Qoros 3 first Chinese five-star safety car

Qoros has become the first Chinese car brand to receive a five-star crash safety rating from Euro NCAP. The Qoros 3 small family saloon scored highly across all categories, and even performed well in the tricky side pole impact test.

In fact, according to Qoros, the Qoros 3 has the “best overall performance” of any car tested by Euro NCAP so far in 2013. The European crash safety body has also released the results for the latest Kia Carens MPV, which also achieved a five-star rating.

On Bing: see pictures of the Qoros 3

On Bing: see pictures of the Kia Carens

This five-star Euro NCAP result for the Qoros 3 may come to be considered a landmark moment for Chinese car manufacturing, as Chinese brands have typically struggled with the stringent European test requirements.

Going into more detail, the Qoros received a 95% score for adult occupant safety, rated as ‘good’ in almost all areas – including whiplash protection. In the side barrier test it achieved a maximum possible score.

Only the side pole test saw chest and abdomen results downgraded to ‘adequate’; head and pelvis protection remained good in this test, however.

Child occupant protection was rated at 87%, including maximum points for the one-and-a-half and three-year-old categories.

At all times the dummies were “properly constrained”, and information about deactivating the passenger airbag – essential for safe installation of rear-facing baby carriers – is present, correct and, above all, clear.

Pedestrian impact protection was rated at a less impressive 77%, but only the “stiff” windscreen pillars presented real difficulties. Something that may by contrast prove useful for roll-over protection.

Finally, the Qoros 3 scored 81% for electronic safety assistance systems. Stability control, a seat-belt reminder and a driver operated speed limiter are standard on all models.

Its overall Euro NCAP score is 88% – better than any other car tested so far in 2013. This total rating isn’t usually officially published at the time of testing, but is used to assess the best cars in each class at the end of each year.

For reference, all of those individual scores are higher than those achieved by the also five-star Kia Carens – except the safety assistance score, where the Kia matched the Qoros on 81%.

The Qoros 3 is set to go on sale in Europe in early 2014; the Carens is already available at your local Kia dealership.

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By motoringresearch.com