The new Chevrolet Spark minicar has earned the top rating of five stars from the Korean New Car Assessment Program (KNCAP), which today released its safety ratings for new vehicles launched in Korea. Currently available in Asia and Europe, the Spark will debut in the United States in 2012.
The Spark (called Matiz in South Korea) received a maximum five stars in KNCAP’s frontal crash test, offset frontal crash test and side crash test. The Spark received a four-star rating, one point short of a five-star rating, from the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) last November.
“The outstanding performance of our new mini-car in stringent NCAP testing reflects our attention to safety as well as eye-catching styling and great packaging,” said Jack Keaton, vehicle line executive for General Motors’ Global Mini-Vehicle. “GM has made safety a focus as part of our ongoing commitment to design, build and sell the best vehicles in the world.”
The overall KNCAP test results confirm the Spark ensures outstanding safety performance in collisions from all directions: front, side and rear. The Spark received a score of 15.1 percent out of 16 percent and a five-star rating in the frontal crash test at 56 km/h. It also received a five-star rating in the offset frontal crash test at 64 km/h, and side crash test at 54 km/h against a moving deformable barrier.
The Spark scored a four-star rating in pedestrian protection, with the best scores ever (19.54 points out of a maximum 30 points) for any car category, and the whiplash test.
In adult protection testing carried out by Euro NCAP, the Spark received the maximum score of eight points in the side-impact crash test against a moving deformable barrier. It also received a high score of 7.35 points out of 8 points in the side pole test, indicating solid passenger protection in the event of a more severe side collision.
In child protection testing, the Spark also scored maximum points in child restraint system dynamic performance tests, which evaluate child protection from possible injuries in various types of crashes. Crash test dummies representing 1.5-year-old and 3-year-old children were properly restrained by the Spark’s protective shell during side impact tests.
These achievements are the result of the Spark’s structural enhancements combined with a full offering of active and passive safety features. More than 66 percent of the minicar’s body is constructed of high-strength steel, with 16.5 percent comprised of ultra high-strength steel. The latter is mostly used in the longitudinal member of the underbody, and front and center pillars in the side body structure.
In addition to its strong results in KNCAP and Euro NCAP testing, the Spark received a Grade 1 rating from the Korea Insurance Development Institute (KIDI).
