The made-in-India Suzuki Baleno has received a 2-star safety rating in the latest Latin NCAP crash tests, as per results released in December 2025. The tested model was the Baleno equipped with six airbags, manufactured in India and exported to Latin American markets. Baleno with 2 airbags got 1 star rating. The rating applies specifically to vehicles sold in Latin NCAP regions and does not directly reflect the India-spec assessment under Bharat NCAP norms.
According to the official test data, the Baleno scored 79% for Adult Occupant Protection, 65% for Child Occupant Protection, 48% for Pedestrian Protection, and 58% for Safety Assist. Latin NCAP confirmed that the bodyshell was rated as stable and capable of withstanding further loadings. Frontal and side impact protection for adult occupants was largely rated as good to adequate, while whiplash protection in rear impact tests also received a good assessment.
Safety Equipment and Missing Assist Features Impact Overall Score
While the Baleno tested by Latin NCAP comes with six airbags, ESC as standard, seatbelt reminders for all seating positions and ISOFIX child-seat mounts, the absence of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) played a key role in limiting its overall star rating. The model lacks features such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Assist, Speed Assist, Blind Spot Detection and other active safety technologies, all of which carry significant weight in Latin NCAP’s Safety Assist scoring criteria.
As a result, despite respectable crash structure performance, the Safety Assist score remained moderate, which ultimately capped the Baleno’s overall star rating at three stars under the Latin NCAP protocol.
Contrast With Bharat NCAP Results in India
Interestingly, earlier this year, Bharat NCAP tested the India-spec Maruti Suzuki Baleno, where it secured a 4-star safety rating – for both 2 airbags and 6 airbags variant. The difference in star ratings highlights how varying assessment protocols, scoring weightages, and safety feature expectations across regions can lead to different outcomes for the same vehicle architecture.
Latin NCAP has clarified that the rating applies only to Baleno models sold in its markets, which often have different feature packaging compared to Indian variants. The test vehicle was confirmed to be manufactured in India and exported, reinforcing India’s role as a global production hub for Maruti Suzuki’s premium hatchback . Overall, the results underline the importance of evaluating crash test ratings within their regional and regulatory context, rather than drawing direct comparisons across different NCAP programmes.
