The safety standards of the Renault Duster were recently put to test by the New Car Assessment Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean. The latest Latin NCAP crash test results show that the popular SUV from the French carmaker scored a disappointing zero-star rating.
The Renault Duster, produced in Latin America and Romania, with double airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard, achieved zero stars under Latin NCAP’s latest protocol. The popular SUV achieved 29.47% in the Adult Occupant box, 22.93% in the Child Occupant box, 50.79% in Pedestrian Protection and Vulnerable Road Users box and 34.88% in the Safety Assist box.
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The Renault Duster for Latin America does not offer side body and side head protection airbags as standard like the model sold in Europe under the Dacia brand. In the frontal impact, the SUV showed unstable structure performance and fuel leakage. The side impact test showed high intrusion of the B-pillar and an open door during the test.
Door opening in the Latin NCAP side impact test, which has the same configuration as Regulation UN95, means that the car would have failed the UN95 test. The fuel leak recorded in the frontal crash test needs further action from Renault, not just to solve the problem in production but to recall all the units sold in the market that potentially have this problem in the fuel tank in a crash. In the same line, the door opening in the side impact requires immediate action by Renault as it poses a serious risk of ejection in the case of side impacts.
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The Renault Duster is not the only vehicle that has achieved a zero-star rating in the latest Latin NCAP crash test. India-made Suzuki Swift gives the SUV company. The popular hatchback, with two airbags as standard, has also scored zero stars.
