The safety hazards of cheap cars

The recent surge in extremely cheap car models poses a hidden danger, as they have been proven to be unable to protect the occupants.

In a recent safety test by the global NCAP organization, the Renault Duster shocked everyone by finishing with the lowest score: 0 stars. The vehicle used for the safety test was the basic configuration sold in the Indian market, lacking many amenities and not equipped with airbags.

The inexpensive cars currently sold in the Indian market have basic configurations lacking many amenities and are not equipped with airbags.

"It's concerning that we're once again seeing a vehicle in India receive a zero-star safety rating. Renault manufactures the Duster for many markets around the world, but the one for India has such a dismal safety score," said David Ward, NCAP Global General Manager.

After the results were published, the French automaker requested NCAP to retest another version of the Duster, this time with an added driver's airbag, and the car achieved a 3-star rating for adult occupant protection. However, the child occupant protection rating remained at 2 stars, the same as the original model.

Experts are still investigating the safety of the Duster, after discovering that the airbags in the Indian version are smaller than those in the South American version – which previously achieved a 4-star rating from NCAP Latin. Ward added: "If Renault equipped the same type of airbags in all markets, the scores would certainly be more consistent."

With this result, the Renault Duster becomes the next model to join the list of cars that have received a 0-star rating from NCAP in their most basic configuration. This list also includes the Renault Kwid; Suzuki Maruti Alto, Swift, Celerio, and Eeco; Hyundai Eon and i10; Volkswagen Polo; Ford Figo; Datsun Go; Mahindra Scorpio; Chevrolet Enjoy; Tata Zest, and Nano. Notably, most of these are being widely marketed at extremely low prices.

Therefore, consumer skepticism towards low-cost car models is entirely justified. Manufacturers themselves understand that to achieve lower prices, they have to cut back on features, both in terms of convenience and safety. But this time, it seems the limit is being pushed too far.

According to Dan Viet Newspaper