Four-star ANCAP rating for Hyundai Kona

ANCAP has awarded the new Hyundai Kona range with a four-star rating, the score applying to petrol, hybrid and electric variants of the small segment SUV.

While the car received marks worthy of a five-star result across Adult and Child Occupant Protection criteria, it was let down by some of the active safety assist systems required to meet ANCAP’s new 2023-2025 assessment protocols.

ANCAP said performance of the Kona in destructive crash tests bore mixed results, with maximum points awarded for the protection of the driver in the side impact and oblique pole tests, but not in the full-width frontal test.

The crash test dummy was noted to ‘submarine’ beneath the lap portion of the seatbelt in the full-width crash test, attracting a penalty in the process.

Interestingly, the level of risk the tested vehicle posed to the occupants of another vehicle when struck was rated as “relatively low”.

ANCAP said the Hyundai Kona was limited to a four-star result due to its performance in the assessment areas of Vulnerable Road User Protection and Safety Assist, where thresholds of 70 per cent apply to qualify for a five-star score.

The Kona achieved scores of 64 and 62 per cent in these areas respectively, with performance of its AEB system in relation to cyclists and pedestrians labelled ‘Adequate’ by ANCAP.

The performance of the emergency lane keeping system – including interactions with motorcycles – was likewise labelled ‘Adequate’ while ‘Good’ performance was shown in AEB interactions with motorcycles.

Results were taken from EuroNCAP assessments in which the Kona was also rated as a four-star vehicle.

The European results saw the Kona achieve an 80 per cent Adult Occupant rating (or 32.13 out of 40 points locally), an 83 per cent Child Occupant rating (41.62 out of 49 points), 64 per cent Vulnerable Road Users rating (40,85 out of 63 points), and a 60 per cent Safety Assist rating (adjust to 62 per cent and 11.17 out of 18 points locally).

A four-star EuroNCAP result does not rule the model out for government or business fleets in that jurisdiction as it does in Australia.

“ANCAP encourages all consumers and fleet buyers to prioritise the purchase of vehicles which are confirmed to hold a current five-star ANCAP safety rating, ensuring the highest levels of safety,” said ANCAP chief executive officer Carla Hoorweg.

“With over 160 five-star ANCAP safety ratings available for current models, many of which offer alternative power options, there remains plenty of choice for consumers looking to buy a newer, safer vehicle.”

Importantly, and according to a EuroNCAP statement, the passenger compartment of the Kona remained stable in the frontal offset test. In both the side barrier and more severe side pole impact tests, protection was labelled as ‘Good’ for all critical parts of the body with the Kona scoring maximum points in this part of the assessment.

Further, tests on the front seats and head restraints demonstrated ‘Good’ levels of protection against whiplash in the event of a rear-end collision.

The Kona also features a secondary braking system which applies the brakes after an impact to avoid secondary collisions. It also demonstrated that if the vehicle is to become submerged in water, the doors and windows could be opened within two minutes of power loss – long enough to allow occupant egress.

Hyundai Motor Company Australia said it will not be commenting on the ANCAP result.