Global NCAP crash test results are in; and the news isn’t good for Maruti Suzuki

Three of Maruti Suzuki’s most popular entry-level vehicles tested – the S-Press, the Swift, and the Ignis received a single-star rating each.

The latest set of crash test results under Global NCAP’s reworked parameters have come in, and the news isn’t good for India’s largest carmaker – Maruti Suzuki.

Global NCAP’s new protocol places a stronger emphasis on side impact pole protection while taking into account features like ESC and seat-belt reminders in the overall safety evaluation. While the front impact test remains the same and is conducted at a speed of 64kph, it is now essential to have ESC and seat belt reminders as a mandatory feature in order to qualify for a three-star rating.

Unfortunately, three of Maruti Suzuki’s most popular entry-level vehicles tested – the S-Press, the Swift, and the Ignis received a single-star rating each.

Neither the Swift nor the Ignis come with ESC as standard and do not comply with UN127 pedestrian protection norms – two factors that have heavily contributed to their poor safety ratings.

Speaking about the tests, GlobalNCAP Secretary General Alejandro Furas said that “It is of great concern that the manufacturer with the largest market share in India still offers such poorly performing models”.

Also Read: Bharat NCAP must take into account Indian conditions, say Maruti Suzuki executives

It’s interesting that GlobalNCAP has chosen to test the Mahindra Scorpio-N alongside these entry-level offerings, as the Scorpio-N surpassed even the Scorpio Classic in premiumness and luxury. It is truly commendable that the brand has once again received a five-star safety rating, having aced both adult and child protection safety tests and further establishing itself as one of the safest carmakers in the country.

What it means

To begin with, a comparison between the Mahindra Scorpio-N and Maruti Suzuki’s cars is an unfair one since they operate in very different segments with the Scorpio-N costing nearly thrice as much as the cars tested alongside it.

Secondly, until the government’s mandatory seat-belt reminder rule is enforced, a low safety score is to be expected from Maruti Suzuki’s entry-level cars, which have infamously, remained at the bottom end of the safety spectrum, given that they’re based on old platforms. However, it does reflect poorly on the state of some of India’s best-selling cars, since the Swift in its pre-facelift form, and as per the previous Global NCAP safety protocols, had received a marginally better 2-star safety rating in 2018.

Not having received a generational upgrade, the Swift along with the S-Presso and the Ignis, were never expected to perform well. Serving as a direct contrast to these models are the ones underpinned by Maruti Suzuki’s new Global-C platform, like the Grand Vitara and the new Brezza, neither of which were present at what has been the second test conducted under the #SafercarsforIndia campaign using the new testing parameters.

Read More: What are India’s current crash safety regulations like?

The first set of tests was for the new Skoda Kushaq and Taigun, both of which received a five-star adult and child passenger safety. It should be noted that the Brezza, tested in 2018 received a four-star rating. That said, manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki, which have been routinely dismissive about the value of Global NCAP’s safety scores, declaring them irrelevant to Indian driving conditions, do have the option of paying and getting their new-gen vehicles tested.

For its part, Maruti Suzuki has maintained that its cars comply with the ARAI-based safety protocol, wherein the front offset crash tests are conducted at a slower speed of 56 kph.

However, its failure in securing acceptable safety ratings under GlobalNCAP have witnessed a decline in sales this year. Maruti Suzuki chairman RC Bhargava has also warned of the entry-level segment shrinking due to the added cost of equipping entry-level cars with mandatory safety tech. With six airbags, front and rear seat-belt reminders set to become mandatory in 2023, with BharatNCAP testing parameters taking effect, the costs for entry-level cars are expected to go up further.

Also Read: Why Maruti Suzuki Chairman RC Bhargava is critical of govt’s proposed six-airbag rule

While the scores for these cars will undoubtedly go up once mandatory features have been installed, it’s not until these cars are phased out and replaced by newer platforms that we see better safety ratings for Maruti’s entry-level set of cars.

However, the stance taken by Global NCAP, especially Executive President of the Towards Zero Foundation David Ward, states that manufacturers should not wait for the government’s mandatory laws to take effect, in order to make the cars safe, and that market volume leaders like Maruti Suzuki must value the life and safety of it customers enough to make features like ESC and safety belt reminders a mandatory feature with or without legislative enforcement.