Disappointing! Toyota Glanza Scores 0 Stars In Global NCAP Crash Test Results

The Toyota Glanza hatchback has received a shocking zero star rating in Adult Occupant Protection, and three stars in Child Occupant Protection in the Global NCAP crash test results. The latest Global NCAP tests are a part of the Safer Cars for Africa initiative, where the made-in-India Toyota Glanza is sold as the Starlet. The hatchback scored 0.00 of 34 points in Adult Occupant Protection resulting in a zero-star safety rating, and 29.33 of 49 points in Child Occupant Protection, translating to three stars for child safety.

Alarmingly, the crash test results noted the footwell area and body shell were unstable, and not capable of withstanding further loadings. The head and chest protection was rated as poor in the side impact test, while the abdomen protection was rated as adequate. The South African version does not get side protection airbags even on the top variants, which is why the side pole test was not conducted on the hatchback.

The Toyota Starlet for South Africa is equipped with driver and passenger frontal airbags and Electronic Stability Control as standard. It also gets ISOFIX anchorages in the rear seat and seatbelt reminder for all seats.

With respect to child occupant protection, the head of the three-year-old dummy made contact with the car’s interior, and chest protection was rated low in the frontal impact assessment. The head of the three-year-old dummy was exposed to impact in the side impact test.

In contrast, the made-in-India Maruti Suzuki Baleno, the badge-engineered cousin of the Glanza, scored four stars in the Bharat NCAP crash test results in 2025. The top trims reported “good” head and neck protection in the frontal offset deformable barrier test. Meanwhile, protection for the driver’s chest and thighs was marginal… The results from the side impact tests were also positive.

The India-spec Baleno is equipped with six airbags on the top trims, and received a 4-star safety rating in Adult Occupant Protection. The car scored three stars in Child Occupant Protection.

However, the made-in-India Baleno fared poorly in the Latin NCAP crash tests, also conducted in 2025. Having initially scored a single-star rating with just two airbags, the result was updated to two stars when Suzuki improved the basic equipment by adding side and curtain airbags as standard. This helped the car score a result of 79.38 per cent in Adult Occupant Protection, 65.46 per cent in Child Occupant Protection, and 48.28 per cent in Pedestrian Protection for the Latin American market.

The Toyota Starlet hatchback is one of the most popular cars sold in South Africa, and has consistently featured in the top-10 bestselling cars in the country. The hatchback is quite popular in vehicle rental and corporate fleets, which makes it even more easily accessible to the masses. The hatchback is exported from Suzuki’s manufacturing facility in Gujarat.

Global NCAP revealed Toyota has now updated the Starlet in South Africa, adding side airbags as part of the standard equipment. The testing body will be re-evaluating the updated hatchback with the additional safety features, and compare the safety performance of both versions of the car. For now, this remains a disappointing result.