Car manufacturers in India are placing a growing emphasis on enhancing safety features in their vehicles due to increasing awareness among consumers. Safety features have evolved from basic airbags to advanced AI technologies like ADAS. Customers now prioritize safety features when purchasing a new car. Despite this, several popular Indian models have performed poorly in safety tests, prompting concerns about their safety standards. Let’s take a closer look at some cars manufactured in India that received low safety ratings in crash tests conducted by Global NCAP.
Citroen eC3: The eC3 electric hatchback by French automaker Citroen is one of the few Indian-made cars to receive a zero-star rating from Global NCAP. The recent crash test results for the Citroen eC3 were deemed ‘appalling’. It scored zero stars for adult occupant protection, with poor chest protection for passengers and weak chest protection for the driver. The child occupant protection received only one star due to the lack of three-point seat belts in all positions and the absence of a passenger airbag disconnection switch.
Maruti WagonR: The popular boxy hatchback from Maruti Suzuki, despite being a top-selling car in India, received a poor one-star safety rating in the latest Global NCAP crash tests. Additionally, it scored zero stars in child protection tests.
Maruti Swift: In 2022, three Maruti Suzuki cars underwent Global NCAP tests, with the Swift hatchback receiving just a one-star safety rating in both adult and child occupant protection categories.
Maruti S-Presso: Another model from Maruti Suzuki, the S-Presso, underwent Global NCAP crash tests in 2022. While it provided decent frontal impact protection for the driver and passenger’s head and neck, it showed poor protection for the driver’s chest and only marginal protection for the passenger’s chest and driver’s knees.
Renault Kwid: The Renault Kwid, an entry-level hatchback from the French automaker, failed to impress in Global NCAP crash tests despite being one of the most successful models in India. It received a one-star safety rating for both adult and child protection tests.
