Volkswagen and Skoda Auto has proven how German engineering can ensure some of the safest cars around the world. Four of their products, which include sedans like Virtus and Slavia and SUVs like Taigun and Kushaq, are now the safest among all the cars one can buy in the country. However, it does not mean that Indian carmakers are lagging too far behind. Led by auto giants like Tata Motors and Mahindra, the list of 10 safest cars also include six models, few of them with five-star Global NCAP ratings. Here is a quick look at the top 10 safest cars of India.
Volkswagen Virtus
The compact sedan from the German auto giant is the latest entrant in the list. Along with its technical cousin Skoda Slavia, Virtus has become India’s first sedan to sail through the Global NCAP crash tests with the highest possible five-star rating in both adult and child occupant protection tests. Virtus scored 29.71 out of 34 points in Adult occupant protection test and 42 out of 49 points in Child occupant protection test.
Skoda Slavia
Underpinned by the same platform used for Virtus, Slavia is Skoda’s flagship model which replaced the older Rapid sedan last year. The new platform along with enhanced safety measures, helped the sedan to notch up highest safety rating at the Global NCAP. Slavia scored similar points as the Virtus. Both sedans were also tested for pedestrian safety measures too.
Volkswagen Taigun
The safest SUV on Indian road also comes from the German carmaker Volkswagen and its Czech partner Skoda. The Taigun compact SUV scored the perfect 5 at the Global NCAP crash test last year. The SUV secured five-star safety rating in both adult and child occupant protection measures, a first for any cars from India. With an overall safety score of 71.64 points, the Taigun is the safest car in India.
Skoda Kushaq
Kushaq compact SUV from Skoda, which is the technical cousin of the Volkswagen Taigun, returned with the similar safety rating at the Global NCAP crash tests. Built on a shared platform and offered with similar safety features, the Kushaq also scored five-star safety rating in both adult and child occupant protection programme.
Mahindra Scorpio-N
The Scorpio-N SUV, which is the new generation version of the flagship Scorpio SUV from Mahindra and Mahindra has received the highest safety score among all Indian cars. It scored 58.18 points at the Global NCAP crash tests in which the SUV secured five-star rating in adult occupant protection, but scored only three-star in child occupant protection. It is now officially the safest SUV from the Indian carmaker.
Mahindra XUV700
Mahindra’s flagship XUV700 SUV was earlier its safest car on offer. The XUV700 had also secured five-star rating with top honours in the adult occupant protection programme and four-star rating child occupant protection. However, with an overall safety score of 57.69 points, it now sits slightly lower than the Scorpio-N.
Tata Punch
The safest car from another Indian carmaker Tata Motors is the smallest SUV that any company offers in the country. The Punch surprised a few by securing overall five-star rating at the Global NCAP. The safety ratings were similar to the XUV700 when it came to adult or child occupant protection programme. However, the overall safety score of Punch is 57.34 points.