The version of the Citroën C3 Aircross, which is sold on the South American market, is so poor in terms of safety that it gets exactly 0 stars.
Citroën C3 Aircross has been awarded zero stars in a safety test carried out by Latin NCAP in South America.
The test revealed several serious deficiencies in the car's safety. Including an insufficient number of airbags and poor protection of the passengers in different types of composition.
A major reason for the low rating is that the C3 Aircross is only equipped with two airbags as standard.
This is not considered sufficient in a new car model from 2024. Latin NCAP also points out other safety issues. The test of the car's performance during a frontal collision revealed insufficient protection of the chest.
And the whiplash test showed poor neck protection. The car also does not have curtain airbags. Which worsens the level of safety in the event of a side collision.
READ ALSO: Mistakes on Fisker Ocean injure 1,900 people every year
Some tests were not carried out at all because the C3 Aircross lacks the necessary equipment. For example, Latin NCAP could not test for side impact, as the car cannot adequately protect the heads of the passengers.
According to Alejandro Furas, secretary general of Latin NCAP, that and the car's other lack of safety is a serious problem.
– Stellantis disappoints us once again with a zero-star model. Citroën and Stellantis engineers know very well how to build cars with better safety. But unfortunately, the company's decisions are going in the wrong direction.
This is not the first time a Citroën model has received a bad rating. Previously, Latin NCAP also gave zero stars to the Citroën C3.
The organization compares Citroën with competitors who manage to produce cars with higher safety standards and calls on the company to improve their equipment and voluntarily participate in additional tests.
– It is very worrying that the Stellantis group continues to offer Latin American and Caribbean consumers popular car models with such a low level of safety, states Latin NCAP.
Citroën itself emphasizes in a statement that they prioritize safety in their choir uniforms. According to the manufacturer, the CMP platform on which the new C3 is built offers a robust construction with good protection in the cabin.
– Safety in a car is a whole that is well thought out from the beginning of development and goes far beyond the individual range of active and passive safety functions, explains Stellantis Group in a statement sent to Motor1 Brazil .
Latin NCAP's findings, however, question whether this approach is sufficient to protect the cars' occupants.
