Global NCAP side-impact testing reveals the risk to occupants in the Toyota Corolla Cross, which scored two stars for adult protection due to missing standard curtain airbags. (Source: Automobile Association of South Africa) 
The Toyota Corolla Cross sells a reassuring story in South Africa (SA): locally built at Toyota’s Prospecton plant in KwaZulu-Natal, familiar badge, family-friendly positioning, runaway popularity. It looks like the kind of car you buy to reduce risk, not manage it.
That is why Global NCAP’s latest crash-test rating lands is seriously worrying. In January 2026, the Corolla Cross received only two stars for adult occupant protection. The bodyshell was rated stable, but the score reflects a safety reality that you might not pick up in the showroom: curtain airbags (side head protection) are not standard across all variants.
Two-star protection issue
This is not a slow-selling niche model. According to Naamsa, about 22,191 Corolla Cross units were sold in 2025. Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) accounted for 24.8% of the new-vehicle market, selling 148,124 vehicles overall.
/file/attachments/orphans/Best-sellingvehiclesinSouthAfrica_619774.jpg "The Toyota Corolla Cross was South Africa’s second best-selling vehicle in December 2025, highlighting the massive scale of motorists affected by its recent safety rating. (Source: Quotes Advisor)")
When a vehicle sits this close to the centre of the market, specification decisions do not affect a handful of buyers. They shape risk for a large slice of everyday motorists.
Testing before tragedy
The Automobile Association (AA) and Global NCAP stress that the Corolla Cross tests were not triggered by consumer complaints. They were proactive.
“We identify popular vehicles and test them before problems arise,” the AA’s CEO Bobby Ramagwede told Daily Maverick. “Our aim is to make sure vehicles meet minimum safety standards and prevent avoidable injuries.”
That work falls under the #SaferCarsForAfrica AA and Global NCAP initiative created after concerns that vehicles built for African markets could arrive with fewer standard safety features than equivalent models sold in Europe.
Consumer reactions
On social media, particularly Reddit, users weighed in on the Corolla Cross’s Global NCAP rating, with several comments focused on testing methodology and Toyota’s safety specifications.
Reddit user TomorrowSufficient17 noted that the result reflects both the timing of the test and the vehicle’s equipment level: “It achieved that rating in 2021 and the test vehicle was only equipped with front airbags. Under the new test criteria the same vehicle would be capped at two stars.
“Also remember that Global NCAP is the equivalent maths lit, a vehicle with a 5-star Global NCAP rating might not even meet safety requirements to be sold in Europe.”
Others expressed surprise and frustration at the outcome. Reddit user freddyk111 commented: “Very surprising. 2 stars is harsh.”
Another Reddit user, Bettercallbuggaboo, criticised how safety issues in African markets come to light: “The only reason we hear about these failed safety tests is because the AA in partnership with SaferCarsForAfrica actually buys locally produced cars and ships them off to Europe for testing. It’s unacceptable, and now the Corolla Cross is firmly off my potential new car list.”
What crash test shows, what couldn’t be tested
Global NCAP tests were conducted at the ADAC Technical Center in Germany using adult and child dummies in controlled conditions, designed to make results internationally comparable.
/file/attachments/orphans/CorollaCrossAdultCrashTest_489128.jpg "The Toyota Corolla Cross in a frontal offset crash test at ADAC, Germany. Stable bodyshell, but driver and passenger knees have only marginal protection from impacts behind the fascia. (Source: Automobile Association of South Africa)")
On paper, the Corolla Cross is not bare-bones. The tested model includes frontal airbags, side chest airbags, and a driver’s knee airbag. The weak point is what is missing on certain variants.
Because curtain airbags were not fitted as standard, the Corolla Cross could not be assessed in the side pole impact test, which meant zero points for that category.
In the side impact test performed using a movable barrier, protection for the head, abdomen and pelvis was good. Chest protection was adequate. But the footwell area was unstable, a reminder that “stable bodyshell” is not a blank cheque for safety outcomes.
“Even with a stable bodyshell, the absence of curtain airbags translates directly to avoidable injuries in everyday accidents,” Ramagwede says.
Child protection ‘still compromised’
Child occupant protection scored higher, but was not a clean bill of health.
An 18-month-old dummy was fully protected, but a three-year-old’s head was exposed during a frontal impact. Another practical concern for parents: the passenger airbag cannot be disconnected, which limits safe installation options for rear-facing child seats in the front passenger position.
Overall, the Corolla Cross scored 29.27 out of 34 for adult protection (two stars) and 33 out of 49 for child protection (three stars).
Debate: a ‘legal’ shield?
Toyota SA said the Corolla Cross “meets and exceeds all applicable local legislative safety requirements” and notes that curtain airbags are standard on higher-spec XR and GR-S models.
That response speaks to the legal baseline. The accountability question is whether the baseline is good enough for a mass-market family SUV.
“South Africa’s minimum standards are dated and insufficient,” Ramagwede argues. “This allows essential safety to be treated as a luxury. Manufacturers like Toyota know how to build safer vehicles, and consumers in Africa deserve the same safety standards fitted elsewhere.”
Global NCAP CEO Richard Woods has also repeatedly highlighted the disparity between African-market specifications and those sold in higher-regulation regions.
Put plainly: if head protection is treated as an upgrade, the market teaches consumers that safety is something you buy if you can afford it, not something you should expect.
Toyota’s response
The company has framed its approach around kaizen, the philosophy of continuous improvement, confirming that the Global NCAP findings align with an internal review of curtain airbags across Corolla Cross variants.
“We are investigating the fitment of curtain airbags across all variants and will communicate any changes once confirmed,” says Riaan Esterhuysen, senior manager of product pr and product communication at Toyota SA.
At this stage, Toyota has not committed to a recall or retrofitting programme.
What this means for you
🚗 For South African motorists, the immediate takeaway is practical, not abstract: popular does not always mean best protected. The AA’s guidance is straightforward.
🚗 Use independent crash-test results when comparing vehicles, and interrogate the safety specification of the exact variant you are buying. In the Corolla Cross case, XR and GR-S models include the side head protection that materially improves outcomes and ratings.
🚗 If you are buying another trim, ask directly: Does this variant have curtain airbags?
🚗 If the answer is no, understand what that means in the crashes you are most likely to encounter.
The argument that added safety must automatically add to costs is not airtight. The Volkswagen Polo Vivo update in 2024, where side airbags were introduced on the entry-level model without a price increase, shows that manufacturers can lift baseline safety without shutting out buyers. DM