2021 Kia Carnival ANCAP safety rating released

KUALA LUMPUR: Kia introduced the all-new Carnival MPV in Australia this year in January, which is now tested by the country’s independent voice on vehicle safety, ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program), against the latest 2020-2022 rating criteria. And, you must be amazed by knowing that the Korean people-mover passed the crash tests with flying colours and attained a perfect five-star rating, despite no centre bag.

It is to be noted that the new criteria also has side impact crash protection and advanced safety aids alongside the earlier assessment areas. The Carnival attained maximum scores in the oblique pole and side impact tests under adult occupant protection.

Here are the category-wise points:

• Adult occupant protection - 90 percent
• Child occupant protection - 88 percent
• Vulnerable road user protection - 68 percent
• Safety-assist - 82 percent

ANCAP mentioned that all variants of the Carnival achieved good scores across the occupant protection and collision avoidance testing parameters. The MPV has a well-rounded safety pack, including head-protecting airbags, intelligent seat belt reminders for all three rows, autonomous emergency braking, active lane keeping, and fatigue monitoring as standard.

Other notable safety aids available on the Carnival specs sheet are blind-spot assist, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, lane-following assist, safe exit warning, and airbags (front and front-side, driver’s knee, and curtain airbags for all three rows)

“The rating for the Kia Carnival has been highly anticipated by families, fleet buyers, and hire car companies, and Kia is to be congratulated for this result,” said ANCAP chief executive officer Carla Hoorweg.

“Safety is critical in the People Mover segment given the primary use of these vehicles in transporting a large number of passengers. It’s pleasing to see the most recent model releases to this segment, including the Carnival, have factored safety into the fundamentals of their design and specification. This is not a segment in which safety should be compromised,” he added.

The 2021 Kia Carnival is the first MPV tested under ANCAP’s new 2020-22 criteria. Other MPVs that have received five-star ratings in the older criteria are Toyota Granvia (2019), Honda Odyssey (2014), and Mercedes-Benz V-Class (2014).

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