Toyota Raize gets 1 star, Chevrolet Montana scores 3 in Latin NCAP test

The New Car Assessment Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean (Latin NCAP) has published the first crash test results for 2024. The results showcase a disappointing one-star rating for the Toyota Raize and a new segment benchmark set by the Chevrolet Montana, which achieved three stars.

The Toyota Raize, manufactured in Indonesia, was equipped with two airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard. Despite these features, the Raize only achieved 40.54% in Adult Occupant protection, 71.57% in Child Occupant protection, 58.70% in Pedestrian Protection, and 58.14% in Safety Assist.

The Raize was tested in frontal impact, side impact, whiplash, pedestrian protection, and ESC. The frontal impact revealed an unstable structure and marginal protection for the driver’s chest. In the side impact test, the car showed marginal chest protection and a significant intrusion into the passenger compartment, increasing the risk of injuries. The lack of side head protection, as side pole impact is not standard, resulted in a zero-point rating and a penalty for the absence of head protection in both the front and rear rows. Additionally, the Raize does not offer Speed Assist Systems as standard, limiting its safety performance.

In contrast, the Chevrolet Montana, produced in Brazil, achieved three stars. Equipped with six airbags and ESC as standard, the Montana scored 79.18% in Adult Occupant protection, 71.08% in Child Occupant protection, 44.45% in Pedestrian Protection, and 65.12% in Safety Assist.

The Montana was tested in frontal impact, side impact, side pole impact, whiplash, pedestrian protection, speed assist, and ESC. The car demonstrated good to adequate protection for adult occupants in the frontal crash test, with a stable structure. In the side impact test, it provided good protection, and the side pole impact test showed good head protection with marginal chest protection. However, the lack of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), even as an optional feature, limited its overall score.

The Montana’s child occupant protection was low due to the manufacturer’s decision to place both child dummies forward-facing, which contradicts global best practices. This decision was in contrast to the manufacturer’s approach in other recent models with good results, where child restraint systems were installed rearward-facing.

Latin NCAP emphasizes the importance of testing the most basic passive safety specifications of vehicles and strongly recommends purchasing models equipped with tested good-performing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technologies.

Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Latin NCAP said:

“Chevrolet becomes again the benchmark in a popular segment, small pickups, showing good protection in comparison to the low score of its direct competitor, the Fiat Strada. We hope that Chevrolet re-considers its child occupant protection ADAS strategies as in our understanding that this car can perform better and achieve even higher star ratings. Safety leadership times of Toyota seems to be far in time as disappointing results does not seem to stop. Latin NCAP urges Toyota to change its approach, improve basic safety equipment in cars, and volunteer the cars in Latin NCAP to show consumers their performances. In a scenario of global concern about safety certifications in some Toyota cars, it is proven once again the need for a standardized vehicle safety labelling that includes the Latin NCAP star rating”.

Stephan Brodziak, Latin NCAP Chairman said:

“It is disappointing that Toyota once again engages in selling low-safety cars for certain countries in the region, such as the Raize. We know that the brand can achieve better performances in vehicle safety, so we strongly call for the company to reconsider its safety equipment strategy and subject its models to safety evaluations so that consumers know their real performance.

Regarding the Chevrolet Montana, although it is a result that indicates good passive protection for its occupants, the decision to put both child dummies rearward facing is critical, we know that it can still achieve better protection performance if driving assistance technologies are added, particularly Autonomous Emergency Braking. We invite Chevrolet to continue with these results and to set itself the goal of standardizing ADAS to improve the protection of its consumers and other road users in our region”.