A Broader View of Safety
- Gobar NCRAP
- May 5, 2023
- 2 min read
Today, Gobar NCRAP announces the first set of safety feature lists and ratings for Indian cars. Thirteen segments of passenger cars have been evaluated against our 2023 criteria based on three kinds of safety features offered: those that encourage safe practices, those that alert the driver or intervene to prevent a crash, and those that restrain occupants during a crash.
Suzuki models, which predominate the minicar and city car segments, struggle with an acute lack of active and passive safety features, as does the Tata Tiago which has little to show for itself other than a respectable result in independent crash testing. The Renault Kwid and its compatriot, the Citroën C3 Turbo, narrowly scrape their way to better ratings following the recent inclusion of some active safety features. The MG Comet EV, not equipped with electronic stability control like its Indonesian cousin, misses out on scoring even better.
Results for subcompact hatchbacks, MPVs and SUVs range all the way from a top rating for the recently updated Hyundai i10, to the lowest possible rating for the ageing Suzuki Eeco - still a popular mode of transport for school children and delivery agents.
In the compact segment, results are strongly mixed. Recently updated Hyundai and Kia models offer reasonable levels of safety equipment in alll three areas. Unfortunately, there is also clear evidence suggesting consumers' unhealthy craze for crashworthiness has made some manufacturers complacent in improving safety across the board.
Remarkably, no model in the midsize segment earns the lowest rating. This segment is the market's entry point into advanced crash avoidance systems, and the Honda City, Hyundai Verna and MG Astor all earn solid top ratings. Hyundai Motor Group's recent commitment to improve rear-seat restraints helps their results. The Suzuki Grand Vitara's strong result shows that behind the PR defence lies a manufacturer who can engineer for safety when they put their mind to it. And finally, Volkswagen and Škoda, not to be outdone, set an example for other manufacturers to follow, proving that consumers looking to protect themselves and their families should not have to choose between crashworthiness and safety features.
In the large segment, results are not as consistently good as they are in the midsize segment. Of all the results announced today, the Toyota Innova Hycross stands out, achieving perfect scores across all areas of assessment when all safety options are fitted. Top-spec versions of the MG Hector and Hector Plus also earn high ratings, but MG still sells base versions without critical active safety features citing the shortage of semiconductors. Some domestic models suffer from the lack of three-point belts for all seats, but their captain-seat variants remain unaffected and perform respectably.
For queries or discrepancies, please reach out on social media (@gobarncrap) or write to theyawningchihuahua@gmail.com
Comments