The Automobile Association (AA) is calling for stricter minimum safety standards for new vehicles sold in South Africa, arguing that every new car should be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC) and at least six airbags as standard.
The organisation says these features, including side curtain airbags that protect occupants during side-impact collisions, should no longer be treated as optional extras or reserved for higher-specification models.
The call forms part of the AA's #SaferCarsForAfrica campaign, which aims to highlight the gap between vehicle safety standards in Africa and those in markets such as Europe and Australia.
AA Chief Executive Officer Bobby Ramagwede said the organisation is not suggesting that popular vehicles currently on sale are inherently unsafe, but believes they no longer meet what should be regarded as an acceptable minimum standard.
"We're basically saying these vehicles are not safe enough. We're benchmarking our standards against those applied in Europe and Australia," Ramagwede said.
As part of the campaign, the AA submits vehicles sold in South Africa to the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP) for independent crash testing. The programme assesses how well vehicles protect adult and child occupants during front and side-impact collisions.
Vehicles tested so far include the Hyundai Grand i10, Toyota Corolla Cross, Chery Tiggo 7, Toyota Starlet, Kia Sonet and Haval Jolion. According to the AA, these models received between zero and two stars in crash tests, with shortcomings including too few airbags and weaker-than-desired structural protection.
Ramagwede said one of the biggest concerns identified during testing is the limited number of airbags fitted to many entry-level vehicles.
He added that some models also featured footwell structures that may not provide adequate protection during serious crashes.
The AA argues that safety should be considered a basic requirement rather than a premium feature. Ramagwede dismissed claims that fitting additional airbags would make affordable vehicles prohibitively expensive.
Instead, he said buyers should pay extra for luxury features such as sunroofs and infotainment systems, not for equipment designed to save lives.
The organisation also criticised South Africa's vehicle safety regulations, describing them as outdated.
According to Ramagwede, the country's regulations have changed little since the 1990s, meaning modern safety technologies such as electronic stability control and multiple airbags are still not mandatory on all new vehicles.
He further accused some manufacturers of supplying South African consumers with lower safety specifications than those offered in overseas markets, despite having access to safer versions of the same vehicles.
Based on the AA's proposed minimum standard of six airbags and electronic stability control, nine of South Africa's 20 best-selling vehicles in May 2026 would fail to qualify.
These include the VW Polo Vivo, Chery Tiggo 4, Hyundai Grand i10, Haval Jolion City, Toyota Corolla Cross, Isuzu D-Max Double Cab, Omoda C5, Kia Sonet and GWM P-Series Double Cab.
While Ramagwede stopped short of calling for an outright ban on these vehicles, he said the AA believes they should not be entering the local market in their current form.
He said the association will continue engaging government to strengthen minimum vehicle safety regulations and is urging consumers to place greater emphasis on safety ratings when purchasing a new vehicle.
According to the AA, increased consumer demand for safer vehicles could encourage manufacturers to improve the standard safety features offered on entry-level models sold in South Africa.