The Kia Sonet has received a 1-star rating for Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and a 3-star rating for Child Occupant Protection (COP) in the latest round of crash tests conducted by Global NCAP. The vehicle tested was the South Africa-spec model manufactured in India, equipped with dual front airbags and without Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard.
In the adult occupant protection assessment, the Sonet scored 21.29 points out of a possible 34. During the frontal offset crash test, the SUV provided good protection for the heads and necks of both front occupants. Protection levels for the chest and lower legs varied between adequate and marginal, while the driver’s foot protection was rated poor. Global NCAP also noted that the footwell area and bodyshell structure showed signs of instability during testing.
The side impact test recorded good protection for the head and pelvis, adequate protection for the abdomen and poor protection for the chest. A side pole impact test was not carried out as the tested vehicle did not feature curtain airbags.
According to Global NCAP, while the vehicle’s ESC system met technical requirements, it was not fitted as standard equipment on the tested version. The agency also stated that only the driver’s seat belt reminder complied with its requirements.
For child occupant protection, the Sonet scored 28.57 out of 49 points, earning a 3-star rating. Child seats for both the 18-month-old and 3-year-old dummies were installed using ISOFIX anchorages and support legs in a rearward-facing configuration. Both child occupants achieved maximum scores in the dynamic crash tests.
However, points were deducted due to limitations related to child restraint installation. The centre rear seat is equipped with a lap belt instead of a three-point seat belt, affecting compatibility with certain child restraint systems. Additional points were lost because the front passenger airbag cannot be deactivated when installing a rear-facing child seat.
It is important to note that the tested South African-spec Sonet differs from the version sold in India. The Indian-market Sonet comes equipped with six airbags and ESC as standard across the range, features that were not present on the vehicle evaluated by Global NCAP.
Within the compact SUV segment, several rivals have achieved stronger crash test performances in recent years. The Tata Nexon and Nissan Magnite secured five-star ratings in Global NCAP testing, while Bharat NCAP has awarded five-star ratings to models such as the Kia Syros, Hyundai Venue, Skoda Kylaq and Mahindra XUV 3XO.
The latest results highlight how safety ratings can vary significantly depending on market-specific equipment levels and underline the importance of evaluating crash test results in the context of the exact vehicle specification being tested.