Citroen C3 Aircross Bags Zero Star Safety Rating, But There's A Twist

Citroen C3 Aircross SUV sold in South America as the New Aircross has been evaluated by the Latin NCAP. Based on the tests, the Brazil-spec model of the SUV sold in India has been awarded a zero-star safety rating. Tested according to the latest norms, the SUV has been evaluated based on various categories including pedestrian safety, frontal and side-impact, whiplash protection, and more. Before we get into the details, it is worth mentioning that the SUV was introduced in the Indian market last year and has been on sale ever since.

The Brazilian version of the Citroen C3 Aircross tested by Latin NCAP comes equipped with two airbags and ESC as standard. The higher-spec versions of the car come with multiple other features.

In the Latin NCAP tests, the SUV scored 33.01 per cent for Adult Occupant Protection (AOP). It revealed that the vehicle offered weak chest protection for the front passenger in frontal impact. Meanwhile, the side impact test resulted in significant intrusion in the passenger compartment increasing the risk of injury. Further making things grave, the SUV had an absence of side head protection in side pole impact.

Similarly, the SUV's performance in Child Safety tests had major gaps. It scored 11.37 per cent in Child Occupant Protection (COP). This is because of the inability of the car to deactivate the front passenger airbag for rearward-facing child seats. Additionally, the ISOFIX anchorage markings were not on par according to Latin NCAP standards. The test results also mentioned that the Child Restraint System (CRS) failed during installation.

The SUV relatively had better Pedestrian Protection with 49.57 per cent score. Even with that, the results mention that it had weak head protection for pedestrians. It was rated at 34.88 per cent for Safety Assist Features because of missing Lane Support, Speed Assist, and Autonomous Emergency Braking.