Three stars for Citan

Euro NCAP has awarded a sub-standard three-star crash safety rating to the new Mercedes-Benz Citan, which was to have been introduced in Australia by now.

Mercedes-Benz Australia would not confirm if the shock result was the reason for its delayed local release, or indeed whether the Citan would still be sold in Australia.

“At this point I’m unable to make any comment on the matter,” was all spokesman David McCarthy would say.

Euro NCAP savaged Mercedes-Benz and its Citan for the disappointing result, which is the worst independent safety rating for any Mercedes since the first-generation C-Class achieved only two ENCAP stars more than 15 years ago in 1997.

Announcing the result with the headline ‘Middle of the Road: Mercedes satisfied with 3 star Citan’, Euro NCAP said: “The new Mercedes-Benz Citan Kombi fails to shine in a market segment poorly equipped for safety.

“With only electronic stability control scoring points in Safety Assist and lacklustre performance in other areas, the Renault Kangoo-derived van/MPV has failed to set itself apart from its competitors in Euro NCAP’s safety tests.”

Euro NCAP awarded the five-seat Citan Kombi people-mover 74 per cent for adult occupant protection, 69 per cent for child occupant protection, 56 per cent for pedestrian protection and 33 per cent for its safety assist features.

It said the Citan provided only marginal protection for its driver’s chest and lower legs, and was particularly critical of its hard dashboard surfaces, lack of seatbelt reminders for all but the driver, and poor pedestrian protection.

“In the side barrier test, dummy readings indicated good protection of the head. However, the side curtain airbag did not deploy as intended, getting caught on the upper seat belt anchorage point, and the car was penalised,” said Euro NCAP.

“The same thing happened with the curtain airbag in the side pole test. Mercedes have indicated that they will improve the performance of the curtain airbag.”

The Citan went on sale across Europe from mid-2012, when it became Mercedes’ first compact van since the Vaneo was discontinued in 2005.

It is based on Renault’s Kangoo, which dates back to 2008 and scored a four-star rating under the less rigorous Euro NCAP scoring system in 2011.

However, the Citan’s three-star Euro NCAP score cannot be compared to that of any of its most direct light commercial vehicle-based competitors -- including the Citroen Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, Holden Combo and VW Caddy – because none have been tested since Euro NCAP’s assessment criteria was made tougher in 2009.

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site…