Volkswagen Tera Scores 5-Star Latin NCAP Rating
Volkswagen's newest offering for emerging markets—the Tera SUV—has made a powerful debut in terms of safety. In the latest Latin NCAP crash test results, the Brazil-manufactured Tera secured a full 5-star rating, reinforcing the German carmaker's reputation for building safe and reliable vehicles.
Though India may not see this model, it raises the bar for what compact SUVs can offer globally.
The Tera achieved a score of 35.95 points (89.88%) in the Adult Occupant Protection evaluation because of its solid structural build, combined with six airbags and ESC and seatbelt reminder systems.
The driver and front passenger maintained sufficient protection for their head and neck regions. The front passenger's chest achieved a 'good' rating, but the driver’s chest was assessed as 'marginal'.
The footwell and bodyshell maintained stability when tested for additional loading capacity. During the side impact evaluation the head and abdomen and pelvis protection received excellent ratings while the chest protection was rated as adequate.
All tested components performed well in the more severe side pole impact except for the chest which received a marginal rating. The Tera passed the UN R32 rear impact test while achieving maximum points for its AEB City features.
The Tera showed outstanding results for Child Occupant Safety by reaching 42.75 points (87.25%). The ISOFIX seats successfully shielded child dummies aged 1.5 years and 3 years during the tests. The vehicle achieved perfect scores for ISOFIX compatibility because of its faultless side impact performance.
The Tera achieved 36.37 points (75.77%) in pedestrian protection and received favorable ratings for most hood zones. The vehicle obtained maximum points for AEB VRU performance despite displaying lower results in hood areas near the A-pillars and windshield.
The Tera scored 36.45 points (84.76%) in Safety Assist. Standard features include ESC, full-seat seatbelt reminders, and a speed limitation device. Although advanced features like lane support, road edge detection, and blind spot monitoring are optional and not tested by Latin NCAP, the Tera still scored full marks for AEB Interurban.
With these results, the Volkswagen Tera sets a strong example in vehicle safety and engineering, raising hopes that future models for India may adopt similar safety innovations.
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