Seven Indian Cars Get Lowest Possible Safety Ratings

Seven cars made in India receive zero stars for adult-occupant protection from an international auto-safety agency.

Global NCAP assigned the ratings to the Maruti Suzuki Celerio, Maruti Suzuki Eeco, Mahindra Scorpio, Hyundai Eon and three versions of the Renault Kwid, including the only one of the seven models tested equipped with front airbags.

Six of the seven cars earned just two of a possible five stars for child-occupant protection. The Celerio received one.

‟Global NCAP strongly believes that no manufacturer anywhere in the world should be developing new models that are so clearly substandard,ˮ David Ward, secretary-general of the nonprofit testing agency, says in a statement released during the Indian Automobile Safety Conference hosted by the Institute of Road Transport Engineers.

‟Car makers must ensure that their new models pass the (United Nationsʼ) minimum crash-test regulations and support use of an airbag.ˮ

Dual airbags are optional on the Scorpio.

The zero-star ratings reflected the carsʼ overall structural weakness, combined with the lack of front airbags, according to U.K.-based Global NCAP.

“The results highlight the importance of the Indian government’s decision to mandate front- and side-impact crash tests from October 2017,ˮ Ward says. ‟Legislative action is needed to ensure that the minimum levels of occupant protection recommended by the United Nations are guaranteed for Indian consumers.

‟But manufacturers don’t have to wait for legislation and we urge them to act to eliminate all zero-star cars from production as soon as possible.ˮ

All four automakers said their vehicles meet current Indian safety criteria but will be upgraded when tougher safety standards take effect in 2017, The Times of India reported.

Claiming it had made safety improvements, Renault proposed that Global NCAP test a Kwid in production since early April. Models with and without airbags were tested. The safety agency says it noted structural reinforcements in the version without airbags, but only on the driver’s side. The model equipped with a driver’s-side airbag received zero stars for front-occupant protection because of high compression in the test dummy’s chest area.

A fourth version of the Kwid equipped with what Renault calls improved safety features went into production earlier this month has not yet been tested by Global NCAP.