Toyota Starlet rises from Zero to Four Star rating
Richard Woods, CEO Global NCAP; Becky Bavinger, Bloomberg philanthropies; Bobby Ramagwede, CEO Automobile Association of South Africa
In May, Global NCAP gave the Toyota Starlet a zero-star rating for adult occupant protection in our #SaferCarsForAfrica crash test results. A three-star rating was given for child occupant protection.
The model tested was equipped with driver and passenger frontal airbags and Electronic Stability Control as standard but it did not include side head protection airbags.
During the transport and testing process, Toyota informed us that the South African Starlet range was being updated with additional safety features including side head and body airbags, taking the model from two airbags to six.
We therefore decided to anonymously purchase the six-airbag model to repeat our testing.
We are now pleased to confirm that the Toyota Starlet has improved from a zero-star to a four-star rating for adult occupant protection in our latest #SaferCarsForAfrica crash test results. Child occupant protection remains at three stars.
The results were officially unveiled at Global NCAP’s Forum for Safer Mobility which was hosted in Cape Town this week under the theme ‘Democratising Vehicle Safety in Africa’. With the six-airbag model on display for major road safety stakeholders to see during the Forum, our latest crash testing demonstrates what can be achieved when manufacturers prioritise safety features as standard.
“We welcome Toyota's decision to upgrade the Starlet in South Africa. This four star result demonstrates what can be achieved when manufacturers make safety a priority,” said Global NCAP CEO Richard Woods.
“We encourage all manufacturers to adopt similar improvements and to fit life-saving equipment as standard in the markets they serve. Safety should never be reduced to an optional extra.”
The fresh results
One of South Africa’s most popular cars, the Toyota Starlet model that we scored in May had more than 20,000 units sold. The model, manufactured in India, was equipped with driver and passenger frontal airbags and Electronic Stability Control as standard, but offered no side head protection airbags.
In a production update at the plant in India, Toyota then upgraded the model to have six airbags fitted as standard including side curtain airbags.
Global NCAP’s crash test assessment of the upgraded model rated the footwell area as stable, while the bodyshell was found to be unstable and not capable of withstanding further loadings in the frontal test.
In the side impact test, head protection was rated as good and chest protection was adequate. Abdomen and pelvis protection were good.
By comparison, Global NCAP’s testing of the previous Toyota Starlet model found head and chest protection to be poor in the side impact test, while abdomen protection was rated as adequate.
The side pole impact test of the upgraded model - which could not be performed on the previous model due to the lack of side head protection airbags fitted as standard - found head protection to be rated as good and chest protection to be marginal. Abdomen and pelvis protection were good.
In the frontal impact assessment, the head of the three-year-old dummy made contact with the vehicle interior and chest protection was rated as low. In the side impact assessment, the head of the three-year-old dummy was exposed to impact.
Making safety a priority
While not a perfect outcome, the new results demonstrate what is possible when manufacturers prioritise safety, underlining the urgency for automakers to take responsibility for all of their models in all of their markets. Safety must never be an optional add-on for only those that can afford it.
We offered Toyota the opportunity to volunteer the six-airbag Starlet for testing under Global NCAP protocols but the manufacturer declined. To test the benefit of the additional safety equipment, we therefore decided to anonymously purchase the updated Starlet with our own funding.
The results speak for themselves.
“This result serves as an example of how improvements to safety specifications on entry-level vehicles can instantly yield safer cars on our roads,” said Bobby Ramagwede, CEO of the Automobile Association of South Africa.
“We strongly encourage those local brands with recent poorer #SaferCarsForAfrica results to work with us on improving the safety of their affected entry-level models, ensuring that safety is prioritised over cost; and proving that African lives matter.”
