The Mahindra Bolero Neo compact SUV was awarded a 1-star safety rating for adult and child protection in the latest round of crash tests conducted by Global NCAP under its Safer Cars for India program. The SUV was launched in India on July 15, 2021 and is a TUV300 facelift. The tested model is equipped with only two standard airbags and received low ratings for structure, footwell area, chest protection, and more.
As per Global NCAP's recent report, the Bolero Neo was subjected to the latest safety protocols and scored 20.26 points out of a total of 34. However, the report highlighted that the SUV's structure and footwell area are unstable, with weak chest protection and poor feet protection for the driver. Furthermore, the Bolero Neo lacks curtain airbags and seat belt reminders for all passengers.
When it comes to child occupant safety, the Bolero Neo scored 12.71 points out of a maximum of 49 points. The absence of three-point seat belts for all passengers, the lack of a passenger airbag switch, and only one child restraint system (CRS) resulted in lower scores. However, the report did note that the child protection showed "acceptable dynamic performance."
The report also criticized Mahindra for continuing to use side-facing third-row seats in its SUVs, which resulted in a low overall rating for the Bolero Neo. The report expressed disappointment at Mahindra's failure to meet Global NCAP's safety standards.
Kia Carens
Global NCAP also released results for Kia Carens and Honda Amaze. After undergoing new safety tests, the Carens MPV was found to offer poor protection for the driver's neck, marginal protection for the driver's and passenger's knees, and only marginal protection for the driver's chest. As a result, models made between May 2, 2023 and December 11, 2023 received a 0-star rating for adult occupancy protection (AOP).
However, the road safety organization noted that models made after December 11, 2023 showed significant improvements in AOP, securing a 3-star rating and a score of 22.07 out of a maximum of 34.
The Carens' child occupancy protection (COP) score also improved. In the initial round of testing, the MPV was awarded a 4-star rating, with a score of 40.92 out of 49. With the improved restraint system, the MPV's score increased to 41 out of 49, earning it a 5-star COP rating.
Honda Amaze
Global NCAP has conducted crash tests on the Honda Amaze sedan using its new protocol. The car received a 2-star rating for adult occupant protection and a 0-star rating for child occupant protection.
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