
Global NCAP has crash tested the made in India Maruti Ertiga once again – This time it is the South African spec
It was in 2019, that the Maruti Ertiga for Indian market was crash tested by Global NCAP. That time it had scored 3 star safety rating for adult safety, and 3 star for child safety. But in 2024, with new norms in place, the same car has been crash tested, but this time for the South African market. It has scored 1 star for adult safety and 2 star for child safety.
Maruti Ertiga Global NCAP Crash Test 2024
The India-made Ertiga, equipped with two frontal airbags as standard, demonstrated varied performance in different safety aspects. The vehicle’s structure was rated as borderline unstable, and the footwell area was deemed unstable, with pedal displacement indicating injury risks to the driver’s lower legs. However, adult occupant protection was mostly positive. The head and neck protection for adult occupants was rated as good, with the passenger’s chest receiving good protection and the driver’s chest receiving marginal protection.
In side impact tests, the Ertiga provided good protection for the head, pelvis, and abdomen, while chest protection was adequate. Notably, the Ertiga does not offer side airbags, even as an option. A significant concern was the failure of the passenger pretensioner to work properly.
Child occupant protection was rated as poor for the 18-month-old dummy, primarily because the Child Restraint System (CRS) was installed in a forward-facing position, contrary to best practice guidelines that recommend a rearward-facing position for better protection. Despite this, side impact protection for child occupants was rated as good.
The Ertiga only offers a lap belt in the rear center position, contributing to a significant loss of points in child occupant protection. Additionally, the inability to disconnect the passenger airbag when a rearward-facing CRS is installed in the front seat further compromised child safety. On a positive note, the Ertiga comes with standard ISOFIX anchorages. Overall, while the Ertiga showed commendable protection for adult occupants, areas such as child occupant safety and structural stability highlight room for improvement.
Comments on Maruti Ertiga Crash Test Results
Frontal Impact:
– For the 3-year-old child seat, installed forward-facing using ISOFIX anchorages and a top tether, the seat successfully prevented head exposure during the frontal impact. However, neck and chest protection were limited.
– For the 18-month-old child seat, also installed forward-facing using ISOFIX anchorages and a top tether, the seat failed to prevent high deceleration, resulting in poor protection for the head, chest, and neck during the frontal impact.
Side Impact:
– Both Child Restraint Systems (CRS) offered full protection during side impact tests.
Additional Concerns:
– The car does not provide 3-point seat belts in all seating positions as standard.
– While there is a warning about using a rearward-facing CRS in the front passenger seat, the car does not have the option to disconnect the passenger airbag if a rearward-facing CRS is installed in this position.
– CRS installation failed for the central position and for both positions of the larger CRS in the third row.
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