For years, five-star top ratings in crash tests were standard for Renault. Now two models of the group have failed with a bang.
The Renault Zoe and Dacia Spring electric cars have completed EuroNCAP crash tests with devastating results. The small car Zoe received zero out of five stars, with the small crossover of the sister brand it was enough for one star
Neither occupants nor pedestrians are safe
In the case of the e-car bestseller Zoe, the incomplete equipment with assistance systems was responsible for the poor rating. The basic variant lacks an automatic brake assistant, which led to a zero point rating in this area. In addition, however, there was also weak occupant protection and poor pedestrian safety. The previous revision in 2020 also replaced one of the previously existing side airbags with a weaker model.
Compared to the other candidates in the current test field, which are usually new to the market, the small electric car that has been built since 2013 is a very old model. In a first EuroNCAP test shortly after its market launch, it received five stars and was named the best car in its class in the organization's annual report. Since then, the security organization has tightened its requirements several times.
One star just isn't enough
The second test failure, the Dacia Spring, is essentially not a new model, but the European version of the Renault Kwid, which has been built for India since 2015. Unlike the Renault Zoe, however, it has only been on the EU market since 2021. With one star, it performed slightly better, but failed primarily when it came to occupant protection. For frontal crashes, the testers attest a high risk of life-threatening injuries. The crossover, which is priced at 20.500 euros, also shows gaps in the assistance systems.
The nine other graduates of the current test round showed that there is another way. Seven collected five stars, two came to four. Among the latter there is also a competitor of the two Renault models with the electric microcar Fiat 500e. The Chinese E-SUV MG Marvel R also received four stars, and there were a full five stars for the BMW iX, Genesis G70 and GV70, Mercedes EQS, Nissan Qashqai, Skoda Fabia and VW Caddy.