This Chevy crossover received no stars in the crash test

The Groove is a cheap Chinese crossover with a Chevy badge that is not available in the USA.
Latin NCAP says you shouldn't buy it.
The frontal impact test revealed an “unstable structure”.

The Chevrolet Groove is a small crossover that not many people know about. It came out about four years ago and impressed us with its starting price of $12,000. It is basically a rebadged Baojun 510 manufactured 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.

Less impressive is the level of safety that the car offers in frontal and side collisions, according to the Latin NCAP crash test. The New Car Assessment Program for Latin America and the Caribbean gave the subcompact model a disappointing zero-star rating. In a frontal collision, the crossover had an “unstable structure”, while the protection for the driver's chest, knees and feet was only “marginal”.

In the side impact test, there were “significant attempts to penetrate the passenger compartment.” Latin NCAP points out that the Groove only has four airbags as standard and modern driver assistance systems are not even offered as optional equipment. When assessing pedestrian protection, the small SUV only offered “weak and borderline” protection to the head. Protection of the thighs was “poor,” while protection of the lower legs was “good and borderline.”

The zero-star rating resulted from low scores in all major categories: 39.42% in adult occupants, 68.57% in child occupants, 36.37% in pedestrian protection and vulnerable road users, and 58.14% in safety assists. Latin NCAP even goes so far as to say that people shouldn't buy the Groove until Chevrolet makes it safer. Here's what chairman Stephan Brodziak said:

“We urge Chevrolet to address the serious safety deficiencies of the Chevrolet Groove, which received only zero stars in the safety rating despite its popularity in Latin America. The Latin NCAP tests revealed unstable structures and poor protection for adult occupants, as well as poor pedestrian safety and the absence of important technologies such as ADAS. As it is the best-selling SUV in Chile, its widespread use poses a significant risk to consumers.

We urge Chevrolet to make safety a top 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 meaningful improvements are made and tested.”

Some will argue that a cheap car cannot be as safe as a more expensive one that is better built and has additional safety equipment. That's a valid statement, but it doesn't mean that all affordable cars have received zero stars in crash tests. The budget Dacia Sandero received two stars from Euro NCAP in a test a few years ago. Speaking of the Romanian brand owned by Renault, even the Chinese-built Spring electric city car received one star.

The cruel reality is that compromises are always made to reduce production costs and sell cheaper products. However, the gains made could be wiped out if government auto safety programs reveal the crash hazards of zero-star vehicles. The disturbing results of these tests could persuade people to buy something else instead.

But Chevy isn't the only big name in the automotive industry to find itself in this tricky situation. Another small crossover, the Toyota Raize, also received zero stars from Latin NCAP earlier this month.