Image: Mahindra
Image: Mahindra
Image: AA
Image: JMC
Image: Suzuki
Image: Suzuki
Last week we featured some of the safest cars in South Africa for entry level buyers but today we are looking at the converse portion of those findings. Here are South Africa’s Top 5 least safe cars under R270 000.
Image: Mahindra
With information compiled for the Entry-Level Vehicle Safety Report (ELVS) by the AA, some frightening statistics of standard safety features on new cars sold within our market emerged which undoubtedly contributes to the unnecessarily high road fatality statistics. In 2021 alone, 12 541 people lost their lives in road accidents on our roads.
Using the same criteria for the Top 5 safest cars on sale under R270 000, the data from the ELVS looks at a list of thirty-eight vehicles sold within our local market compared with the safety features that are included as standard. It is important to note that the ELVS does not consider the structural integrity of the driver and passenger compartment and that these findings do not provide a definitive measure of a vehicle’s safety which can only be determined through crash-testing.
In terms of true safety points attained, points of 20 or less are considered as having ‘poor’ safety. Safety points between 20 and 50 can be considered as having ‘moderate’ safety, and safety points of 50 and above can be considered as having ‘acceptable’ safety. We will be focusing on models that fell into the poor safety category.
Image: AA
Here is a ordered list of the Top 5 least safe cars under R270 000 for sale in South Africa
- Suzuki Super Carry 1.2 Pick-Up
- Mahindra Bolero BMT
- JMC Carrying S/C SWB Chassis Cab
- JMC Carrying S/C SWB 1.6 Ton Dropside ST
- Mahindra PIK UP Single Cab S4 4×2
The vehicles tested in the survey were evaluated against the number of active safety features they are sold with, this includes anti-lock braking systems, electronic stability control and passive safety features like airbags. Of the list, only the Mahindra PIK UP Single Cab S4 4×2 includes ABS while none had Electronic Stability Control, any airbags or NCAP crash test ratings.
Image: JMC
With 11 726 476 vehicles registered on our roads, over 2.6 million being LDVs/Bakkies which are the primary offenders in this category. “The inclusion of these safety features protects motorists, it’s as simple as that. The inclusion of ESC, for instance, must be considered more seriously by manufacturers as this is proven technology which can reduce road crashes. We reiterate our call that this technology come as standard for entry-level vehicles available in South Africa,” says the AA.
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