Euro NCAP Dongfeng BOX Tested: Strong Sides, Surprising Flaws

The European New Car Assessment Programme rating for the Dongfeng BOX is finally here, and it paints a mixed but important picture for buyers who care about real-world safety. This small family hatchback lands with 69% for adult occupant protection, 81% for child occupant protection, 67% for vulnerable road users, and 77% for safety assist technologies. Those headline numbers tell us the BOX can protect well in many situations, but there are key areas where the car still needs to earn trust.

In the laboratory, the side mobile barrier test was a strong point, delivering good protection to all critical body regions and full marks. Rear-end whiplash protection was also rated good for both front and back seats. However, the frontal offset assessment revealed concerns that matter to families: during post-impact inspection, several spot welds on the A-pillar were found to have failed, the front of the sill and the top of the windscreen pillar showed damage, and the doors remained locked, which could slow down first responders. Testers also noted the driver airbag did not maintain enough pressure to prevent contact with the steering wheel, and dashboard structures posed risks to legs for some body sizes.

For children, the BOX performed convincingly in crash tests, scoring strong results for both 6-year-old and 10-year-old dummies. The front passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward facing child restraint system, and the car clearly communicates status to the driver. One drawback is the absence of child presence detection, and the car failed the installation check for a large rearward facing child restraint because of belt length and buckle interference.

Active safety is a bright spot. The autonomous emergency braking system responded well to other vehicles and performed adequately with pedestrians and strongly with cyclists. That said, it does not detect pedestrians behind the car and offers no dooring prevention for cyclists. Lane keeping assistance and emergency lane keeping both scored well, while driver monitoring with direct eye tracking and full-row seat belt reminders add welcome layers of protection. Speed assistance uses camera and map data and can set the limiter automatically.