Latin NCAP Rates Yaris Cross at Two Stars, Tiguan and Kia EV4 at Five

Overview

• Toyota’s Brazil-made Yaris Cross scored 77% adult, 69% child, 56% pedestrian and 58% safety-assist, with the institute blaming the absence of a passenger airbag deactivation switch and compliant warnings, plus gaps in speed assistance and blind-spot detection.
• The Yaris hatchback and sedan variants also received two stars, posting 66% adult, 64% child, 54% pedestrian and 58% safety-assist, and Latin NCAP leaders publicly framed the brand’s recent outcomes as a concerning departure from its former regional lead in safety.
• Volkswagen’s Mexico-built Tiguan earned five stars with 86% adult, 81% child, 80% pedestrian and 92% safety-assist, aided by standard AEB, LSS, BSD and SAS across markets, though testers noted unstable front structure/footwell and potential curtain-airbag interaction risks; it was a voluntary submission and is confirmed for Brazil in 2026.
• Kia’s EV4 (K4) also achieved five stars with 82.9% adult, 91.8% child, 69.2% pedestrian and 98.3% safety-assist, showing near-complete child protection and strong ADAS performance despite weaker pedestrian head/upper-leg results and a weak chest result in the side-pole test; it was voluntarily submitted and is confirmed for Brazil in 2026.
• The Yaris Cross is in pre-sale in Brazil and scheduled to reach dealerships in February 2026, placing the new ratings in front of buyers as the model launches.