Since 1997, EURO NCAP safety tests have been the cornerstone for evaluating the safety of vehicles arriving on the European market. A program supported by countries like Spain, which classifies cars by stars according to their results in various tests called crash tests.
However, recently, it has emerged that two vehicles, the Mahindra Scorpio and the MG 5, have received an unusually low rating: zero stars in ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Programme) safety tests, the Australian equivalent of EURO NCAP.
ANCAP tests, like EURO NCAP, simulate accidents using human dummies inside vehicles to assess damage and consequences. They include frontal, side, rear crashes and pedestrian collisions, with speeds ranging from 40 to 64 km/h. These extensive tests ensure that cars meet minimum safety standards before reaching dealerships.
The Mahindra Scorpio, an SUV of Indian origin, has turned out to be deficient in terms of collision prevention systems, added to the lack of a chest strap on the rear center seat belt.
Although it achieved a score of 80% in protecting child occupants, its results in protecting adults (44%) and vulnerable road users (23%) did not meet expectations. Additionally, it scored 0% in safety assistance systems.
The second implicated is the MG 5, a sedan that is not sold in Spain. This vehicle had critical failures in the seat belts and lacks a central airbag. In adult occupant protection tests, it only achieved a 37%, highlighting its lack of effort in preventing rear-seat injuries during front and side collisions.
Regarding the protection of child occupants, it reached 58%. In summary, ANCAP notes that the safety of this model lags significantly behind most new vehicles.
ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg underlines the importance of these tests, stating that Mahindra and MG "have misjudged the safety expectations of today's consumers". Its poor performance serves as a stark reminder that not all cars offer the same level of safety, even when they are new models.
