Johannesburg – Two of South Africa’s popular entry-level sport utility vehicles have undergone independent crash testing, according to a report by ChangeCars, with results pointing to room for improvement in occupant protection.
The Global New Car Assessment Programme (GNCAP) awarded the base-spec GWM Jolion two stars for adult protection and the entry-level Kia Sonet one star, following tests conducted under the SaferCarsForAfrica initiative.
Both vehicles lacked curtain airbags, which contributed significantly to the outcomes. The Jolion, which comes with four airbags and electronic stability control as standard, showed good protection for the head, neck and chest in frontal impacts, though knee protection was found to be marginal. The Sonet, equipped with only two airbags, raised structural concerns during testing, with an unstable footwell area and bodyshell noted. 
Encouragingly, both models performed strongly in child occupant protection, each receiving three stars in that category, with child dummies in both vehicles recording full protection during dynamic testing.
Bobby Ramagwede, chief executive of the Automobile Association of South Africa, said local motorists should be mindful of safety variations when shopping in the entry-level segment. He noted that basic features such as side-impact airbags and electronic stability control could make a substantial difference to crash outcomes, often at a modest increase in vehicle price.
Richard Woods, chief executive of Global NCAP, said side head protection airbags should be fitted as standard on every new car sold in any market, adding that African motorists deserve the same level of protection as drivers elsewhere.
The two models are significant players on the South African sales charts, with the Jolion range averaging around 1 200 units a month this year and the Sonet around 800 units a month.
Kia South Africa confirmed the Sonet range already meets all local safety requirements set by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications. The company also announced a new Sonet LS+ derivative would be introduced in the third quarter of this year, offering six airbags as standard, bringing four of the five Sonet trim levels to six airbags.
Paul Turnbull, chief executive of Kia South Africa, welcomed the independent assessment, describing it as a useful mechanism for accountability and continuous improvement across the industry.
The SaferCarsForAfrica programme, run jointly by the AA and GNCAP, purchases vehicles anonymously and sends them to Germany for testing. The initiative is self-funded and reflects an ongoing commitment to fair treatment of South African motorists.
