Expensive SUVs could do more for your safety
- Gobar NCRAP
- Jul 28, 2024
- 2 min read
Safety equipment lists for four large SUVs are added to the Gobar NCRAP safety equipment index today, including the Toyota Fortuner, Škoda Kodiaq, Jeep Meridian and MG Gloster.
The evergreen Toyota Fortuner is now nine years old, so its 'Fair' rating might not come as a surprise. The Fortuner has a solid suite of crash protection features, with front, side and curtain airbags, three-point seatbelts and ISOFIX anchorages compatible with i-Size child restraints. But it falters on active safety, missing not only advanced technologies from the Toyota Safety Sense suite (available outside India) but even simpler ones like a factory-fit tyre pressure monitor and rear seatbelt reminders, the latter already available on the more affordable Innova Crysta which shares its platform.
Next up is China's MG Gloster. The Gloster is well-equipped in general for active and passive safety, with an optional safety assist suite including automatic emergency braking and lane supprt, and a blind spot monitor standard across variants. However, the Gloster does not yet have rear seatbelt reminders and must settle for a 'Fair' rating limited only by its 'Poor' status for encouraging safe behaviour.
The Škoda Kodiaq comes out top in this round with a 'Recommended' rating. Fitted with rear seatbelt reminders for MY2024, the Czech SUV is assembled locally from knockdown kits and fitted with a healthy array of crash protection equipment, although it does not have blind spot detection and other active safety technologies available in the European source car.
The Jeep Meridian falls far behind. Stellantis' three-row SUV not only skips rear seatbelt reminders but also has a dangerous lap-type seatbelt in the second row in variants other than the recently introduced 'Overland'. The Meridian is itself based on the Compass, and like the Nissan X-Trail rated on Friday, its two-row origins are evident in that its curtain airbags don't cover the third row of seats. Active safety is also average, with little more than electronic stability control and a tyre pressure monitor.
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