Maruti cars show poorer ratings on Global NCAP crash tests from 2014-2023

Maruti Suzuki India cars have gotten least star ratings in Global New Car Assessment Programme (GNCAP) crash tests between 2014 and 2023.

Its best-selling cars like the WagonR and Swift, as also Ignis and S-Presso, have one-star rating for the frontal collision/crash protection tests. The Alto K10 has got two stars for the frontal crash protection test. All these cars had two airbags at the front at the time of the tests.

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Higher ratings

However, most of the vehicles made by homegrown companies Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and Tata Motors received better star ratings because of their higher strength bodies, even though they, too, have two frontal airbags. For instance, M&M’s XUV300 and XUV700 scored five stars (highest rating) on frontal crash tests and four stars on side impact.

Similarly, Tata Motors’ Nexon, Punch and Altroz have all got five-star rating on frontal crash tests. Its compact sedan Tigor and hatchback Tiago have four-star rating on frontal crash test and three stars on side impact tests.

However, one of the best-selling SUVs Hyundai Creta had got a three-star rating on both frontal crash and side impact tests. Its competitor Kia Seltos also had similar star rating on the frontal collision test and two star on side impact test.

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New vehicles

In the new vehicles category, Hyundai Verna is the latest car that has got five-star rating in GNCAP latest crash test. With six airbags, the car has got five-star rating on both frontal and side impact tests by the global test agency.

The company joins the club of Skoda’s Slavia and Volkswagen’s Virtus, which got similar star ratings in the same sedan category.

Honda City, which is in the same category got four-star ratings on both frontal and side impact tests.

With the Bharat NCAP also kicking off from October 1, companies have already started giving their cars for crash tests and depending on the ratings, buyers can now choose the best of the cars from the market.

Hyundai Motor India has given three vehicles, Maruti Suzuki four vehicles and Tata Motors has also given a few of its cars for testing at BNCAP. The BNCAP will be anchored by the Pune-based Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT). It has already received request to test over 30 new vehicle models from different manufacturers.

The vehicles can be tested at the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) at Pune, International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT) in Manesar and Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC) in Chennai.

And, with this, the GNCAP has also concluded its ‘Safer Cars For India’ campaign, where manufacturers were sending their cars for crash tests voluntarily.

GNCAP is a major project of the Towards Zero Foundation, which is a UK-registered non-profit organisation, and serves as a platform for co-operation among new car assessment programmes worldwide and promotes the universal adoption of the United nation’s most important motor vehicle safety standards worldwide.

“As the #SaferCarsForIndia campaign reaches its conclusion it is very satisfying to see the trend for five star safety performance continue with the Hyundai Verna. Maintaining this safety momentum is an important step for the auto industry in India,” said David Ward, Executive President, Towards Zero Foundation.

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