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New Kia Carnival: 4-Star Shock – ANCAP Warns Against Pre-empting Test Results

Kia’s new Carnival has been awarded the less-than-ideal 4-Star ANCAP safety rating the company had been anticipating, but not entirely for the reasons it had expected. Speaking at the Australian launch of the new Carnival in February, Kia communi


Kia’s new Carnival has been awarded the less-than-ideal 4-Star ANCAP safety rating the company had been anticipating, but not entirely for the reasons it had expected.

Speaking at the Australian launch of the new Carnival in February, Kia communications boss Kevin Hepworth said that missing out on a top 5-Star rating was understood to be the result of a misinterpreted requirement on the fitment of seatbelt alerts.

Mr Hepworth said that production changes were already underway, and that models delivered later this year will meet ANCAP criteria.

This week, however, newly released crash data shows that the Carnival’s shortfall was not on seatbelt alerts alone, but also - and more specifically - a poor result in the frontal crash offset test.

“The frontal offset test - which simulates a head-on crash - revealed there is heightened risk of serious injury to the legs and feet of the driver. There was excessive movement of the park and foot brake pedals and significant footwell deformation. Dash components were a potential source of injury to the knees,” the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) report reads.

The test saw the Carnival achieve a frontal offset crash score of just 10.48 out of a possible 16. This meant that, despite achieving top marks in the side impact and pole tests, a 5-Star rating could not be awarded.

The outcome has shocked Kia Motors Australia, which has only recently received the data.

“We are obviously extremely surprised by the outcome ANCAP announced today,” Kia Australia’s Chief Operating Officer, Damien Meredith, said.

“It was definitely unexpected as all indications from internal data and the car’s excellent performance in the North American Highway Safety Institute’s testing, led us to believe there would be a five-star outcome.”

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