Global NCAP Rating For Indian Cars 2021 Edition: Should We Care For This?

Safety, an aspect of automobiles, has started to be on the checklist of many Indian buyers nowadays. This puts immense pressure on the carmakers to keep the cost low while making the cars safe. So, here is the Global NCAP crash test rating for 10 Indian cars in 2021 that have performed astonishingly well. The list is in no order.

1. Tata Altroz
   

   

   The indigenous carmaker has been the flag bearer of safety in India. Altroz, the gold standard hatchback scored a 5-star rating at the Global NCAP for adult occupancy. For the child occupancy, the Altroz scored a 3-star rating. The base model of Tata Altroz comes packed with safety features like dual-front airbags, ESP, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX, CSC, and reverse parking sensors. 

2. Mahindra Thar

   

   The 4×4 offroader’s 2020 edition has been one of the most successful updates any car can get. There is a long waiting period for this lifestyle vehicle which people are also using for daily traveling. Along with performance and road presence, the Thar scored a 4-star rating for both adult as well as child occupancy at the Global NCAP. 

3. Mahindra XUV300
   

   

   Fortress on wheels, or this is what the company likes to call the compact SUV. It is India’s safest car with a 5-star rating for adult occupancy and a 4-star rating for child occupancy at the Global NCAP crash testing. The XUV300 was India’s first car to score such a rating for child occupancy and is surely the safest family car you can get in 2021. 

4. Tata Nexon

   

   This list will be incomplete without the car that was the first to score a 5-star rating at the Global NCAP. Tata Nexon scored 5 stars for adult occupancy and 3 stars for child occupancy. Nexon also comes in an EV avatar which has been the best-selling electric car in India.

5. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza

   

   People might keep calling out Maruti Suzuki for unsafe cars and call them tin can makers, but the Global NCAP rating for the segment leader Brezza says otherwise. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza has scored a 4-star rating for the adult occupancy and a 2-star rating for the child occupancy. The bodyshell integrity of Brezza after the crash has been rated stable, something that cars like Kia Seltos miss on, even though being way pricier than the Brezza.

6. Tata Tiago/Tigor

   

   There is no car from Tata Motors in 2021 that has scored less than a 4-star rating at the Global NCAP! The popular Tiago along with its sedan counterpart has scored a 4-star rating for adult occupancy and a 3-star rating for child occupancy. The Tigor is also being offered in an EV avatar with Ziptron tech, alongside the Tata Nexon.

7. Mahindra Marazzo

   

   One of the most underrated cars in India! Marazzo offers a complete package of performance, space, utility, and safety. Still, it is not one of the most sought-after MPVs in India. Nevertheless, it has been able to score a 4-star and 2-star rating at the Global NCAP for adult occupancy and child occupancy respectively. 

8. Volkswagen Polo

   

   A timeless design that has not been updated for a very long time. Along with the design, what has not changed is the safety that the hot hatch comes with. VW Polo has scored a 4-star rating for adult occupancy at the Global NCAP. It also managed to score a 3-star rating for the child occupancy. 

9. Renault Triber

   

   When the Global NCAP ratings for this MPV were out, I was shocked a bit. While cars like Renault Duster fail to score even 1 star on the same platform, Triber scored an impressive 4-star rating for adult occupancy and a 3-star rating for child occupancy. Though the bodyshell integrity was rated unstable, it is still impressive as the Triber is the most budget-friendly MPV in India. 

10. Maruti Suzuki Eritga

    

    The budget-MPV from India’s largest carmaker scored a 3-star rating for both the adult as well as the child occupancy at the Global NCAP. The MPV offers dual-front airbags, ISOFIX, ABS with EBD, and front seatbelt pretensioners. 

Another Important Aspect Of Global NCAP Crash Test Rating: Body Shell Integrity

While the ratings are published across various websites, let’s take a look at the body shell integrity of the cars.

While the 3,4-star ratings might be good for safety, you must also know what the bodyshell integrity means. The basic structure of the car is tested after the crash testing. If it’s able to withstand further loading after the crash without collapsing, the shell is rated stable. This can be vital information, especially when there is a crash that involves the toppling of a car. It may not be able to withstand the overall crash if the body structure is not strong enough. 

Should we really care for the Global NCAP crash test rating while buying Indian cars in 2021?

India has its own BNVSAP norms in place that make it mandatory for cars to have front airbags, ABS with EBD, and reverse parking sensors. These safety features were given in the top-spec or middle spec variants of the cars earlier. Car safety has come a long way in India, especially with carmakers like Tata Motors and Mahindra strongly emphasizing it. But still, until we have our own crash testing in place, we need to rely on organizations like Global NCAP, Latin NCAP, or other NCAPs to know whether the cars we drive are safe or not. Do note that these organizations randomly test the cars and are not paid by any carmaker for the same. 

There’s another aspect that we need to take into consideration. India is an under developing country which means that a majority of the population is still using two-wheelers. This means, switching to a car is already a safety upgrade. With the pricing restrictions in place, carmakers are forced to make cars with minimal safety settings that meet the BNVSAP norms. All the Maruti Suzuki cars comply with BNVSAP norms in India. Now, if you’re a buyer with an entry-level budget, you should look at whether the cars comply with the norms or not. If you are buying a car that is way beyond entry-level, you can surely look at the Global NCAP crash test rating. 

What are your thoughts? Do let us know in the comments section below.