Hyundai South Africa has come to the defence of the Grand i10 after the hatchback received a zero-star adult occupant safety rating from Global NCAP, raising concerns about one of the country’s most popular budget cars.
The findings were highlighted by the Automobile Association of South Africa (AA), which warned that the model’s safety performance falls short of modern expectations.
What Global NCAP did and didn’t find
The AA said the Grand i10 offers basic safety equipment only, including front airbags, with no side or head airbags and no Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard.
Crash tests showed weak chest protection for the driver in a frontal impact and a high risk of severe chest injuries in side-impact collisions, TopAuto reports.
Global NCAP also reported an unstable bodyshell and footwell, indicating limited structural strength. A seat belt reminder for the driver only was also flagged as a concern.
The car scored three stars for child occupant protection, but zero stars for adult occupants.
Hyundai’s response
Hyundai Automotive South Africa said that the Grand i10 meets all local safety and homologation requirements set by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS).
According to Hyundai, vehicles must comply with 53 mandatory safety standards before being approved for sale in South Africa. These include braking performance, frontal impact protection, airbags and child restraint systems.
“Safety is deeply embedded in Hyundai’s product philosophy,” said Stanley Anderson, CEO of Hyundai Automotive South Africa.
He added that while Global NCAP ratings are useful, they do not override South Africa’s legal safety requirements, which are independently verified by the NRCS.
Growing safety debate
The AA has warned that meeting minimum legal standards does not always translate to strong real-world crash protection, especially in the entry-level vehicle segment.
Hyundai said it remains in talks with regulators and its global parent company and would support stricter safety requirements if they are introduced in South Africa.
