Study by Consumer Power Reveals Inadequate Safety Standards in Popular Vehicles
A recent study by Consumer Power, a consumer organization, has found that only two out of the ten most sold cars in Mexico meet recommended safety standards for preventing road accidents and saving lives. The study analyzed the basic versions of 310 new car models available in the Mexican market, corresponding to the 2025-2026 model year vehicles, which represent approximately 87.4% of new car sales from January to September 2025.
Top Ten Cars and Their Safety Ratings
- KIA K3: Meets recommended safety standards
- Nissan Kicks: Meets recommended safety standards
- Nissan March: Rated 1 star for adult occupant and 2 stars for child occupant (previous Latin NCAP protocol)
- Mazda 2: Rated 2 stars for adult occupant and 3 stars for child occupant (previous Latin NCAP protocol)
- Nissan NP 300: Lacks Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and has only two airbags
Stephan Brodziak, coordinator of the Vehicle Safety Campaign at Consumer Power, stated, “This confirms that advancements in vehicle safety in the country are still insufficient and represent an unfulfilled obligation to ensure safe mobility for people and their families.”
Safety Features in Analyzed Models
Among the analyzed models, only the Nissan NP 300 lacks Electronic Stability Control (ESC), a technology that reduces the probability of crashes due to oversteering by up to 80%. Additionally, the Nissan NP 300 model only includes two airbags, while other models like Nissan Versa, GM Aveo, Kia K3, Nissan March, Nissan Kicks, Mazda 2, Hyundai Gran i10, and MG Motor MG5 have six airbags. The Mazda CX-30 model has seven airbags.
Impact on Public Health
Carolina Pérez-Ferrer, an investigator at the National Public Health Institute, emphasized that “every day, 43 people lose their lives on our streets and highways. This amounts to around 16,000 road fatalities annually, along with over 1.6 million injuries, many of which could be prevented with safety measures.”
Regulatory Framework and Industry Pressure
In Mexico, NOM 194 regulates minimum safety devices for new light vehicles. However, Brodziak from Consumer Power described it as “unfortunate” that there are still no mandatory standards for pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist protection due to industry pressure during the norma’s creation.
Call for Technology Implementation
Consumer Power urged the implementation of these technologies, driven by government pressure and the automotive industry’s advancements to address this public health issue. The organization verified if basic versions of cars met recommended safety technologies by the World Health Organization (WHO) under the United Nations (UN), such as three-point seatbelts and headrests in all positions, anti-lock braking systems (ABS), at least six airbags (frontal, side, curtain), assistance for braking, electronic stability control (ESC), speed limiter/assistant, ISOFIX or LATCH anchors, intelligent speed assistant (ISA), autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot detection (BSD), and lane-departure warning (LSS).
