After Euro NCAP released yesterday the results of its latest round of crash tests, the Kia Picanto was the only one out of the 10 cars tested that was awarded four, and not five, stars. The reason being that the electronic stability control system (ESC) was not standard across its range, as the Euro NCAP tests mandate.
The South Korean automaker said a four-star rating is common among the small-car segment and was expected due to the ESC’s absence. Today, Kia UK stated than although most of Picanto’s European versions offer the system as standard, Euro NCAP tested, as always, the base equipment level, which doesn’t feature ESC in its standard specification.
It also added that if an ESC-equipped version had been tested it feels confident that the rating would be better.
Kia UK clarified that all versions of the Picanto that are available in the country feature ESC as standard. Furthermore, it also published the full list of standard safety equipment in all of its UK versions.
All UK specification Picantos are fitted with the following safety equipment items:
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with
- Brake-Assist System (BAS)
- Hill Assist Control (HAC)
- Vehicle Stability Management (VSM)
- Emergency Stop Signal (Adaptive Brakelights)
- ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
- Six airbags:
- Twin front airbags
- Side airbags
- Curtain airbags
- Side Impact Protection System
- Front Passenger Airbag Cut-off Switch
- All-round 3-Point Seatbelts
- ISOFIX Child Seat Top Tethers & Anchor Fixings
- Front Seatbelt Pre-tensioners & Load-limiters
- Impact Sensing Automatic Door Unlocking
- Child Safety Rear Door Locks
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