The SEAT Alhambra Is Awarded Four Stars In Safety Test
In the latest Euro NCAP safety tests, the SEAT Alhambra was awarded a four-star rating.
The Euro NCAP safety test features rigorous assessments to determine how well vehicles perform in certain crash scenarios (frontal, rear and side tests) regarding the safety of the passengers. Areas of the vehicle that are assessed include Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection and Safety Assist features.
The overall scores for each area for the Alhambra were:
Adult Occupant Protection: 89%
Child Occupant Protection: 78%
Vulnerable Road Users: 59%
Safety Assist: 62%
Let’s review these scores in more depth.
Adult Occupant Protection
In the frontal offset test, good protection to the driver’s and passenger’s knees and femurs were recorded, with these results also applicable if the dummies differed in size and seating positions.
The SEAT Alhambra also performed well for the driver in the full-width barrier test, whereby all critical body parts were protected well.
However, this test only highlighted marginal protection to the dummy’s chest when situated in the rear seat.
Furthermore, the Alhambra was penalised as a consequence of high shoulder seatbelt forces and poor protection to the chest area.
On a more positive note, the Alhambra scored full marks in the side barrier test because all critical body areas were protected well.
In the more serious side barrier test, the SEAT Alhambra was penalised due to the side door becoming detached, however, all critical body areas were provided with good protection, with the exception of the chest area which received adequate protection.
Finally, whiplash injuries were also assessed. The head restraints and front seats provided good protection if the vehicle was to be hit from behind, whilst the back seats provided marginal protection from whiplash injuries.
Furthermore, the AEB system, which is installed in the Alhambra, enhanced the safety from whiplash injuries by performing adequately at low speeds, which is the most common driving situation in which whiplash injuries happen.
Child Occupant Protection
Although the front airbag can be disabled in the Alhambra to accommodate a rear-ward facing child seat, the vehicle did not include clear information on the status of the airbag and therefore was not rewarded. Throughout the car though, the seats on the second and third row feature ISOFIX, which means car seats can be fitted directly.
In the crash assessments, protection of the 10-year-old dummy was rated lower than the 6-year-old in the frontal offset test, due to the neck and chest of the older child receiving marginal protection.
Vulnerable Road Users
As previously mentioned, the SEAT Alhambra features an AEB system, which helps to detect vulnerable road users, including cyclists, pedestrians and other vehicles, and performed well in the tests.
However, if a pedestrian was to be hit, Euro NCAP test how well the bonnet and bumper would perform. The bonnet provided good overall protection, however, there were areas of poor protection, more specifically along the base of the windscreen.
As for the bumper, pedestrians’ legs were protected well, however, the pelvis area was of concern due to results being very mixed.
Safety Assist
Other safety features included in the SEAT Alhambra were also acknowledged and these include:
- Seatbelt Reminder System
- Lane Assist
- Speed Limit System
Finally, the AEB system was tested to see how well it performed when other vehicles were driving at faster speeds, and the results highlighted adequate performance.