Recent crash tests of Maruti S-Presso, Hyundai Grand i10 and Kia Seltos came out with disappointing results
The latest generation of Tata cars are the safest in Indian markets and it is proved in the Global NCAP crash test safety ratings. However, it seems that this has the homegrown brand the leverage to troll its rivals online.
It all started with Tata Motors trolling Maruti Suzuki for its safety rating obtained for S-Presso. The ‘micro SUV’ was recently awarded 0 safety stars in its crash test at Global NCAP. This was followed by the brand taking a shot at Hyundai’s best seller Grand i10 Nios which received only 2 stars in its crash test.
Tata Motors taking its MEME game seriously
Now, Tata Motors is at it again taking a dig at its rival Indo-Japanese brand for its low safety rating. This time it is WagonR which has to face the music.
The tallboy hatch received a generation update last year and was subsequently crash tested at Global NCAP and received a below-par 2-star safety rating. Tata Motors has roasted the popular Maruti hatchback on its social media handle by stating a caption, “Safety is ‘two‘ important to be ignored. Be smart before someone overturns your caRt”.
Alongside it, is a picture of a broken wooden wagon with a message that reads “Oh Sh**t WagonE” which is a subtle name-drop of WagonR. Here the capital R in the word ‘caRt’ is also a clue about the car’s identity. The caption further goes on to praise WagonR’s direct rival Tata Tiago which had achieved a 4-Star safety rating at Global NCAP a couple of years back.
When it comes to child safety rating WagonR received 2 stars whereas Tiago achieved a 3-star rating in this respect. Maruti has been infamous for its low-safety ratings at the Global NCAP crash tests and its cars have been generally perceived as not very safe.
Despite the fact that it is by far the largest carmaker in India and holds almost half of India’s passenger vehicle market. Barring Vitara Brezza (4-star) and Ertiga (3-star), all other cars have obtained below par safety ratings.
Significance of Vehicular Safety
Lately, safety in vehicles has been given a lot more importance by Indian consumers than before. A sizeable section of buyers also places vehicular safety on top of their priority list. With road accidents still a common sight on Indian roads in many parts of the country, safety becomes a vital part of car buying experience. However, manufacturers like Maruti continues to commit to safety standards set by the government which many feel need a quick revision.
