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Thanks to the Hyundai i30, Korea now figures in the top shelf of safety ratings.
The Euro-focussed compact, which was named as carsguide Car of the Year for 2007, has just taken the top ranking in the latest round of Australian NCAP crash tests.
The i30 and the all-new Mitsubishi Lancer both scored a maximum five- star rating for occupant safety and are being trumpeted for their affordable safety, with both coming in well below $30,000.
But the test scores are not perfect.
It takes a top-level Lancer with head-protecting side airbags to achieve the five-star ranking and the i30 needed modifications to the vehicle's knee-impact area, which ANCAP raised as a problem.
So the basic Lancer and i30 are only four-star cars.
ANCAP also announced five-star results from comparative test results by EuroNCAP for the Renault Laguna III and Holden Astra – both with side curtains and ESP – and four-star results for the Kia Rondo with side curtains, and base-model Ford Focus with chest-protecting side airbags.
“What we are now seeing is the provision of the latest vehicle safety features in cars below $30,000 – which is great news for consumers,” the ANCAP partners said.
But there is no much good news for pedestrians in the latest round of results.
The i30, Lancer, Laguna and Focus only scored two stars from four, with the Rondo and Astra only getting one star for pedestrian protection.
A full list of ANCAP safety ratings is available at www.ancap.com.au.
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