Two more of South Africa’s popular entry-level sport utility vehicles have undergone independent crash testing, with results pointing to room for improvement in occupant protection standards. The Global New Car Assessment Programme, or GNCAP, awarded the base-spec GWM Jolion two stars for adult protection and the entry-level Kia Sonet one star, following tests conducted under the #SaferCarsForAfrica initiative.
Both vehicles lacked side head protection crash bags, commonly known as curtain bags, which contributed significantly to the outcomes. The Jolion, which comes with four crash bags and electronic stability control as standard, showed good protection for the head, neck and chest in frontal impacts, though knee protection was found to be marginal. The Sonet, equipped with only two crash bags, raised structural concerns during testing, with an unstable footwell area and bodyshell noted.
Kia Sonet
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Encouragingly, both models performed strongly in child occupant protection, each receiving three stars in that category. Child dummies in both vehicles recorded full protection during dynamic testing.
Bobby Ramagwede, chief executive of the Automobile Association of South Africa, said local motorists should be mindful of safety variations when shopping in the entry-level segment. He noted that basic features such as side-impact bags and electronic stability control could make a substantial difference to crash outcomes, often at a modest increase in vehicle price.
Richard Woods, chief executive of Global NCAP, added that side head protection crash bags should be fitted as standard on every new car sold in any market and that African motorists deserve the same level of protection as drivers elsewhere.
The Jolion and Sonet are significant players on the local sales charts, with the Jolion range averaging around 1 200 units a month this year and the Sonet around 800 units a month.
Haval Jolion
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In a constructive response to the findings, Kia South Africa confirmed the Sonet range already meets all local safety requirements set by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications. The company also announced a new Sonet LS+ derivative would be introduced in the third quarter of this year, offering six crash bags as standard. With this addition, four of the five Sonet trim levels will come equipped with six bags.
Paul Turnbull, chief executive of Kia South Africa, welcomed independent assessment of vehicle safety, describing it as a useful mechanism for accountability and continuous improvement across the industry.
The #SaferCarsForAfrica programme, run jointly by the AA and GNCAP, purchases vehicles anonymously and sends them to Germany for testing by Global NCAP scientists. The initiative is self-funded and reflects an ongoing commitment to fair treatment of South African motorists.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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