Motorists shouldn’t buy these cars in South Africa – According to the AA

Motorists in South Africa should avoid vehicles that do not achieve a minimum of a three-star NCAP safety rating.

This is the view of the CEO of the Automobile Association (AA), Bobby Ramagwede, who recently spoke to TopAuto about the poor safety standards for entry-level cars in South Africa.

The AA is currently running its #SaferCarsForAfrica campaign, which aims to highlight the discrepancy in vehicle safety standards between vehicles sold in Africa and those sold in other markets, such as Australia or the European Union.

The group conducts tests where it acquires popular models sold in South Africa, and ships them to Germany for crash safety evaluations.

One of the first vehicles to make headlines in South Africa was the Hyundai Grand i10, which received a zero-star adult occupant safety rating.

Other popular cars that received low scores include the Toyota Starlet, Toyota Corolla Cross, and Chery Tiggo 7.

It is important to note that the vehicles being tested are the entry-level derivatives, which typically come with fewer safety fittings.

It is common for base-spec cars in South Africa to feature the bare minimum in terms of safety equipment, such as seatbelts, ABS, and two front airbags.

While these vehicles do meet South Africa’s official safety regulations, the AA argues that the requirements haven’t been updated since the 1990s and are far too lax by modern standards.

Ramagwede pointed out that a 30-year-old model like the Toyota Tazz still meets South African safety standards in 2026.

He said that South Africa’s current attitude towards vehicle safety is a lot like its attitude towards the education system, where 30% is considered a pass.

The CEO said that this was unacceptable and that motorists in this day and age should avoid cars that do not receive a bare minimum of a three-star safety rating, which he considers to a benchmark of over 50%.

This is because a three-star rating requires that cars be fitted with features like side curtain airbags and electronic stability control (ESC).

He pointed out that most collisions in South Africa are side-impact crashes, typically at intersections, and that curtain airbags are a vital tool for protecting occupants in these scenarios.

However, Ramagwede also said that motorists don’t need to go out of their way to find a car with a five-star safety rating, as these models typically feature advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that aren’t strictly necessary if safety is your primary concern.

ADAS functions include features like adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind spot detection, and rear cross-traffic alert.

While nice to have, these features are usually reserved for range-topping models and are therefore quite expensive.

They also do not directly affect the car’s safety in a crash, as additional airbags or stronger build quality would.

Kia and Haval in the spotlight

Ramagwede’s comments come after the AA published the latest results for the #SaferCarsForAfrica campaign, which flagged the Kia Sonet and Haval Jolion over disappointing crash test results.

The tests, conducted by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP), gave the entry-level Haval Jolion a two-star safety rating for adult occupants, and a three-star rating for child occupants.

While the Jolion has four airbags and ESC, it does not come with side-head protection, which negatively impacted its score.

These were the results of the crash tests:

• The frontal impact showed good protection to the head, neck and chest. Knee protection was marginal.
• The side movable barrier test showed good protection.
• The side pole test was not conducted because side head protection airbags are not fitted as
  standard.
• ESC is fitted as standard and meets Global NCAP requirements.
• Child Occupant Protection: Both child dummies received full protection in the dynamic test, but
  the lack of proper marking and the lack of a passenger airbag disabling switch resulted in a 3-star rating.

The base Kia Sonet, meanwhile, received a one-star adult uccupant rating and a three-star child rating.

Again, the lack of side protection was singled out as a major concern, as the Sonet only comes with two front airbags.

These were the notes on the Sonet test:

• The footwell area and bodyshell were unstable and not capable of withstanding further loadings.
• In the side impact test, poor chest protection limited the adult protection rating to one star, while abdomen protection was rated as adequate.
• The side pole test was not conducted because side head protection airbags are not fitted as standard.
• Child Occupant Protection: both child dummies received full protection in the dynamic test, but the absence of 3-point belts in all seating positions, no passenger airbag disabling switch and a low child restraint system installation score resulted in a 3-star rating.

Commenting on the results, Ramagwede, said that South African motorists should exercise extreme caution when purchasing a new or used entry-level vehicle.

“The recent series of crash tests has shown a worrying trend with entry-level models on sale in South Africa lacking adequate crash safety and, perhaps more worryingly, very few of the vehicles tested offering safety ratings similar to those of the same models on sale abroad.”

“The tests also show the significant difference that basic safety features such as side-impact airbags and electronic stability control can make,” he said.

“These features offer a major safety boost to any vehicle and, in most cases, can be added with only a marginal increase in vehicle price.”

Kia responded to the report, noting that the Sonet LS is compliant with all applicable South African legislative safety requirements, as stipulated by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications. 

It added that the crossover already comes with a comprehensive suite including two airbags, ABS, EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and front seatbelt pretensioners.

The carmaker also noted said that customers seeking enhanced occupant protection can look to the higher-tier Sonet EX+ and SX derivatives, which come with six airbags as standard, and that it plans to launch a new LS+ trim with six airbags later this year.

Regarding the Jolion, GWM stated that it is committed to aligning the safety specifications of its entry-level models with those of its higher-grade offerings.

It said that all future Haval Jolion City and Jolion Pro Premium models will be equipped with curtain airbags as standard, which it says will further enhance occupant protection and overall vehicle safety.