Under the “Safer Cars For India” initiative, Global NCAP has been testing Indian passenger vehicles to determine their on-road safety quality. It has been observed that Indian car manufacturers like Mahindra and Tata Motors, have passed most of the tests with flying colours. Whereas, some of the most popular segment-leading cars have come up with shocking results. One such instance happened yesterday when Global NCAP released the latest crash test reports, claiming that the Maruti-Suzuki S-Presso got a zero rating for adult occupant safety.
More details
The Indian automotive world was sent into a mode of frenzy as soon as the results were made public. The news of S-Presso scoring zero stars soon spread like wildfire. And now, Maruti Suzuki has issued a statement claiming that all its products comply with global standards.
Maruti’s Official Statement
“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.”
Global NCAP’s official statement
“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 performance. Surely it’s time for Suzuki Maruti to demonstrate this commitment to safety for its customers,” said Alejandro Furas, Secretary-General, Global NCAP.
In another statement, David Ward, President, Towards Zero Foundation, said, “We have seen important progress on car safety in India, with new legislation introduced by the government and manufacturers like Mahindra and Tata accepting the Global NCAP five-star challenge and producing models which go well beyond minimum regulatory requirements. 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 recognize this.”
Maruti S-Press Crash Test Results
As per the results, S-Presso has received zero stars for adult occupant protection and two stars for child occupant protection. This is because the S-Presso offers only a driver airbag as standard. As per the test result, the passenger’s neck and chest zone have been severely impacted due to the crash, which explains the reason behind the zero-star result. NCAP has rated the S-Presso’s structure, footwell, and body as unstable and should be improved. Also, the S-Presso does not come with 3-point belts in all positions or ISOFIX anchorages for the Child Restraint Systems (CRS).