2023 Tata Harrier And Safari Facelift Bharat NCAP Crash Test Results To Be Out Soon

• Tata Motors have confirmed that both the facelifted SUVs will have crash safety ratings from Bharat NCAP.

• Both the 2023 Tata Harrier and Tata Safari feature significant safety improvements, higher variants come with 7 airbags

• Unlike the Tata Nexon, Tata Altroz, Tata Punch and Tata Tigor, the Harrier and Safari were not tested by Global NCAP

• Will undergo a series of crash tests including frontal offset, side impact, and side pole impact.

• Apart from Tata, Maruti and Hyundai have likely submitted SUVs for Bharat NCAP crash testing.

We recently drove the 2023 Tata Harrier and Safari facelifts just ahead of their launch and were quite impressed by the updates. During the media drive, Tata Motors confirmed that the new Harrier-Safari duo will have a crash safety rating as declared by  Bharat NCAP (Bharat new car assessment programme). It has, however, not been disclosed if both SUVs have been sent for the crash tests or if only one will undergo the tests to score a rating common to both (as with the Tata Tigor and Tiago).

Revised Safety On The Facelifted SUVs

The facelifted Harrier and Safari have undergone significant safety improvements. Tata has incorporated structural enhancements to meet the side pole impact test standards and to provide better protection in both frontal offset and full frontal impact crash tests.

In terms of safety features, both SUVs come standard with 6 airbags, electronic stability programme (ESP), ISOFIX child seat mounts, and rear parking sensors. The higher variants offer an additional airbag for the driver's knee protection, a 360-degree camera, and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).

It's noteworthy that this marks the first time the Harrier and Safari have been subjected to crash tests, as their pre-facelift versions had not been assessed by the Global NCAP.

Tests To Be Performed

At Bharat NCAP's test facility, these SUVs will undergo a series of crash tests, including frontal offset, side impact, and side pole impact. The frontal offset test will be conducted at the speed of 64 kmph, the side impact test at 50 kmph, and the side pole impact test at 29 kmph. These tests will evaluate the vehicle's structural integrity and the effectiveness of its safety assist technologies.

The Bharat NCAP will assign crash test ratings based on the results of these tests, covering both adult and child occupant protection. These procedures align with the testing protocols of the Global NCAP. Given Tata's track record, the updated Harrier and Safari models are expected to achieve a strong safety rating from BNCAP

Testing Authority

Shortly after the introduction of Bharat NCAP in August 2023, the Global NCAP made the decision to cease testing India-specific cars (starting 2024) and hand over this responsibility to the Indian authorities. Bharat NCAP, which is currently a voluntary-based assessment for automakers, has been in effect since October 1 but has yet to release the results for the tested cars. During its launch, Nitin Gadkari, the Union Road and Transport Minister, mentioned that testing for over 30 cars is already in the pipeline.

Apart from Tata, both Maruti and Hyundai have likely submitted some of their SUV models for crash testing by Bharat NCAP, and the results are expected to be disclosed soon. The hope is that Bharat NCAP will play a crucial role in enhancing the safety and quality of India-specific cars for buyers in the future. It is vital to note that Bharat NCAP tests the base model of any given car model though car manufacturers can additionally send higher variants for tests. While the program is not mandatory for a car to be sold in India, it will improve transparency for car buyers.