Global NCAP accords low safety rating to Bolero Neo, Amaze

New Delhi: Vehicle safety group Global NCAP on Tuesday said it has given one star safety rating to Mahindra Bolero Neo for adult and child occupant safety.

The UK-based group also accorded two stars to Honda Amaze for adult and zero stars for child occupant safety.

It also gave three stars in adult safety and five stars for child occupants to Kia Carens after the latest round of crash tests.

The highest score on a vehicle crash test is five stars, while the lowest score is zero stars.

"We were disappointed to see Mahindra's one star rating for the Bolero Neo. This falls well below the safety performance we have come to expect from the manufacturer," Global NCAP Secretary General Alejandro Furas said in a statement.

Mahindra & Mahindra said the company is committed to deliver vehicles that ensure the safety and satisfaction of customers and users.

Bolero Neo has always complied with safety regulations that have been introduced over time and continues to be fully compliant with the latest Indian safety standards, it said.

"As we are constantly innovating and improving our vehicles to exceed safety regulations, we want to assure our customers and stakeholders that Mahindra has significantly enhanced safety features in all our recent launches," the auto major stated.

Models like Thar, XUV700, XUV300, and Scorpio-N have been recognised with high safety ratings of 4- and 5-star by the Global NCAP, reflecting the company's ongoing commitment to safety.

Furas said there has been an improvement in Kia's rating for the Carens since its original test when the model scored a zero rating for adult occupant protection.

"However, we were expecting a better performance in the retest given the Carens is fitted with six airbags as standard," he added.

On Honda Amaze, Furas stated: "Regrettably Honda did not take the opportunity to update the Amaze with more safety features which explains its disappointing score." Commenting on the development, Honda Cars India said the South Africa spec second generation Amaze has already been tested as four star by GNCAP in 2019.

"The latest test basis new protocol shows that the total score is of five-star level.

"However, mainly due to the requirement of certain equipment like electronic stability control and side curtain airbags, it resulted in lower rating," the automaker said in a statement.