In the Latin NCAP’s (New Car Assessment Program) latest round of crash tests the South America-spec Kwid, which is made in Brazil, has scored a respectable 3-star rating both for adult and child protection. In stark contrast, the India-spec Renault Kwid, which was tested last year by Global NCAP, scored zero initially and later 1 star after structural improvementswere made but only to the driver’s side.
The Latin NCAP press release highlighted that the Renault Kwid for the Latin American market showed extra structural reinforcements and better safety performance compared to the Indian version. When it comes to safety the Kwid isn’t the only hatch in India with a poor rating. Global NCAP blew the whistle on the entire entry-level segment with cars such as the Maruti Suzuki Alto 800 and the Hyundai Eon faring miserably as well.
The primary difference between the Brazil-spec Kwid and the India-spec hatch is that the former comes standard with four airbags (dual front and side thorax airbags) along with ABS (anti-lock braking system) and EBD (electronic brake-force distribution). The Renault Kwid for the Indian market offers only a driver’s airbag, which too is optional, while ABS+EBD and multiple airbags are not even on the equipment list.
Check out how feature-rich and different the Latin America-spec Kwid is here: Renault Kwid India-Spec Vs Brazil-Spec: What’s Different?
