Three-star Euro NCAP safety rating for new Suzuki Swift and Dacia Duster

The new 2024 Suzuki Swift has been slapped with a sub-standard three-star Euro NCAP safety rating in Europe, but Suzuki Australia says the model released here last month has different specifications that may result in a different rating by local affiliate ANCAP.

“Suzuki Australia has informed ANCAP that the safety specification of Suzuki Swift vehicles sold in Australia and New Zealand is different to the specification sold in Europe, and these specification differences may alter the safety performance of locally-supplied vehicles,” said ANCAP in a statement.

“Consumers should be advised that the safety performance of 4th generation Suzuki Swift models is currently unknown, and these vehicles are currently classified as ‘unrated’ in the Australian and New Zealand markets.

“ANCAP will look to determine a locally-applicable rating for the new Suzuki Swift once detail on the specification differences is confirmed by Suzuki Australia.”

We’ve asked Suzuki Australia for clarification, but it appears there are no major differences between fourth-generation Swift vehicles sold in Europe and Australia.

The all-new light hatch brings an upgraded safety suite that adds dual front cameras and a radar sensor to offer autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with vehicle, pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keeping assistance, adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, fatigue/distraction detection and six airbags including twin front, front-side and full-length side curtain airbags.

Auto high-beam, traction/stability control, anti-lock brakes, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera are standard across the range.

But neither rear cross traffic alert nor blind spot monitoring are standard in the entry-level variant, and the new Swift is not fitted with front knee airbags, a front-centre airbag, chest/pelvis-protecting rear side airbags, reverse AEB pedestrian detection, child presence detection, an active bonnet or cyclist dooring prevention.

The lack of these safety systems led to low Euro NCAP scores in the areas of adult occupant protection (67%), child occupant protection (65%), vulnerable road user protection (76%) and safety assist (62%).

Meantime, the second-generation Dacia Duster, which will be released as a Renault model in Australia in 2025, was also hit with a sub-par three-star Euro NCAP rating following 70, 84, 60 and 57 per cent scores respectively, in part because Europe’s version of the small SUV lacks the same safety features as the Swift. Australian specs for the Dacia are a long way from being confirmed.

“Dacia’s ‘no-frills’ sales strategy is well-known, the brand having previously shunned active safety technology in favour of affordability,” said Euro NCAP.

“Suzuki has long been a manufacturer of small, simple and affordable cars. It then becomes no surprise that the Duster and the Swift emerge from Euro NCAP’s tests with no more than three stars.

“However, legislation now insists that all cars must be equipped with autonomous emergency braking, emergency lane-keeping systems, intelligent speed-limiters and driver fatigue detection. The Duster and the Swift fulfil this obligation but do little more, despite having the technologies fitted.

“For active safety, Euro NCAP’s standards for 5-star ratings are considerably higher than those of legislation. Disappointingly, the cars’ occupant protection also shows limited ambitions, with similar, modest levels of adult occupant protection.

“For child occupant protection, Dacia’s Romanian- manufactured small SUV outperforms the tiny Swift, the latter providing protection that ranges from marginal to poor in some aspects of its performance.”

In contrast, a range of new European-made models achieved five-star Euro NCAP ratings, including the new Volkswagen Passat that won’t be sold in Australia and its sister model, the fourth-generation Skoda Superb, plus the new Skoda Kodiaq, which is also due on sale here this year.

While the same maximum safety rating is expected to be awarded by ANCAP for those models before they arrive Down Under, the sixth-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class also achieved a five-star Euro NCAP rating, but ANCAP said it won’t apply to the 2.0-litre petrol-powered E 300 variant sold in Australia and New Zealand – the only version of the new E-Class to arrive Down Under so far.

“A Euro NCAP rating has also been published today for select European-supplied Mercedes-Benz E-Class variants,” said ANCAP.

“At present, only a 2.0-litre petrol variant of the E-Class is sold in Australia and New Zealand, and the safety performance of vehicles with this engine type have not currently been assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP.”

Nevertheless, the European-spec E 300d tested by Euro NCAP did cop criticism for its pedestrian protection performance when measured against the independent automotive safety body’s strict new testing and scoring regime.

“The German and Czech offerings [E-Class, Passat, Kodiaq and Superb]… generally perform well across the board…,” said Euro NCAP.

“All four provide exemplary levels of occupant protection, the Passat and Superb offering good protection to all critical body areas of both adult and child occupants across in all four full-scale crash tests.

“Nevertheless, the E-Class sails close to the wind in terms of pedestrian protection: with only a fraction of a point for pedestrian pelvis protection, it is uncomfortably close to losing a star against Euro NCAP’s latest protocols.

“This latest release reveals a growing split between the safety ambitions of different car brands. The difference in star ratings is partly due to the segments in which the cars compete, but Euro NCAP also believes it is a matter of a brand’s priorities.

“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, which offer considerably higher levels of safety. This is something you cannot put a price on.”

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