5 safest mass-market cars in India rated by Global NCAP

Global NCAP’s campaign to draw attention to car safety in India has been going on since 2014. Over the years, the organisation has tested more than 25 mass-market models and variants that are made and sold in India. Earlier today, Global NCAP released results of the latest round of crash tests it has conducted on Indian cars. Of the two cars tested, the Renault Lodgy fared poorly with a rating of zero stars, while the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza came away with a solid four star rating, making it one of the best performers yet. Which are the best cars tested so far? Read on to find out.

5. Volkswagen Polo

The Polo was one of the first made-in-India cars to be tested by GNCAP, back in 2014. While the model with no airbags did not meet crash test norms, the model that was equipped with two airbags scored a solid four stars for adult occupancy (12.54 out of 17)  and three stars for child occupancy (29.91/49), despite not having Isofix child seats mounts. This result also pushed VW to offer airbags and ABS across the Polo range in India.

4. Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza

A feather in Maruti Suzuki’s cap, the Vitara Brezza compact SUV received a four-star rating in the latest round of Global NCAP’s crash tests, for adult occupancy (12.51 out of 17). However, the SUV only managed two stars for child occupancy (17.93 out of 49) because of the forward facing position of the 18-month old dummy in the test and as the markings for the Isofix anchorages did not meet Global NCAP testing protocols. All variants of the Brezza are equipped with two airbags, ABS with EBD, front seat belt with pretentioners, a driver’s seat belt reminder and Isofix child seat mounts.

3. Tata Zest

While the first round of tests for the Zest compact sedan had it rated with a zero stars, Tata was allowed another opportunity and introduced an upgraded compact sedan, which was crash tested in 2016. This model scored an impressive four-star rating (11.15/17) in adult occupancy and two stars in child occupancy (15.52/49). It came with two airbags and a seat belt reminder for the driver, but was later updated with ABS, EBD and corner stability control.

2. Toyota Etios Liva

The Etios Liva hatchback was one of the few models that registered a commendable four-star rating in its very first crash test. Tested by Global NCAP back in 2016, the hatchback was given four stars for adult occupancy (13/16) and two stars for child occupancy (20.02/49). While it was updated later with more safety kit such as ABS with EBD and Isofix child seat mounts, the model tested only had dual-front airbags and front seat belts with pretentioners.

1. Tata Nexon

Tata’s compact SUV recently achieved a four-star rating from NCAP for adult occupancy (13.56/17) and three stars for child occupancy (25/49). The organisation rated the Nexon's body shell integrity as ‘stable’ while providing good protection for the head and neck of the driver and the passenger. All variants of the Nexon come with two airbags, ABS and Isofix child seat mounts as standard.

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Hyundai QXi compact SUV to sport latest family design elements

Hyundai’s rival to the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza will go on sale in India in March 2019. The compact SUV (codename QXi) has been spotted testing in India as well as overseas, and based on what the spy pics reveal, it will carry Hyundai's latest design elements.

Up front, the compact SUV gets a wide grille that the Hyundai refers as the Cascading Grille, a design feature now common to the carmaker’s latest models. The SUV gets another design feature which Hyundai calls a Composite Light, where the headlight is placed next to the grille on each side while a separate LED daytime running light is positioned above it.  This makes the upcoming Hyundai compact SUV look quite similar to the brand’s international models like the all-new Santa Fe SUV and the Kona crossover.

Moving to the sides, the Hyundai QXi gets a large glasshouse for front and the rear passengers with the window line ending in an upward kink, again a familiar design feature seen on other Hyundai models.  The SUV gets chunky, rounded wheel arches giving the model a proper off-roader look.  At the back, the SUV is expected to get a simple tailgate design and will look more like a baby-Creta when viewed from the rear three quarters.

The Hyundai QXi will also follow the Creta’s footsteps in terms of its cabin and features. Premium-looking interiors and decent legroom, coupled with a long feature list, is what can be expected from this SUV. Expect a sophisticated touchscreen to be integrated on to the dashboard.

Under the hood, the QXi compact SUV will come with a range of BS-VI ready engines. Hyundai will introduce its all-new 1.0-litre turbo petrol motor good for 118hp and 171Nm of torque. Additionally, there will also be a new 1.5-litre diesel engine on offer, expected to be in a 115hp and 250Nm state of tune. There are talks of Hyundai offering the familiar 1.2-litre Kappa petrol engine as well.

The Hyundai QXi will be the smallest SUV from the Korean carmaker in India. Besides the Vitara Brezza that currently leads the segment in sales, the QXi will also rival the Tata Nexon, the Ford EcoSport as well as upcoming compact SUVs from Mahindra and Kia.

What are the features and traits, you'd like to see on the Hyundai compact SUV? Let us know in the comments section below.

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PhotoGallery: Lamborghini Urus India image gallery

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Renault Lodgy scores zero stars in Global NCAP crash test

Global NCAP has announced crash test results for two more cars as part of its Safer Cars for India campaign, and in sharp contrast to the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza's stellar performance, the Renault Lodgy has received a dismal zero-star rating in the Global NCAP crash test.

The Lodgy was given zero stars for adult occupant protection. Global NCAP's test report attributes the Renault MPV's poor showing down to a lack of airbags on the base variant (which was tested), and also an unstable structure, noting deformations in multiple areas on impact.

"The zero star result was partly due to the lack of airbags which caused the head and chest to impact the steering wheel. The car also showed an unstable structure during the crash with deformations even in the rear door and a rupture in the footwell area during the crash," the report notes.

The Lodgy was given two stars for child occupant protection, and Global NCAP's report explains the lack of Isofix child seat anchorages could prove to be dangerous in the event of a crash.

"The lack of Isofix anchorages meant that the child seats needed to be installed with adult seatbelts, that could not prevent excessive forward excursion of the 3-year old dummy which impacted its head on the driver seat backrest," states the report.

Commenting on the Lodgy's performance, David Ward, Secretary General, Global NCAP, said "The zero-star Renault Lodgy is extremely disappointing. Global NCAP had hoped that Renault had learned from the difficult experience they had with the Kwid. It’s time now for Renault to make front airbags standard across their entire Indian product range."

It's worth noting that only the top-spec Lodgy, the RxZ, gets an airbag for the driver and co-passenger. The base Standard (Rs 8.33 lakh) and RxE (Rs 9.34 lakh) variants get no airbags. In the past, Global NCAP has also tested the Kwid, which had also received a zero-star rating for the base variant, and a one-star rating for the variant with a driver airbag.

All prices, ex-showroom, Delhi

Also see:

Maruti Vitara Brezza achieves four-star Global NCAP rating

Global NCAP ‘Stop The Crash’ campaign to be launched in India

Ford Figo facelift (Ka) gets three-star Latin NCAP rating

2018 Suzuki Jimny receives 3-star Euro NCAP rating

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Maruti Vitara Brezza achieves four-star Global NCAP rating

The hugely popular Maruti Vitara Brezza SUV has secured a four-star rating in a recent crash test conducted by safety watchdog Global NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme). The star ratings are based on the car’s overall performance in crash protection as well as crash avoidance technologies that it is equipped with.

Equipped with dual airbags, ABS, and Isofix anchorages as standard, the Maruti Vitara Brezza SUV achieved four stars for adult occupant protection and was found to be "good and robust".

In terms of child occupant protection, the Brezza scored two stars due to the forward facing position of the 18-month old dummy in the test, though the three-year old dummy received good protection. The markings for the Isofix anchorages were also incorrect according to Global NCAP testing protocols.

“The four-star result for Maruti Suzuki’s Vitara Brezza is really impressive. It demonstrates clearly the safety engineering capabilities of India’s leading vehicle manufacturer. It also shows the beneficial effects of the Indian Government’s new crash test standards helping to raise levels of vehicle safety. We are getting very close now to seeing India’s first five star car," speaking about the Brezza's performance in the crash tests, David Ward, secretary general of Global NCAP.

The Vitara Brezza was launched as compliant with India’s latest crash test norms, and was one of nine Maruti's, out of the carmaker's 15-model-strong passenger vehicle line-up, that meet the norms. The new norms for full-frontal impact, off-set-frontal impact and side impact have been in force on all cars launched in India since October 1, 2017 will extend to all cars on sale in the country from October 1, 2019. Interestingly, Brezza's chief rival Tata Nexon also secured a four-star Global NCAP rating recently. 

Today's results were announced at the first-ever ‘Global NCAP World Congress’ currently underway in Delhi. GNCAP launched the ‘Stop The Crash’ campaign on the opening day of the event.

Also see:

Global NCAP ‘Stop The Crash’ campaign to be launched in India

Ford Figo facelift (Ka) gets three-star Latin NCAP rating

2018 Suzuki Jimny receives 3-star Euro NCAP rating

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PhotoGallery: Vazirani Automotive Shul hypercar image gallery

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Vazirani displays Shul hypercar in India

Mumbai-based car company Vazirani Automotive has showcased the Shul hypercar – for the first time in India - at its studio in the city, a little over two months after the Shul made its debut at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Billed as the first Indian hypercar, the Shul uses a micro-turbine range extender paired with a lightweight battery pack, which charges the individual motors powering each of the four wheels. Speaking to Autocar India, chief designer Chunky Vazirani said, “The idea was to create something that has uses a unique powertrain and a unique design to go with that powertrain.” Vazirani also added that the Shul was designed under the guidance of the man behind the Gran Turismo video game, Kazunori Yamauchi, and to that effect, features a Gran Turismo logo just above the high-mounted, centre-exit exhaust. It is also supposed to be featured in the game, though how it will be incorporated into the series is unclear at this time.

The futuristic-looking Shul has an eye-catching but smooth, flowing design with plenty of air ducts designed to generate adequate downforce to keep the 1,000+hp hypercar planted at high speeds. There’s a massive radiator that runs across the center of the car. The front bumper features a large intake that feeds air to the batteries - located along the central tunnel and behind the passenger cell - and also creates a lot of downforce at the front. In fact, there’s also an air duct under the headlights to cool the brakes.

The rear features an integrated spoiler and a double diffuser which, in Vazirani’s words, “has been inspired by an F1 car”. Interestingly, the corners at the back have been chopped off to stop the air from spooling around the car. There are also two fins at the back, which, apart from channelling the air, also work as mounting points for the spoiler. It even has cameras instead of wing mirrors, a feature already available on the Audi e-tron electric SUV.

Employing a micro-turbine also means using smaller (and thus lighter) batteries, which normally account for a big chunk of the weight in electric cars. “A turbine range-extender allows us to work with a smaller battery pack (which weighs around 300kg) and provide aural drama to spice up the whole experience,” Vazirani said.

Just how quick will it be? Vazirani tells us the company is targeting a 0-100kph time of under 2.5 seconds. The company is also aiming for the Shul to have a pure electric range of 150-200km.

Moreover, modularity will be a key aspect of the Shul hypercar, and Vazirani plans to offer multiple battery options and motor configurations in the future.

Set to go into production in 2021, the Shul won’t be the only car to be developed by Vazirani Automotive. The company has planned multiple cars, but the first ones, to begin with, will be based on the Shul.

Also see:

In profile: Chunky Vazirani, the man behind the Shul

Vazirani Automotive Shul hypercar image gallery

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