- The Toyota Starlet just got a zero star rating in Global NCAP test.
- It’s a rebadged Suzuki Baleno exported from India to South Africa.
- The updated model comes with six airbags to fix safety concerns.
Toyota is recognized as an automaker with a focus on safety, but the latest crash test results from Global NCAP tell a very different story. The Toyota Starlet, one of the most popular hatchbacks in South Africa, got a shocking zero star rating for adult occupant protection, proving the dangers of rebadging.
The organization tested the outgoing entry-level version of the Toyota Starlet which is manufactured in India as a twin to the Suzuki Baleno. Differences between the two hatchbacks are limited to restyled bumpers and tailgate, plus unique powertrain options.
Despite being equipped with electronic stability control (ESC) and dual front airbags as standard, the Starlet demonstrated severe structural vulnerabilities under impact. According to Global NCAP, both the footwell area and the overall bodyshell integrity proved to be unstable, and “not capable of withstanding further loadings”.
The side-impact barrier test was a disaster, with the lack of side airbags leading to poor head and chest protection and adequate abdomen protection. The results were so bad that Global NCAP skipped the side pole impact test entirely.
While the model got zero points in adult protection, it managed to get 29.33 points in child protection leading to a three-star rating. Still, the head of the three-year-old dummy made contact with the interior trim during the frontal crash test, and was exposed to impact in the side collision.
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Richard Woods, Chief Executive Officer of Global NCAP, said: “This is a shocking zero star result from Toyota. The Starlet, one of the most popular cars sold in South Africa, had an unstable bodyshell, as well as poor head and chest protection which are both a cause for serious concern.”
There’s Hope Despite The Terrible Score
The timing of the test has sparked tension between the safety organization and the automaker. As reported by Citizen, Toyota South Africa stated that the tested vehicle is “an obsolete model that is not representative of the Starlet currently available in the South African market”.
The updated version of the Toyota Starlet comes standard with side, head, and body airbags. Global NCAP has anonymously purchased an example for testing and will update the results in the future.
