The Toyota achieved only a two‑star rating in this regard.

The AA voiced its concern following the latest #SaferCarsForAfrica campaign crash test results from Global NCAP, which revealed that the Toyota Corolla Cross received a two‑star rating due to the absence of standard side head protection.

Although the model achieved three stars for child occupant protection, the results clearly highlight shortcomings in the level of safety provided to adults in the version sold across African markets, including South Africa, the AA states.

The Toyota Corolla Cross, manufactured in South Africa, is fitted with driver and passenger frontal airbags, side body airbags, a driver knee airbag and Electronic Stability Control (ESC). Critically, however, it lacks side head protection locally, which is recognised as an essential component of modern vehicle safety.

Safety failures:

Global NCAP’s assessment revealed several findings in the Toyota Corolla Cross safety performance testing:

• The footwell area was found to be unstable and incapable of withstanding further loadings, although the bodyshell was rated as stable.
• A side pole impact test was not performed as the car does not offer standard side head protection for front and rear rows. The absence of this protection exposes the head to the risk of severe injury, even in a low‑speed side impact with a pole or tree.
• The side impact test showed good protection to the abdomen and pelvis, with adequate protection to the chest.
• Child protection achieved three stars, but shortcomings included the lack of passenger airbag disconnection and the head of the three‑year‑old dummy being exposed in both side and frontal impact tests.

AA calls for higher standards and an end to double standards:

According to the AA, consumers across Africa are entitled to vehicle safety standards equivalent to those available in other international markets. The organisation reiterates its long‑held view that African buyers should not be presented with vehicles that fall below global safety benchmarks.

Global NCAP Chief Executive Officer, Richard Woods, emphasised that manufacturers such as Toyota know how to build safer vehicles and that consumers in Africa deserve the same levels of safety performance which are fitted as standard in other parts of the world. Highlighting this disparity and democratising vehicle safety in Africa remains a Global NCAP priority.

AA Chief Executive Officer, Bobby Ramagwede, described the results as deeply concerning. “There really is no excuse for the lack of side head protection in the popular Toyota Corolla Cross. This again highlights a continuing pattern in which vehicles sold in Africa do not meet the same safety standards applied in other regions. South African motorists deserve better, especially exasperated in this case considering that the Corolla Cross is locally built for local consumption at Toyota’s Prospecton plant in KwaZulu‑Natal.”

“The two‑star rating reinforces the urgent need for manufacturers to commit to equal safety for all markets. This result underlines why Africa urgently needs stronger regulatory standards and greater manufacturer accountability. The AA believes no vehicle should be sold here without side head protection for front and rear rows. Safety should never be an optional extra, and certainly not reserved for markets outside Africa,” he says.

The AA fully supports this position and will continue to push for stronger safety regulations and greater transparency from vehicle manufacturers operating in Africa. The organisation further encourages manufacturers to step up and correct these NCAP findings, whether on the manufacturing line or through a recall process. Standing by the safety of the consumer, the AA insists, is not negotiable.