Questions are being asked after the Mercedes-Benz Citan, a small commercial and passenger van that is based on the Renault Kangoo, only managed to achieve an unimpressive three-star safety rating at Euro NCAP’s standard set of tests.
Apparently there are many issues that brought the score down, but unlike the Dacia Duster, for instance, which was penalized for the lack of several electronic aids that should have been standard (and poor pedestrian protection), the Citan has major problems, some of which are structural by the looks of it.
The dashboard was deemed dangerous, a potential risk to knees and legs, and the side airbags failed to open properly, leaving a gap between the B-pillar and the edge of the sliding door – apparently, they were caught in the upper seatbelt anchorage point and did not deploy correctly.
For the record, when the Kangoo was tested in 2008, it received four stars. However, today’s Euro NCAP standards differ from those in 2008 so the ratings are not comparable.
Check out the videos below, and pay close attention to the side impact tests, and see the dummy’s head miss the airbag, and go straight into the pillar with form no cushioning at all!
By Andrei Nedelea
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