The Raize, Toyota's version of the Daihatsu Rocky, came out in late 2019. It looks like a smaller RAV4 but isn't related to that model. The name comes from combining "rise" and "raise."
Latin NCAP tested the Indonesian version of the Raize. It only has two front airbags as standard. The crash tests showed several issues:
In the front impact test at 64 km/h (40 mph), the car's structure wasn't stable. The driver's chest didn't get enough protection. The side crash at 50 km/h (31 mph) caused the passenger area to cave in a lot. This means people inside could get hurt more easily.
The Raize got zero points in the side pole impact test because it doesn't have standard side head protection.
Overall, the car scored 41% for adult protection, 72% for child protection, 59% for pedestrian protection, and 58% for safety assist features.
The Raize sold in Mexico has more airbags - six in total, including side and curtain airbags. In Indonesia, the GR Sport model comes with Toyota Safety Sense. This package includes things like lane departure warning, pre-collision braking, and adaptive cruise control. But in Latin American countries, you can't even get these advanced safety features as an option.
Stephan Brodziak, the Latin NCAP Chairman, wasn't happy with the results. He said:
"It is disappointing that Toyota once again engages in selling low-safety cars for certain countries in the region, such as the Raize. We know that the brand can achieve better performances in vehicle safety, so we strongly call for the company to reconsider its safety equipment strategy and subject its models to safety evaluations so that consumers know their real performance."
Alejandro Furas, the Secretary General of Latin NCAP, also spoke up. He wants Toyota to improve its basic safety equipment in cars for Latin America. He thinks Toyota should volunteer its cars for Latin NCAP tests to show customers how safe they really are.
Source: Latin NCAP
