iCAUR V23 earns five-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating ahead of South African debut

Advanced crash protection and intelligent safety systems deliver proven peace of mind for drivers and passengers.

• The iCAUR V23 earned a five-star ASEAN NCAP rating, excelling in frontal, side, and rollover crash tests with strong occupant and battery protection. 
• Its reinforced structure, energy-absorbing components, and six standard airbags work together to manage impact forces and maintain cabin integrity. 
• Advanced safety systems, including AEB, blind spot detection, and child protection features, ensure reliable collision avoidance and top-tier active safety.

The iCAUR V23 has been awarded a five-star safety rating by ASEAN NCAP (New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries), confirming its safety performance with internationally recognised certification. Beyond the result itself, what deserves closer attention is how this electric SUV has a stable and reliable safety protection system across its structure, materials, and overall vehicle systems. 

The V23 excelled in the 40% frontal offset crash test. In this evaluation, the vehicle collides with a barrier at 64 km/h, using only 40% of the front area. Compared with a full-front impact, an offset impact is more demanding on the front cabin. Upon impact, the V23’s front airbags deployed quickly and accurately, and the high-voltage system shut down immediately, with no electrolyte leakage. The battery pack, along with the pillars and cabin structure, remained intact, and the doors automatically unlocked, effectively ensuring occupant safety. 

Beyond that, the V23 spreads impact energy through the front longitudinal beam and subframe. In a frontal impact, energy is distributed in different directions. Key parts are designed with energy-absorbing structures, allowing the front cabin to deform evenly and controllably, avoiding sudden failure. The V23 also features an upper longitudinal beam, which, together with the subframe, forms a three-stage load path that reduces the risk of intrusion into the passenger cabin. The upper beam is an integral part of the impact protection system, channelling forces to the A-pillars and body to prevent damage to critical structures. 

Behind the V23’s crash score is solid engineering. In adult occupant protection, the V23 scored 31.77 points (99%). The V23 also excelled in the 50 km/h side impact test, struck by a 950 kg moving barrier. The side airbags deployed precisely and on time, providing ample survival space and earning a full eight points. These results don’t just happen: the V23’s body is made of 70% high-strength steel, including 18% hot-stamped steel, with all models coming with six airbags as standard. With pre-tensioning, load-limiting seatbelts for both front and rear seats, it offers full protection in frontal, side, and rollover crashes.

The V23 has also achieved a perfect eight-point score in the 50 km/h side impact test. The electric SUV’s higher stance allows the side sills to engage earlier in a side impact. By deforming during impact, the sills absorb energy and reduce the force transmitted directly to the passenger cabin. Small energy-absorbing boxes are also integrated inside the sills, increasing body stiffness while providing additional protection for the battery pack beneath the floor. 

In child occupant protection, it scored an impressive 42.5 points. In the safety assist tests, it scored 18 points, achieving full marks in both the AEB City and AEB Inter-Urban tests. This is thanks to its 1V3R camera and three millimetre-wave radars, providing reliable input for the AEB system and ensuring strong active safety on both city streets and highways.

In the AEB frontal impact test, the V23 successfully detected both stationary and moving vehicles ahead, avoiding collisions. The 1V3R sensor setup can detect pedestrians, motorcycles, and vehicles, thanks to dual millimetre-wave radars, which are effective in detecting moving vehicles, and can assist when vision is limited. By fusing data from multiple sensors in time and space, the system can identify objects and provide reliable input for the AEB function.

In another AEB test, for motorcycle detection, the V23 quickly detected a motorcycle trying to overtake from behind. The blind-spot warning turned on immediately, and the side mirror alert activated at the same time, helping the vehicle avoid a collision. The V23’s Blind Spot Detection system uses rear corner millimetre-wave radars to monitor areas behind and beside the vehicle. The system detects moving vehicles, calculates their distance and speed, filters out stationary objects, and assesses risk. When a vehicle enters the blind spot, a warning appears in the side mirror, and if the driver attempts to change lanes, visual and audible alerts are triggered to prevent a collision.

“South African roads are full of surprises. You never know what’s coming next,” commented Shannon Gahagan, National Brand and Marketing Manager at iCAUR South Africa. “Ahead of the V23’s debut in South Africa, its five-star safety rating shows it’s ready for exactly these conditions. With its proven, robust structure, advanced safety systems, and a battery engineered for maximum crash resilience, the V23 offers local motorists unparalleled peace of mind.”

ENDS/