Global NCAP has released the results of the latest round of crash tests on Indian cars. It tested four cars in this round, namely the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Wagon R, the Hyundai Santro and the Datsun Redi-GO.
Notably, the crash test results are the first to be released since India’s latest crash test requirements became applicable to all cars manufactured post October 2019. Over the past few months, updated Indian regulations have also mandated the fitment of anti-lock brakes (ABS), a driver airbag, seat-belt reminders and a speed warning system on all cars on sale in India — safety features which also have a bearing on the overall Global NCAP score.
Maruti Suzuki Ertiga – 3 stars
The Maruti Ertiga was the best of the performers, having been rated three stars on adult protection. The MPV’s bodyshell was rated borderline unstable, with the footwell region rated unstable, exposing front-seat occupants to foot injuries. Head and neck protection was good, though the driver’s chest protection was marginal. While the Ertiga gets dual airbags as standard, Global NCAP noted that the seat-belt pretensioner for the front passenger failed to work properly. The Ertiga got a 3-star rating for child protection. Maruti’s MPV comes with standard-fit Isofix mounts in the middle row. The test found the car to have good protection for the three-year-old dummy. However, head and chest protection was poor for the 18-month-old dummy.
Maruti Suzuki Wagon R – 2 stars
The latest version of Maruti’s popular hatchback was awarded two stars for adult protection. The car’s bodyshell and footwell were rated unstable. While driver and co-passenger head and neck protection was found to be adequate, chest protection was found to be weak, and knee protection was marginal. The Wagon R only gets a driver airbag as standard, though a passenger airbag is a paid option on offer. On child protection, the Wagon R was rated two stars. Worryingly, the child-restraint system for the three-year-old dummy broke during the test, and chest protection for the 18-month-old dummy was also low.
Hyundai Santro – 2 stars
The new Hyundai Santro got a 2-star rating for adult protection. The Hyundai’s body structure and footwell were rated unstable. While head and neck protection for the front adult occupants was good, chest protection was found to be weak for the driver and marginal for the co-passenger. The Santro gets a driver airbag as standard. The Santro was rated two stars for child protection. Curiously, Hyundai does not have a recommended child-restraint system and this is part of the reason for the Santro’s poor showing in this area. The child seat for the three-year-old dummy showed excessive movement on impact, though the rearward-positioned child seat for the 18-month-old dummy provided adequate protection.
Datsun Redi-GO – 1 star
The Datsun Redi-GO was rated just one star for adult protection. Global NCAP found the body shell and footwell unstable. Head and neck protection for the front seat adult occupants was satisfactory; however, the driver’s poor chest protection limited the Redi-GO’s rating to one star. Interestingly, the Redi-GO was the only car to not feature a seat-belt reminder. Since the test, the Redi-GO has been updated to meet AIS-145 norms, meaning that features like ABS, a driver’s side airbag, rear parking sensors, a speed alert system and front seat-belt reminders are now standard. In terms of child protection, the Redi-GO got a 2-star rating. The static reel seat belts at the back were unable to restrict child-seat movement upon impact, exposing both the three-year-old and the 18-month-old dummy’s heads.