Air Bags & Vans.

[Westy36]

Mrs W's Civic G9 has been sold, and we are now in the market for a small van to run in addtion to the wee Jazz.

You all might know this, but I've been shocked to learn that modern vans very rarely come with passenger airbags! I last had a van back in 2003, a 2000 reg LWB Transit hi-top. It only had a drivers bag as did most cars back then, so I expected that things would have moved on in 20 yrs. Apparently not.

Given the amount of safety kit that is mandated on cars, how have LCV's been allowed to slip under the radar? For example, the Citroen Berlingo in van version only has drivers air bag, yet the MPV verstion comes with all the safety kit as standard. So PSA group have chosen/been allowed to save a few Euros and compromise safety. I appreciate vans are mostly sole occupant vehicles, but given the few quid involved I'm perplexed by manufacturers lack of basic kit.

Not just the PSA group. Ford, Renault, Merc, Nissan, Fiat.....there all at it. One of the few exceptions is VW. The Caddy comes with proper safety kit as standard.

Well, it shocked and baffled me. And if you've never looked, have you seen the price of vans? Through the roof.

[Kenneve]

Well I have to ask.
What is the difference between a small van and a Jazz, with the rear seats folded down?
Surely the Jazz is an all round better bet, with passenger air bags included. 

[ColinB]

Vehicle safety is driven by NCAP ratings. For vans, the emphasis is different to cars. See this:
https://www.thatcham.org/euro-ncap-van-safety-rating-commentary/
In particular this bit:
"Euro NCAP’s rating is focused on the performance of safety technologies that avoid or mitigate crashes.... it’s important that van drivers, and those sharing the roads with them, are protected."

In other words, passenger safety is not a priority, and therefore manufacturers don't have to do it in order to secure good NCAP ratings. So they don't.