Crash Test of the Brilliance BS4

Publication date: 27 March 2009

The Brilliance BS4 doesn’t shine at all in the results of the ADAC Crash Test. The new model only satisfies the standards of 10 years ago

Just like the by now well established programme EuroNCAP the German Automobile Club ADAC conducts crash tests on new car models. These tests are done in cooperation with several FIA automobile clubs at the ADAC Technical Centre in Landsberg am Lech. Decision to test a car outside the EuroNCAP programme is taken usually when a quick assessment is needed to accompany the introduction of a new car, such as the Brilliance BS4, on the European market.

The new Brilliance BS4 did not achieve any star at all, according to the latest EuroNCAP standards. The main criticism of the tester is the fact that the passenger compartment could collapse at a frontal impact of 64 km/h. With these specifications the midrange Chinese car corresponds to the standards of the end ‘90ies. 

The reasons of this result are the stricter requirements introduced by the new rating system. Besides the Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection and Pedestrian Protection a new area of assessment, Safety Assist, was introduced. Under the new testing regime, vehicles are awarded a single overall score. Since the BS4 is not fitted with ESC the number of stars is zero.

Compared to its bigger counterpart the BS6 tested two years ago the new Brilliance shows improvements and would have received three stars according to the 2007 standards. Nevertheless the BS4 is still quite far from the safety standards of those days. The floor panel breaks in case of frontal impact. The dashboard intrudes in the passenger compartment. Sharp metal parts from under the dashboard are neither covered nor padded and are a danger for the knee and thigh of the driver. The clutch  and the brake pedal turn into spears. The steering wheel of the car is also a threat. The chest area and even the head hit the wheel as a result of airbags positioned sub-optimally.

Regarding the side impact things are looking better. The stable door pillar stops the entering of the impact barrier. The voluminous side airbag shields well the head and ribs. However the abdomen remains unprotected. This creates a higher risk of injury.

The ADAC demands that the passenger compartment should be further stabilised. Problems appear in the areas of door sills, the A pillar and of the floor panel. The knee impact area should be defused and the pedals should not become a danger. Furthermore there should be information on the employment of child restraint systems as well as functional seat belts on the back seats. Of great importance is the implementation of ESC in order to minimise the risk of an accident. The Chinese car maker has not yet reached the quality level of the European producers.

Further information such as photos, graphs and a film can be found at www.presse.adac.de and www.adac.de/tv