Global NCAP has been busy crash testing various mass market cars to assess their safety rating. While some new cars have did not meet the minimum safety standards, others have shown progress over time. One such example is that the facelifted Renault Kwid, tested in its made-in-India South African market specification, which just scored a 2-star safety rating within the latest Global NCAP crash tests.
While the 2016 India-spec version of the Kwid had scored 1 star, the India-made facelifted model offered within the South African market has shown improvement. The model tested was equipped with dual front airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, and cargo limiters which are standard across the range. However, the bodyshell and therefore the footwell integrity was rated unstable which remains worrying.
The 2020 Kwid got two stars and a score of seven .87 out of 17 in adult protection because the protection for the driving force and front passenger varied between good and adequate for the top , neck and tibias. Driver chest protection was rated poor while knee protection was marginal. The front passenger didn’t fare any better either
In terms of kid safety rating also , this version of the Kwid scored 19.68 out of 49 for a 2-star rating. It doesn’t accompany ISOFIX child seat anchorages and misses out on a 3-point seatbelt for middle occupant. The front-facing child seat for the 3-year old, secured with the seatbelt, showed excessive forward movement during impact with limited protection for the chest and therefore the side of the top . Meanwhile, the rearward-facing child seat for the 18-month old secured with the seatbelt also offered limited protection. Its head made contact with the inside of the car during impact.
The South Africa-spec Renault Kwid 2020 has fared tons better than its recently tested rival, the Maruti Suzuki S-Presso, which scored 0 stars overall with 0 for adult occupant safety and two for child protection. However, it’s worth noting that the India-spec Kwid doesn’t get dual front airbags as standard so it’s going to not fare also because the South Africa-spec model within the same tests.
The best recorded safety rating for the Renault Kwid was back in 2017 when the Brazil-spec model scored three stars within the Latin NCAP tests. it had been equipped with dual front airbags, side airbags and ISOFIX anchorages. We don’t get the side airbags or the ISOFIX anchorages on any variant of the Kwid.
Renault prices the Kwid in India from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5.13 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). It rivals the likes of the Maruti S-Presso and therefore the Datsun redi-GO.