, the i20 achieved a two-star rating for child occupant protection. There wasn’t enough protection for the three-year-old dummy and the car wasn’t equipped with ISOFIX either. The seat-belt could not prevent excessive movement forward thereby exposing the child occupant’s head to risks and injuries.

Hyundai India exports the i20, with the 1.2-litre petrol and the 1.4-diesel, to the South African Market.