Maruti Suzuki S-Presso gets zero Global NCAP safety rating
New Delhi : In yet another setback to Maruti Suzuki, Global NCAP has given zero safety rating to its recently launched S-Presso budget hatchback car. Hyundai's Grand i10 Nios and Kia Seltos were also tested and they received 2 and 3 ratings respectively.
The base model of all three cars, Made in India, were tested at crash test lab in Germany. The cars were subjected to a frontal offset test that is carried out at 64 kmph. David Ward, President of the Towards Zero Foundation, said, “There is no place for zero rated cars in the Indian market. It remains a great disappointment that an important manufacturer like Maruti Suzuki does not recognise this.”
Maruti Suzuki's S-Presso showed zero protection for adults in case of a frontal crash. And the result is not shocking as it comes with only one airbag in the base variant. The crash test dummies showed significant injury to the neck and chest area. The car's structure or body shell was also rated as unstable, as was the front footwell area. However, the car has been given 2 stars for child safety.
Alejandro Furas, Secretary General of Global NCAP said, “It is very disappointing that Maruti Suzuki, the manufacturer with the largest share of the Indian market, offers such low safety performance for Indian consumers. Domestic manufacturers like Mahindra and Tata have demonstrated high levels of safety and protection for their customers, both achieving five star performances. Surely it's time for Maruti Suzuki to demonstrate this commitment to safety for its customers?” Maruti Suzuki replied to carandbike's queries and said, "Safety is a critical issue and is therefore closely regulated by governments around the world as they are responsible for the safety of the people in their countries. It cannot be left to the opinion of any self proclaimed party. The Government of India has recently increased the stringency of car crash test standards and made them identical to European standards. All products of the company are fully compliant with these global standards and duly tested and certified by the Government of India."
Hyundai's Grand i10 Nios also performed badly in the Global NCAP safety ratings as it managed to just score 2 points for safety of adults in the car. The car comes with dual front airbags and front seatbelt pretensioners as standard. But here too the body shell and footwell area were deemed unstable. The dummies inside the car showed no-fatal injuries in the lower part of the body but head and neck were well secured.
Kia Seltos, on the other hand, received 3 stars for adult occupant safety and 2 for child protection. Dual airbags, pretensioners ABS braking being standard helped achieve its good score. While its body shell also got an unstable rating, it was borderline says Global NCAP – which shows scope for improvement, likely through minor changes. Head, neck and chest protection are acceptable.
