India-made Renault Kiger has achieved a significant improvement in its Global NCAP crash test performance. The compact SUV, which had earlier received a two-star rating, has now scored four stars for adult occupant protection and three stars for child occupant protection. The latest result comes after Renault added several safety features to the updated model and voluntarily submitted it for another round of testing.
The Kiger is manufactured in India and exported to several international markets, including South Africa, where this latest assessment was conducted under Global NCAP’s Safer Cars for Africa programme.
Renault Kiger crash test results
The updated Kiger was tested with six airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), ISOFIX child seat mounts and seatbelt reminders. It secured 25.20 points out of 34 for adult safety and 30.21 points out of 49 for child occupant protection.
| Safety assessment | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Adult occupant protection | 25.20/34 | 4 stars |
| Child occupant protection | 30.21/49 | 3 stars |
How did the Kiger perform?
In the adult occupant protection assessment, the Kiger received good protection in several areas during the side impact tests. However, some areas showed weaker results during the frontal and side pole impact assessments.
The report also mentioned that the bodyshell was rated unstable. The footwell area could not withstand further loadings, and one of the doors opened during the side impact test.
Some other observations from the assessment include:
- Head and pelvis protection were rated good in the side pole test.
- Chest protection received a marginal rating in the side pole assessment.
- Torso and back protection received an adequate rating in the side impact test.
- The pedestrian protection requirements were also met.
Child safety assessment
For child occupant protection, Global NCAP used 18-month-old and three-year-old child dummies. The younger dummy received full protection in both frontal and side impact tests.
However, the three-year-old dummy showed some areas of concern. Its head came into contact with the vehicle interior during the frontal test, while head exposure during the side impact assessment resulted in zero points for that part of the test.
The Kiger also does not offer an option to deactivate the front passenger airbag when installing a rear-facing child seat on the front passenger seat.
The improvement in the Kiger’s crash test rating is a positive development, although the unstable bodyshell and child protection results show that there is still room for improvement.