Chevy Aveo performs poorly in European crash test

The European New Car Assessment Program (E-NCAP), which is sort of the EU equivalent to our own NHTSA or IIHS, recently tested the European version of the Chevy Aveo and found it to be severely lacking in occupant protection during 64 kmh (40 mph) frontal impacts. The risk is especially great to the driver, as the E-NCAP tests showed the Aveo’s steering wheel may cause severe chest injury.

The Aveo received two stars and a strike through in the category of Adult Occupant Protection, the strike through indicating there is a high risk for life-threatening injury. It should be noted that crash testing in Europe is done a bit differently than here in the U.S., despite E-NCAP sharing a star rating system with the NHTSA. The differences are too deep to delve into here, but you can check out a full explanation of the E-NCAP test procedures here.

The 2006 Chevy Aveo received an exemplary frontal impact rating of 5 stars from the NHTSA, so we’ll be very interested to see if the North American version of the 2007 Chevy Aveo fares as poorly in our own crash tests as it did in the E-NCAP test..

[Thanks to Sergio Sanchez for the tip]

[warning: link leads to pdf]