There are lakhs of road accidents in India every year, so safety has become the most important thing while buying a car. As a result, along with mileage and looks, people now also give importance to crash test ratings. Let's take a look at the safest cars in the country that have received 5-star ratings from India NCAP and Global NCAP.
What is India NCAP?
Bharat NCAP was launched by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in August 2023. It crash tests cars and gives them a rating from 0 to 5 stars. In this test, front and side collisions are assessed. To get a 5-star rating, a car has to score at least 27 points for adult protection and 41 points for child protection.
Importance of Global NCAP
Global NCAP is an independent international crash-testing agency that has been testing cars sold in India since 2014. The India NCAP norms are also based on the Global NCAP 2022 standards.
The safest cars and their rating
Premium and Electric Segment:
At present, Tata Harrier EV and Mahindra XEV 9e are among the safest cars in the country. Additionally, the Tata Punch.EV has achieved the highest scores ever: 31.46/32 and 45/49.
Petrol-Diesel Family Car Segment:
The Kia Seltos has scored 31.70/32, making it the safest petrol-diesel car we have tested so far. Tata Sierra also scored 31.14 points for adult occupant protection and 44.73 points for child occupant protection.
Budget Segment (less than ₹10 lakh):
The Hyundai Venue has scored an excellent score of 31.15/32 at a price of around ₹8 lakh. Tata Nexon also scored 29.41 points for adult protection and 43.83 points for child protection. compact SUV segment
Mahindra XUV 3XO has scored 29.36/32 and 43/49. Its AX5L and AX7 variants are equipped with level-2 ADAS system. Meanwhile, the Tata Punch CNG AMT variant has become the first CNG automatic car to receive a 5-star rating.
other special cars
Both the Renault Duster and Nissan Terrano scored 30.49/32 and 45/49 respectively. The petrol and diesel models of Tata Safari and Harrier also achieved 5-star rating by scoring 30.08/32 and 44.54/49 respectively. The Mahindra XUV700 holds the record for the highest overall score among cars tested in India; It scored 57.69/66 overall in adult and child safety tests. It is the first large 7-seater SUV to get a 5-star rating.
Why are airbags and ADAS important?
Nowadays, most 5-star rated cars come with at least six airbags, ESC, ABS and ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard. Apart from this, ADAS is now being provided in premium and mid-size cars also. This system includes features like automatic braking, lane-keeping assist and collision warning, all of which help reduce the chances of accidents.
Which car to choose: from budget to premium?
If your budget is less than ₹10 lakh, then Hyundai Venue and Tata Nexon are great options. For a large family SUV, the Mahindra XUV700 and Tata Safari are the best options. For those who are interested in electric vehicles, Tata Harrier EV and Mahindra XEV 9e are among the safest cars in the country today.