Next Barina fails crash test

The Spark, still to be confirmed but most likely to become a price-leading Barina in Australia next year, only manages a four-star score in the Euro NCAP tests.  It's not a bad result, but the NCAP benchmark now  — in Australia, Europe and Japan — is a five-star score.

The Spark only misses five stars because ESP is not fitted as standard in Europe, although that is unlikely to be a problem in Australia as Victoria forces all makers to fit stability control on vehicles sold in the state from next year.

The list of five-star NCAP successes grows through the latest testing to include the Mazda3 and Mercedes-Benz E Class already on sale as well as the BMW X1, Citroen DS3 and Peugeot 5008 expected here next year.

The Holden Cruze, which already has a five-star tick thanks to ANCAP testing locally, is confirmed with five stars after crashes with a Chevrolet-badged left-hand drive model. And GM was praised by Euro NCAP for its overall safety work.  "The company has bounced back with two cars that have a commendable level of safety performance," says Euro NCAP chief, Dr Michiel van Ratingen, commenting on the Cruze and the latest baby Astra.

Cars not sold in Australia to make the five-star hit list are the Infiniti FX, Mercedes-Benz GLK, Opel Astra and Volkswagen Scirocco while the Toyota Urban Cruiser, a Europe-only model, trailed the pack with a lacklustre three-star result. 

"The result from Toyota is disappointing, but in 2010, we predict further results like these as Euro NCAP’s next stage of the rating scheme kicks in and requirements become even tougher," says van Ratingen.

Euro NCAP is pushing hard with testing, rating both seats and head restrains for whiplast protection as well as including a score for safety assistance systems. 

"The Citroën DS3, Infiniti FX, Peugeot 5008 and the Mercedes GLK have driver controlled speed limitation systems fitted as standard or soon to be introduced as standard. These systems greatly assist the driver in maintaining the safest speed according to the driving environment," says van Ratingen.