As stated by the Global NCAP, “The India made Triber showed good protection for the driver’s and passenger’s head and neck but weak protection for the driver’s chest in both frontal and side impact. There was an unstable performance of the structure. The protection offered to the head, abdomen and pelvis on the side impact was good.” The India-made Renault family mover came out performing better than the Maruti’s Ertiga in the crash test conducted in Africa.
Triber did not have the option of additional airbags as was seen in the Ertiga as well. The Renault MPV even lacked the safety option of ESC. With all these limitations the car performed better than the Ertiga.
The safety ratings are as
Adult Protection: 22.29 out of 34
Child Protection: 19.99 out of 49
In the case of the 18-month-old child dummy, the child seat was mounted facing rearward and it offered full protection to the child’s head. However, For the 3-year-old child dummy, the forward-facing child seats were installed using the ISOFIX anchorage. However, the protection to the child’s neck and chest was rated as poor; the anchorage was not able to prevent head exposure during the front impact.
Safety Features in the Tested Car
The safety features on South-African Renault Triber include
- 2 airbags
- ABS with EBD
- A rear parking camera
- Rear parking sensors
- Seat belt reminder for Driver and Front Passenger
What Features It Misses Out Compared to India-Spec Renault Triber?
- Side airbags as an option
- Electronic stability control (ESC)
- Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
- Hill start assist as offered with the India-spec Triber
- Seatbelt reminders for rear seats
There were no side pole impact tests conducted for the Triber as was the case in the test of Ertiga.
What to Speculate?
This safety rating is not what is expected from cars which are considered for family usage intentions. These cars are expected to be used on long trips and family getaways in many occasions. Having a car that is not adequate in the safety standards is a real miss. It also grabs the confidence that a buyer has on their car.
We do think that the companies will start working on improving the safety standards of their vehicles in India. Renault is also on a path of working towards safety. Their Kiger is a better equipped car in terms of safety.
Let’s hope for some safer cars!
