This crossover received zero stars in quality tests

Chevrolet Groove failed the crash test/Frame from the video

Chevrolet Groove is a small crossover that few people know about. It debuted about four years ago and blew us away with its starting price of $12,000.

It's basically an updated Baojun 510 that's made in China by the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture. It is exported to markets in Latin America and the Middle East, where it wears the Chevrolet badge, writes Motor1.

Less impressive is the level of safety it provides in frontal and side collisions, according to by the Latin NCAP crash test. The New Car Rating Program for Latin America and the Caribbean gave the subcompact model a disappointing score of zero stars. In the event of a head-on collision, the crossoverdemonstrated an “unstable structure” and the protection of the driver's chest, knees and feet was only “minor”.

The side impact test recorded “significant penetration into the passenger compartment”. Latin NCAP notes that the Groove only has four airbags as standard, and advanced driver assistance systems aren't even offered as optional equipment. When evaluating pedestrian protection, the small SUV provided only “weak and negligible” head protection. Upper leg protection was “poor” and lower leg protection was “good to minor”.

Chevrolet Groove fails crash test: watch video

Zero stars – the result of low scores in all major categories: 39.42% for adult passengers, 68.57% for children, 36.37% for pedestrian protection and vulnerable participants traffic, as well as 58.14% to help ensure safety. Latin America's NCAP even said that people shouldn't buy the Groove until Chevrolet makes it safer. This is what the head of the organization Stefan Brodziak said:

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“We are calling on Chevrolet to address the serious safety flaws of the Chevrolet Groove, which received zero stars despite its popularity in Latin America. The tests by the Latin American branch of NCAP revealed an unstable structure and little protection for adult passengers, as well as a low level of pedestrian safety and no necessary technologies such as ADAS.As this SUV is the best-selling in Chile, its widespread use poses a significant risk to consumers.

We urge Chevrolet to make safety a priority by improving structural integrity, increasing occupant protection, and equipping all versions of the Groove with advanced safety features. We strongly recommend that consumers avoid this model until significant improvements are made and tested.”

Some may argue that a cheap car cannot be as safe as a more expensive one that is better made and has additional safety equipment This is a fair statement, but it doesn't mean all available cars get zero stars in crash tests.

The affordable Dacia Sandero received two stars from Euro NCAP when it was tested a few years ago. If we talk about the Romanian brand owned by Renault, even the Chinese-made Spring electric city car got a star.

The harsh reality is that there will always be compromises to lower production costs in order to sell more affordable products. However, the gains could be negated if government auto safety programs emphasize the dangers of accidents in zero-rated vehicles. The alarming results of these tests may convince people to buy something else.

But Chevrolet is not the only big name in the automotive industry that has found itself in this delicate situation. Another small crossover, the Toyota Raize, also “earned” zero stars from Latin NCAP earlier this month.

Later, journalists received a comment from the company:

” The Chevrolet Groove comes standard with four airbags (two front and two side), anti-lock braking system on all wheels and disc brakes with electronic brake force distribution, StabiliTrak stability control system, rearview camera and seat belt reminder – on par with other cars on the market. Groove, like all the cars we produce around the world, complies with all government safety regulations in the countries where they are sold.”