While Baleno and Grand Vitara have not undergone any 3rd party crash tests, Maruti Brezza tested in 2018 by GNCAP had got 4-star rating
With Bharat NCAP launched in India, car users will now be able to make more informed choices. Crash tests under Bharat NCAP will commence from October 01, 2023. It will cover vehicles that weigh less than or equal to 3,500 kg.
Bharat NCAP will be a voluntary exercise, where OEMs can provide their cars for crash tests. Already, more than 30 cars have been listed for testing. India’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki will be providing Brezza, Baleno and Grand Vitara for Bharat NCAP crash tests. More Maruti cars will be covered at a later date.
Brezza, Baleno, Grand Vitara at Bharat NCAP – what to expect?
Maruti entry-level cars like S-Presso, Swift, WagonR and Ignis have received 1-star rating in Global NCAP crash tests. Alto K10 has 2-star rating. Maruti Ertiga scored 3 stars, whereas Brezza has 4-star rating. It is apparent that Maruti’s entry-level cars haven’t been doing well in the crash tests. It remains to be seen how they will perform in Bharat NCAP crash tests.
Talking about Brezza, Baleno and Grand Vitara, these are among bestsellers in their respective segments. Quite a huge number of users will be interested in knowing the crash test safety ratings of these cars. Brezza tested in 2018 had scored 4-star in Adult safety and 2-star in Child safety.
As Maruti has upgraded safety features across its portfolio, it is possible that Brezza can get higher ratings in Bharat NCAP crash tests. Same could be true for Baleno and Grand Vitara, which are part of the first lot Maruti has signed up for Bharat NCAP crash tests.
Maruti Brezza, Baleno, Grand Vitara safety features
Brezza top-spec variants have safety features such as 360° view camera, head up display, electronic stability program, hill hold assist, rear view camera, reverse parking sensor with infographic display, and anti-theft security system. Baleno has largely the same set of safety features. Grand Vitara has some additional equipment such as tyre pressure monitoring system, hill descent control and acoustic vehicle alert system.
In Bharat NCAP, cars will be tested for Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), Child Occupant Protection (COP) and Safety Assist Technologies (SAT). Maruti Brezza, Baleno and Grand Vitara utilize Suzuki’s TECT platform. This has a significant percentage of high tensile steel. It is designed for optimal dispersion and absorption of crash energy. The TECT platform can help Maruti cars score high rankings in Bharat NCAP.
Apart from Brezza, Baleno and Grand Vitara, there are various other Maruti cars that could undergo Bharat NCAP crash tests in future. For example, Jimny and Fronx have registered strong sales. Other bestsellers include Eeco, Ertiga and XL6. Then there’s the recently launched flagship, Invicto. Hundreds of thousands of users and prospective buyers will surely want to know the safety ratings of these cars.
