New Suzuki Swift and Dacia Duster get just three stars for safety from Euro NCAP

2:47 pm, July 10, 2024

The 2024 versions of the Dacia Duster and Suzuki Swift have been awarded just three stars out of a possible five for safety after Euro NCAP’s latest crash tests.

Despite both models boasting autonomous emergency braking, emergency lane-keeping systems, intelligent speed limiters and driver fatigue detection – features that are now legally required – the renowned car safety organisation said neither went beyond that in terms of active safety features so missed out on higher scores.

Renault subsidiary Dacia, which has long stood for value and affordability, has historically struggled to achieve impressive scores in the independent crash assessments because of Euro NCAP’s demands for advanced safety assist capabilities.

Its Jogger model, for example, achieved just one star during crash testing in 2021.

Not having anything in place to help stop cyclists from being hit by doors, plus an absence of automatic emergency braking that detects pedestrians when reversing and child presence detection all help keep the costs of the Duster and other Dacia models down.

However, that doesn’t impress the assessors much.

Overall, the Duster scored better than the Suzuki Swift for adult and child occupant safety, but it fell behind slightly when it came to protecting vulnerable road users and offering driver-assistance systems.

Despite this, the overall star rating result was the same for both cars and hasn’t improved since they were last tested – 2011 for the Duster and 2017 for the Swift.

At the other end of the spectrum, Euro NCAP heaped praise on Mercedes-Benz and Skoda, which saw the full five stars awarded to the latest E-Class, Kodiaq SUV and Superb.

However, Euro NCAP says the E-Class is ‘uncomfortably close’ to losing a star against Euro NCAP’s latest protocols as it has poor impact protection, especially for the pelvic area.

Euro NCAP secretary-general Michiel van Ratingen said: ‘This latest release reveals a growing split between the safety ambitions of different car brands.

‘Some, like Mercedes-Benz, Skoda, VW, BMW and Renault, are convinced of their customers’ commitment to safety and its higher worth in the product offering.

‘For Dacia and Suzuki, the emphasis is on affordability, but consumers should be in no doubt that there are competitor vehicles to the Duster and the Swift available on the market that offer considerably higher levels of safety.

‘This is something you cannot put a price on.’