2018 Suzuki Jimny handed worst rating of new Euro NCAP crash test scheme

THE SUZUKI Jimny has been slapped with an ‘underwhelming’ score card in its Euro NCAP safety assessment, with one test embarrassingly resulting in the driver’s head contacting the steering wheel.

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The diminutive off-roader was given three out of five starts, the worst result Euro NCAP has handed out since new regulations were introduced for 2018.

Final scores for the Jimny were 73 percent for adult occupants, 84 percent for child occupants, 52 percent for protecting vulnerable road users, and 50 percent for safety assistance systems.

Euro NCAP assessors described adult occupant protection for the driver’s torso and rear passenger’s head as weak in the frontal offset deformable barrier and frontal full width tests.

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“There was insufficient pressure in the driver's airbag to prevent it from 'bottoming out', allowing the head to contact the steering wheel,” the result report states.

“The passenger compartment was extensively deformed in the offset test, especially around the door-frame and the score for the driver’s chest was penalised for this unstable collapse. Combined with marginal dummy readings, protection for this body area was rated as weak.

The vehicle’s head restraint system further dragged down the scores, with Euro NCAP noting adequate protection against whiplash injuries was not provided.

The frontal offset deformable barrier test was a sticking point for assessors, with the Jimny achieving 'adequate or worse' for driver protection in every measured area except the driver’s neck, which was deemed ‘good’.

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Dash design also caught Euro NCAP’s eye.

“Although dummy readings indicated good protection of the knees and femurs of both driver and passenger, structures in the instrument panel and dashboard were thought to pose a risk of injury to occupants of different sizes, and protection was rated as marginal,” the report stated.

The Jimny is fitted with Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) as standard, and Euro NCAP reported that the system performed well during testing at speeds typical of city driving.

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It is unclear whether the Jimny will be crash tested locally under the ANCAP system, which is now identical to Euro NCAP.