EXCLUSIVE: Maruti Finally Gets Serious On Crash Safety | Five Stars For Dzire

The new generation Maruti Suzuki Dzire has done the unthinkable. It has achieved a 5-star crash safety rating for adult occupant protection at Global NCAP. The car has also managed a strong 4-star score for child occupant protection. The incredibly positive result comes 10 years after the first Maruti-made car got zero stars in Global NCAP’s Safer Cars for India programme that began in 2013-14. Alejandro Furas, Secretary General told Acko Drive, “It's the most important car we have probably tested in the programme so far. And it’s a major change from the manufacturer – how they shifted their vision into what should come as standard in terms of safety. And for us, it’s a major improvement into the manufacturer’s view, but also I think it's a major movement for the consumers in India.” 

The new 4^th generation Maruti Suzuki Dzire subcompact sedan was tested under the latest more stringent protocol of testing set by Global NCAP for the Indian market. And while it is the 15th test involving a Maruti model at GNCAP, this is the first voluntary test – meaning the car was sent for testing by Maruti Suzuki. All previous tests had been involuntary. Global NCAP also crash-tested the previous-gen car a few months earlier, and it managed only 2 stars. More details on that further below.  

The new Maruti Suzuki Dzire is ready for market launch in India next week. It brings many firsts to the model line – like its hatch sibling (Maruti Suzuki Swift) did a few months ago. Besides the creature comfort add-ons, that also includes huge step-ups on safety. 6 airbags, ESC (electronic stability control), 3-point seatbelts with reminders for all 5 passengers, i-Size (updated ISOFIX) child restraint system anchors, and a much-improved construction using more high strength steel. The Dzire received 31.24 of a maximum of 34 points to get its 5-stars. On the child safety side, the score got a huge bump up due to the presence of the side curtain airbags. There it managed 39.20 points out of a max 49. This puts the Dzire right up there in terms of scores achieved by Indian-made cars crash-tested by Global NCAP. We asked Maruti Suzuki India for a statement but have yet to receive the same. 

But the clincher here is the upgrade to the new more stringent testing protocol. So, the Dzire’s evaluation also included tests like the pole test and pedestrian safety tests, besides the frontal-offset crash, side impact crash test, and high-speed stability testing. The car has come through with flying colours on all fronts. Acko Drive was the only Indian publication on-site to witness some of these tests, and details of our on-ground report can be seen here. Given how hard Global NCAP has been pushing manufacturers to up the safety capability of cars made in India, Maruti’s move is a massive victory. 

I have been fortunate to have tracked this journey, and also to have pushed some of this agenda myself. So, I have to say this is a real feeling of coming full circle. Alejandro Furas also said, “This car is one of the bestselling cars shared with another model (Swift) as well. And having it come with the standard ESC, standard 6 airbags, and a good performance because actually, we have seen pretty good results in the protection I think it’s an incredible progress.” 

Maruti Suzuki has found itself in the eye of the storm – with several zero-star, 1-star, and 2-star results. Only the Vitara Brezza in 2018 had managed a 4-star result in the past. In fact, Global NCAP did have some cars from Maruti in its list of involuntary crash tests planned for 2024. That is how the previous Dzire was also crashed. Results of the older test are also out today. 

And like all involuntary tests the manufacturer was offered a chance to upgrade the car. That’s when Suzuki informed Global NCAP about a new generation car it would like to volunteer. The difference between the two is obvious. The old car did not have 6 airbags, nor 3-point seatbelts for all occupants, and also had an unstable bodyshell. That shows you why it’s gone from only 2 stars to now getting 5 stars for the new-gen car! Incredible. Let’s hope Maruti Suzuki follows this for all new models from here on.