Nivus 5 stars while WR-V disappoints with just one star

The New Car Assessment Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, Latin NCAP, second publication for 2022 shows encouraging 5 star results for more affordable models while Honda disappoints with a one star result.

The Volkswagen Nivus made in Brazil equipped with 6 airbags (frontal, side body and side head airbags) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard, was rated with five stars. The compact crossover achieved 92.47% in Adult Occupant box, 91.57% in Child Occupant box, 48.74% in Pedestrian Protection and Vulnerable Road Users box and 84.95% in Safety Assist box.

The car was tested in frontal impact, side impact, side pole impact, whiplash, pedestrian protection, Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) city and interurban, Speed Assist and ESC. All the standard and tested equipment showed good performance allowing the Nivus to achieve 5 stars. Pedestrian Protection was expected to show better results and that AEB for Pedestrian and Vulnerable Road Users would have been available. Blind Spot Detection (BSD), Lane Support Systems (LSS) and Road Edge Detection (RED) could also help to score higher. The European twin model, the Taigo, does offer the ADAS equipment as standard while it is only optional and for some versions in Latin America.

The Honda WR-V made in Brazil and equipped with two frontal airbags and ESC as standard, was rated with one star. The compact crossover achieved 41.03% in Adult Occupant box, 40.66% in Child Occupant box, 58.82% in Pedestrian Protection and Vulnerable Road Users box and 48.84% in Safety Assist box.

The car was tested in frontal impact, side impact, whiplash, pedestrian protection and ESC. The lack of side curtain airbags as standard limited the score and better performance in Adult Protection Box. The seatbelts do not meet Latin NCAP requirements of UN or FMVSS regulations. The lack of passenger airbag disabling switch explains the low score for Child Occupant Protection. Passive Pedestrian Protection was good and ESC performance was also acceptable.

Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Latin NCAP said:

“Consumers should be pleased to find more popular models reaching 5 stars. It surprises Latin NCAP to find such a differences between the Nivus and WR-V, which are competitors in the same segment, as the Honda just scored one star mainly due to lack of safety equipment. Latin NCAP strongly encourages Honda to improve the WR-V and soon bring again 5 star models to the region as the last time it happened was back in 2015”.

Stephan Brodziak, Latin NCAP Chairman said:

“It is very promising that some manufacturers such as Volkswagen are already including advanced driving assistance technologies with a greater share of their percentage of sales, we hope that very soon they become standard for all new models on sale in the market, since they can help to save many lives on our streets, mainly vulnerable users. Meanwhile, we emphatically call on Honda to improve the safety performance of the popular cars being sold in our region, we deserve the same kind of safety that Honda offers to consumers in Japan and Europe”.

Volkswagen Nivus (6 airbags)
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Honda WR-V (2 airbags)
Read the full crash test report
Watch the crash test video
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About Latin NCAP

The Latin New Car Assessment Programme (Latin NCAP) was launched in 2010 to develop a regional system of independent crashworthiness and safety rating across Latin America and Caribbean (LAC). Latin NCAP replicates similar consumer testing programmes developed over the last thirty years in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, and which have proved to be very effective in improving the safety of motor vehicles. Since 2010 Latin NCAP has published the results of more than 135 models, all results available at www.latinncap.com/results.

Latin NCAP acknowledges the support received by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP), International Consumer Research and Testing (ICRT), FIA Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Road Safety Initiative.

Latin NCAP is an Associate member of Global NCAP and supports the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety and the Stop the Crash Partnership.

More info: www.latinncap.com