Overall a creditable performance but weaker in frontal impact than in side impact. The first car in Euro NCAP tests to achieve 3 stars for pedestrian impact. No child restraints are recommended to Daihatsu customers, and better protection of children from passenger airbags are omissions that needs correction.
Front impact
Even with only small disruption around the door opening there were problems the beam holding the instrument panel and the steering column as this was tearing away from the screen pillar. This increases the danger to the driver if in other accidents it became worse than seen in this test. The car was equipped with reel mounted pyrotechnic seat belt retractors which are designed to limit forward movement in the event of a crash. However in this test the driver’s chest still contacted the steering wheel and this can cause serious injury. The knee contact area under the facia was aggressive but other than this the legs and feet were at a reasonably low risk of injury. Only a simple two point static belt was fitted in the centre rear seat, which can cause severe spinal and abdominal injuries.
Side impact
The Sirion did commendably well in side impact, especially as no side impact airbag was fitted. Only the abdomen had an increased risk of injury from the intruding arm rest. Other areas of the body were protected, but the loading on the chest was reduced by an interaction between the dummy and seat structure that could not occur with a human torso.
Child occupant
A passenger airbag is standard and Daihatsu need to take seriously the risk to children in rear facing child restraints fitted onto the front passenger’s seat. Only a poorly understood pictogram and text on one side of the sun visor (which did not warn of the risk of death) were fitted. Daihatsu also do not recommend a child restraint to their customers. The safe carriage of children in a car is important enough for a car manufacturer to take it seriously and make recommendations as to how this can be achieved. Daihatsu did though recommend the child restraints in this test. The restraint for the 1½-year-old gave reasonable protection both in front and side impact except the head was not contained within the restraint in side impact. The restraint for the 3-year-old failed to protect the chest in frontal impact although the head was protected.
Pedestrian
This is the first car to obtain 3 stars for pedestrian impact and Daihatsu are to be congratulated for achieving this result. The reason for this best performance is that the front of the car is markedly more friendly towards pedestrians than most other cars.