In a bit of an upset, one of the most anticipated new cars of 2017, the Kia Stinger, has got both a 3-star and 5-star safety rating from ANCAP. The former applies to the lower tier variants, specifically the 200S and 330S.
The four remaining higher priced variants of the sporty Korean saloon - Si, EX, GT-Line, GT-Sport, and the range-topping GT - receives the full 5-star badge due to them offering active safety features as standard.
The 200S, which is powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged engine as well as the entry-level V6-powered 330S, misses out on Autonomous Emergency Braking, which is increasingly becoming a must-have among safety conscious buyers, especially at the kind of price this - $50,000 - car is being sold for.
Or, as the CEO of ANCAP, James Goodwin, phrased it in a statement: Unfortunately two Stinger variants offered as part of the Australian model line-up – the 200S and 330S – are supplied without the active safety aids provided in other variants and score 3 stars.”
“Autonomous emergency braking and lane keep assist have been omitted from these grades, reducing their Safety Assist score to 25 per cent. Australasian variants also lack rear seat belt pre-tensioners and load limiters which help manage the forces of a crash, and a penalty has been applied to the full width test score.”
Being denied the 5-star rating comes down to the discrepancy in standard safety features, and while many cars do not come with those aforementioned features, few of them occupy this segment and price. In 2017, it seems, ANCAP is standing firm in their position to pressure automakers to not skimp on safety kit when specifying their cars for a local introduction.
There are no structural differences between the lower and higher tier Stingers, and neither do the different engines change this.
“Australasian customers should feel let down that important safety features are being left out of the vehicles we’re being supplied. We would urge Kia to offer the same safety specification across all variants and all markets to ensure the best safety outcomes,” he added.
In light of this, it’s possible that Kia might trying to find ways to change the spread of equipment to include things like AEB and lane keep assist across the entire Stinger range instead of just most of it.
We’ll have more on this as it develops.
For more on Kia cars, check out our Showroom.
