Renault Kiger Scores 4-Star Global NCAP Safety Rating
The India-manufactured Renault Kiger has secured a four-star rating for adult occupant protection and a three-star rating for child occupant protection in the latest Global NCAP crash tests. The SUV evaluated was built in India for the South African market and came equipped with six airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard.
In the assessment, the Kiger scored 25.20 points out of 34 for adult occupant protection and 30.21 points out of 49 for child occupant protection. While the adult safety rating remains at four stars, the child occupant protection score has improved compared to an earlier assessment of the model.
Interestingly, the Nissan Magnite, which shares its platform and several mechanical components with the Kiger, secured a five-star Global NCAP rating in 2025. Both SUVs offer six airbags and ESC as standard, although their crash-test structural assessments differ.
Renault Kiger Global NCAP: Adult occupant protection
The Kiger achieved 25.20 points in the adult occupant protection assessment, earning four stars.
During the frontal offset deformable barrier test, the SUV scored 10.482 points. The driver’s head and neck received good protection, while chest protection was rated marginal. Protection for the thighs was also rated marginal due to the possibility of contact with structures behind the dashboard. The tibiae received adequate protection.
For the front passenger, head and neck protection was rated good, while the chest received a marginal rating. The left thigh also received marginal protection, whereas the right thigh was rated good. Protection for the tibiae was assessed as adequate.
One of the key observations in the test was the structural performance of the vehicle. Global NCAP rated the Kiger’s footwell area and bodyshell as unstable, noting that the structure could not withstand further loading.
In the side movable deformable barrier test, the SUV scored 13.716 points. Head, abdomen and pelvis protection was rated good, while chest protection was considered adequate. The assessment also noted that the doors opened during the side impact.
The side pole impact test resulted in good protection for the head and pelvis, adequate protection for the abdomen and marginal protection for the chest.
Global NCAP also confirmed that the Kiger’s ESC system meets its requirements. The front seatbelt reminders comply with the testing agency’s standards, while pedestrian protection meets the UN127 regulation.
Renault Kiger Global NCAP: Child occupant protection
The Kiger received 30.21 points out of 49 in the child occupant protection assessment, translating into a three-star rating.
The tests involved 18-month-old and three-year-old child dummies positioned in rear-facing child seats. Both seats were secured using ISOFIX anchorages and support legs.
The 18-month-old dummy received full marks, scoring eight points in the frontal impact test and four points in the side impact assessment.
However, the three-year-old dummy’s performance was less encouraging. It scored 3.21 points out of eight in the frontal impact test and failed to secure any points in the side impact assessment.
According to Global NCAP, the child restraint system could not prevent the dummy’s head from contacting the vehicle’s interior during the frontal impact. The assessment also recorded high chest deceleration. During the side impact, the dummy’s head remained exposed, resulting in zero points for side head protection.
The SUV scored a perfect 12 out of 12 points for Child Restraint System (CRS) installation. Global NCAP also noted that three-point seatbelts are provided for all seating positions. However, the Kiger does not offer the facility to deactivate the front passenger airbag when installing a rear-facing child seat in that position.
Renault Kiger India-spec vs Africa-spec: Safety rating comparison
The latest assessment also brings attention to the difference between the Kiger tested in 2022 and the version evaluated in 2026.
Global NCAP had previously crash-tested the pre-facelift India-spec Kiger in February 2022. That version secured four stars for adult occupant protection with 12.34 points out of 17, while its child occupant protection score stood at 21.05 points out of 49, resulting in a two-star rating.
The India-made Kiger tested for South Africa in 2026 scored 25.20/34 in adult occupant protection and 30.21/49 in child occupant protection, earning four and three stars, respectively.
However, the two assessments were conducted under different testing protocols. Global NCAP introduced revised crash-test standards in July 2022, expanding the scope of safety evaluations. Consequently, the numerical scores from the two tests cannot be directly compared.
It is also important to note that the 2022 assessment involved a pre-facelift Kiger equipped with two airbags. The current India-spec model, following its 2025 update, comes with six airbags as standard across all variants.
While the latest result highlights the Kiger’s four-star adult occupant protection performance, the unstable bodyshell assessment and shortcomings in the three-year-old child dummy test remain areas of concern. The five-star performance of its platform sibling, the Nissan Magnite, also highlights that shared underpinnings and safety equipment do not necessarily translate into identical crash-test results.
