Brazilian-made Citroen C3 Aircross gets zero stars for safety

The Latin America and Caribbean New Car Assessment Program (Latin NCAP) gave the Brazilian-made Citroen C3 Aircross SUV a zero-star safety rating. The C3 Aircross, recently rebranded as Aircross in India, is a compact SUV with dimensions of 4,300 mm. As part of the necessary upgrades, the Aircross comes with a new naturally aspirated petrol engine, automatic climate control, rear air conditioning vents, seat belt reminders for all occupants and six airbags as standard. It made its global debut in India over a year ago and will be launched in the country in the second half of 2023 with a starting price of Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The Aircross is based on the CMP modular platform and is the second model launched by the company for India under the C Cubed programme. It is exported to overseas markets in the form of Complete Units (CBU).

Having said that, the Brazilian-spec Citroen C3 Aircross doesn’t exactly inspire confidence when it comes to safety. For Brazil, Citroen doesn’t offer the same features as its Indian counterpart. The model tested in Brazil comes standard with two airbags and electronic stability control (ESC). While the vehicle offers speed assist as optional equipment, it misses out on lane support assist and autonomous emergency braking, even as optional equipment.

Citroën C3 Aircross: Adult Occupant Protection Test Results

The Brazilian-spec Aircross scored 13.20 points for adult occupant protection (AOP), with the front passenger’s chest being “weakly” protected by a deformable barrier in an offset frontal collision. In the side impact test, “there was associated intrusion into the passenger compartment, increasing the risk of injury to the occupants.” As for the whiplash test, testers gave it a zero score because protection for adult necks was “poor.” Due to the lack of side head protection for both the front and rear rows of the vehicle, Latin NCAP did not conduct side pole crash tests.

Also read: Citroen Aircross SUV priced at Rs 8.49 lakh in India, drops ‘C3’ from name

Citroën C3 Aircross: child occupant protection test results

In terms of child occupant protection (COP), the Citroen C3 Aircross scored 5.57 points. It received a score of 0 out of 24 in the dynamic test, in which case Latin NCAP stated that the ISOFIX anchor mark did not meet Latin NCAP’s requirements. Additionally, Citroën has not informed the agency of any plans to address the issue. In the child restraint system (CRS) test, the model received a score of 3.57 out of 12, as most CRS installation tests failed. Additionally, the car does not have a passenger airbag disconnect device. In the vehicle evaluation test, it scored 2 out of 13 points.

Also read: 2024 autoX Awards: Citroën Basalt performance, quality and value for money rankings

The Citroen C3 Aircross’s zero-star safety rating is due to lower scores in various categories, such as the aforementioned AOP of 33.01% and COP of 11.37%, pedestrian protection and vulnerable road users of 49.57%, and COP of 34.88%. Safety assistance points. In the pedestrian protection assessment, the car met the pedestrian protection UN127 regulations, but mainly provided “marginal, adequate and weak protection” for the head. Thigh protection is “weak” while calf protection is “good”.

Compared to the Brazilian-spec C3 Aircross, the Indian-spec Aircross comes with ISOFIX child seat anchors, 6 airbags and more than 40 safety features such as Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and Hill Slope Monitoring System. Road assist system. Stay helpful.

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Stellantis India said in an official statement: “At Stellantis, we remain committed to providing clean, safe and affordable mobility to our customers with products that comply with the most stringent regulations around the world. We strive to enhance safety with every new generation of vehicles Features. As part of our ongoing product improvement efforts, we consider new third-party assessments and integrate proven technology solutions into relevant engineering processes. Stellantis believes there is no single way to measure vehicle safety. Assessment is one of the many inputs we use when designing vehicle safety.

“In India, customer safety is at the core of everything we do. Our entire range of vehicles comes equipped with six airbags, ISOFIX and rear seat belt reminders. The newly launched Citroën Basalt has received a 4-star rating from Bharat NCAP reflecting this Citroën’s commitment to safety, innovation and engineering excellence.

“We are proud to offer vehicles that combine safety, performance and advanced features that are tailor-made for Indian consumers. Every vehicle we develop in India reflects our deep understanding of local needs and desires, and independently designed to meet the country’s unique regulations and priorities.”