Honda Jazz, City score 4 stars in Global NCAP crash test

The Honda Jazz and fourth-gen City were amongst the latest vehicles to be crash tested by the Global NCAP under its Safer Cars for India programme. Both cars scored four stars for adult occupancy. While the City matched that score for child occupancy, Jazz scored only three stars in this test. 

This generation of Honda Jazz (the second for India, the third globally) has been around since 2015, hence, its strong showing in crash tests is reassuring. Incidentally, though its four-star adult occupancy rating is the same as the Gen 4 City, its score is slightly higher at 13.89 points (out of 17). The report puts it down to a sound bodyshell structure that could withstand greater loads. The result was good head and neck protection for front-seat occupants though knee protection was marginal due to potential impact with ‘dangerous structures behind the dashboard’. 

The slightly lower three-star child protection rating was due to a lack of ISOFIX mounting points and limited protection on both child seat tests in some areas. It scored 31.54 out of 49 points.

The fourth-gen Honda City continues to be on sale in India as a petrol-only sedan despite the arrival of the new fifth-gen model in 2020. It too has been on sale since 2014, so again, its four-star rating is a positive sign. Its score of 12.03 (out of 17) was, however, a bit lower than that of the Jazz. 

Like the Jazz, structures behind the dashboard led to marginal knee protection up front. However, the body shell and footwell area were rated as unstable and unable to withstand greater loads. The child protection score was 38.27 out of 49, leading to a four-star rating. Notably, the fourth-gen Citycame with ISOFIX child seat mounts, and protection offered was largely good.

This round of tests takes the number of Indian-market cars crashed by Global NCAP past the 50 mark since tests began in 2014, but interestingly, the list only includes one Honda model prior to these — the 2016 Honda Mobilio MPV.

Global NCAP is also set to update its testing procedures from July 2022 with the inclusion of mandatory side impact testing, pedestrian protection tests and factor in ESC.