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Originally Posted by thanixravindran Are these indicative that this is future GNCAP ready? |
I'm not really qualified to answer that but what I do know is that it's not very safe to trust what the manufacturer is telling you.
Those internal tests, I think it's not for future Global NCAP per se (though Global NCAP will do some of those tests in the very near future), but more for the Latin NCAP tests on the Virtus that will be exported from India. They probably copy-pasted it for the Slavia.
What I think is that VW have probably engineered the LHD MQB-A0-IN Virtus to do well in Latin NCAP tests because the left hand-drive versions of the Virtus/T-Cross will be exported there from India and VW normally aims for nothing less than five stars there. In fact, every new VW model launched in Latin America since 2013 has achieved the maximum five star Latin NCAP rating even through two protocol changes, except the Fox (which was launched in 2005 and here's an interesting bit from an experimental test long before Latin NCAP started: )
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Originally Posted by PROTESTE The most dramatic conclusion is that, despite the bad result, if it were compared with other similar national models, the Brazilian Fox would probably be considered even safer than the others. Analysis of the Fox's body shows that it was designed to be a safe vehicle, but the structure is useless if essential safety equipment is not present. |
Source: see attached PDF
VW as a manufacturer have generally never changed steel/spot-welds for emerging markets but it's still not safe to take it for granted that the Indian car would score similarly at Global NCAP.
The first thing to know is that in Latin NCAP you can do just okay in the frontal impact and make up elsewhere to score well in the adult protection box. So it's possible that something that was a four star car under the older protocol (which Global NCAP uses) could become a five star car under the tougher protocol. But VW have generally done well across the board.
Secondly, the Latin American car will get side airbags as standard because Latin NCAP requires that. Global NCAP will use a fitment rate for the pole test. That means that the car in the MDB (barrier+trolley) side impact in Latin NCAP will have side airbags, while the one in the Global NCAP MDB side impact won't, and might perform differently.
Now let's say that the exported LHD MQB-A0-IN Virtus does well in the Latin NCAP frontal impact itself. It's still not possible to extend a left hand-drive frontal result to the right hand-drive Virtus/Slavia.
Many right hand drive cars face serious issues in offset frontal crashes because the engine sits right behind the steering column and pedals. For example:
ANCAP: 2015 Hyundai Tucson
ANCAP: 2015 Kia Carnival
And don't miss this one: Euro NCAP: 2007 Chrysler Voyager:
So it's important that Škoda tested a right hand-drive Slavia for the 64km/h frontal offset test during early development itself. If the test they're talking about is not just based on their LHD Virtus tests, then I would be fairly confident of the Slavia doing at least acceptably.
The reason I think they're talking about Latin NCAP and not Global NCAP is:
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GNCAP @ 64 km/h front deformable barrier
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Latin NCAP does that test too, and Global NCAP will continue to do it after the protocol update.
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The side and curtain airbags have been designed to meet a crash scenario of side pole crash, which is higher than GNCAP standards. |
Not anymore
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The curtain airbags offer head protection to the front as well as rear passengers.
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2022 Global NCAP and 2016 Latin NCAP didn't require head protection for rear passengers, in fact there was no geometric evaluation of the head protection, just a head airbag (which is why the old Virtus had only a combination torso-head airbag for the front occupants). Since 2020, however, Latin NCAP also requires geometric coverage of the head protection device for rear passengers.
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Currently, the Indian regulatory requirements only mandate protection for lower leg & head impact; the Slavia will reduce upper leg injuries too.
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Again, even after the protocol update, Global NCAP will only do the UN GTR9/R127 tests for adult+child headform and lower legform, not upper legform. But Latin NCAP's 2020 tests include an upper legform impactor.
The only way to know how the Slavia would perform is to wait for the result, and goodness knows when it will be. We'll have a small idea about the LHD cars and whether there's any 'A0-
IN'-specific dilution when Latin NCAP tests the exported cars and since exports of the T-Cross (Taigun) to Mexico started I wouldn't be surprised to see it in the next Latin NCAP publication. However, even if there's no intentional 'IN'-specific dilution it doesn't mean that the Indian car will perform the same.
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Originally Posted by sachin_cs ncap might be on the cards. |
Gosh, I hope it is! I'd really like for Škoda to join the five star club. Then competition will start to sponsor tests too and eventually the testing will become self-sufficient. Everybody wins.