Here Are 10 Of The Safest Cars You Can Buy In India

There was a time over 5 years ago in the Indian automotive industry when safety wasn’t much of an emphasis in car design. Much of this boiled down to carmakers pushing for affordability as well as more features instead of safety. However, things started to change with safety standards getting a lot stricter. Fast forward to 2020 and we’re finally seeing efforts being made to make our cars adhere to stricter safety norms.  

The past couple of years have seen history in the making for Indian-make cars with their safety ratings beginning to match international standards. But which of these are the safest? Here are 10 of the safest cars in India that have been tested under the Global New Car Assessment Program (GNCAP) in their base variants at test speeds of 64kmph: 

10- Hyundai i20 (3 stars) 

Kicking off the list is the Hyundai i20 that is also sold in African markets. It is known as the Elite i20 in India. It scored 3 stars in the adult occupation category with adequate upper body protection. However, it was marginal in lower body protection. In the child protection category, the Elite i20 scored 2 stars due to the lack of a 3-point belt harness and ISOFIX mounts. Safety kit includes dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, front seat belts with pretensioners, and driver seatbelt reminder. 

9- Toyota Etios Liva (4 stars)

We finally get into the higher end spectrum in terms of safety ratings with the Toyota Etios Liva. It scored a good 4 stars in adult protection with adequate upper and lower body safety. It also fared a decent 3 stars in child protection. It comes equipped with dual airbags, ABS, ISOFIX mounts, as well as adjustable headrests. 

8- Honda Amaze (4 stars)

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

 

The Honda Amaze compact sedan received a strong score of 4 stars in the adult occupant protection category with decent overall protection for both driver and passenger. However, it scored a very poor 1-star rating in child protection with the lack of a 3-point belt harness and ISOFIX and top tether anchorages not meeting Global NCAP requirements. It features dual airbags, ABS+EBD, ISOFIX, and driver seatbelt reminder.

7- Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza ( 4 stars)

One of the safest Maruti Suzuki cars you can buy, the Vitara Brezza walked away with a stable body structure and the capability of withstanding further loads. It scored 12.51/17 in adult protection to deem it a 4-star worthy vehicle. It wasn’t particularly great in child protection as head and chest safety was marginal. Safety equipment includes dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX anchorages, front seat belts with pretensioners, and driver seatbelt reminder. 

6- Volkswagen Polo (4-stars) 

Next up is the Volkswagen Polo hatchback that received a 4-star rating in the adult occupant protection category. It provided decent head and neck safety as well as adequate chest protection. It also scored 3-stars in child protection with the belted CRS preventing excessive forward movement during an impact. Safety features consist of ABS, ESP, dual airbags as well as a 3-point seatbelt setup. 

 5- Mahindra Marazzo (4 stars) 

 

Breaking into the top 5 safest Indian cars is the Mahindra Marazzo MPV. It scored 4 stars in adult protection with decent upper and lower body protection. The body shell was also intact after the crash. It scored 2 stars in the child protection category as the ISOFIX and top tethers could not prevent excessive forward movement during frontal impact tests. Its safety kit features dual front airbags, ISOFIX anchors, ABS, front seatbelt pretensioners, and seatbelt reminder for the driver. 

4- Tata Tiago/Tigor Facelift (4 stars) 

One of the more recent launches from Tata Motors, the facelifted Tiago hatchback and Tigor sedan scored an impressive 4-star safety rating. Adult occupants received decent protection for their heads, neck and lower legs, although their knees were susceptible to lower dashboard impact. When it comes to child protection, the two cars don’t have ISOFIX mounts, so they were strapped to car seats. Nonetheless, it still provided decent protection getting a 3-star safety rating. It comes equipped with safety equipment like ABS + EBD, dual airbags, cornering stability control, as well as seatbelt reminder. 

3- Tata Nexon (Pre-facelift) (5 stars) 

The Tata Nexon wasn’t just Tata’s first car to get a 5-star Global NCAP rating, but also India’s first car to receive such a rating. It came through with flying colours in adult occupant protection with great overall protection and a stable body shell. It also scored a decent 3-star safety rating in child protection. All this was thanks to its dual front airbags, ABS + EBD, ISOFIX mounts, front seatbelt with pretensioners, and seatbelt reminder. 

2- Tata Altroz (5 stars)

Second on the list is Tata’s first premium hatchback, the recently launched Altroz. This rating makes it one of the safest hatchbacks in India. Adult occupants seated in the front seats were protected by airbags in frontal crash tests. The results show 'good' protection of the driver and passenger's head, upper legs, and feet. Chest and shin protection was rated 'adequate.' It also scored a decent 3 stars in child protection, but the rear seats broke off from its mountings. Safety kit consists of dual airbags, ABS+EBD, front seatbelt pretensioners, ISOFIX mounts, and driver and co-driver seatbelt reminder.

1- Mahindra XUV300 (5 stars)

We finally get to the creme de la creme of safe made-in-India cars. The sub-4 metre SUV scored 5 stars in adult occupant protection with the head, chest, and legs rated ‘good.’ It also scored 4 stars in child protection, with the lack of a three-point belt in the middle rear seat and poorly marked ISOFIX mountings being the only chinks in the XUV300’s armour. Safety kit includes dual airbags, ABS+EBD, corner braking control, ISOFIX mounts, seatbelt reminder, and front seatbelts with pretensioners.

These test results have proven to be a proud moment for India as the top 5 safest cars are made in the country by Indian manufacturers themselves. And we're only getting started.