Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Gets One-Star GNCAP Safety Rating, Celerio Gets Three Stars After Airbag Upgrade

Both the Celerio (left) and the Ciaz (right) are manufactured in India and exported to multiple countries around the world.

Global NCAP, the independent car safety evaluation and crash testing agency, has released test results for the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and Celerio, under its Safer Cars for India initiative. Both results are disappointing, especially following a string of excellent scores and five-star ratings for newly launched models from both GNCAP and its counterpart Bharat NCAP. 

In a press statement, Richard Woods, Chief Executive Officer, Global NCAP, said “We are encouraged that Maruti Suzuki is committed to improving safety with five star performance for new models like the Dzire and Victoris, it remains disappointing however that some legacy models fall short.”

Maruti Suzuki Ciaz safety rating

The Ciaz compact sedan, first launched in India in late 2014, is exported and sold in other markets, including a version rebadged by Toyota as the Belta. It received a facelift in 2018, and despite multiple reports of its discontinuation, is still listed as a current model on Maruti Suzuki’s website  as part of the premium Nexa range, with a starting price of ₹9.09 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). In its statement, GNCAP characterised the Ciaz’s test result as “extremely disappointing”.

The Ciaz scored 20.86 points out of 34 for adult occupant protection, but only 28.57 out of 49 for child occupant protection. Head and neck protection for adults was “good”. However, chest protection was rated “weak” in the side deformable barrier impact test, and foot protection for the driver was “poor”, along with “marginal” chest and leg protection in the front offset deformable barrier test. A side impact pole test was not conducted as side airbags aren’t available even as an option. The car’s footwell and body shell were rated “unstable”. One star was granted because the Ciaz does have ESC and seatbelt reminders as standard.

As for child safety, standard car seats were able to offer adequate head protection. Three-point seatbelts for all seats are not standard. Airbags cannot be disabled when a child seat is installed in the front passenger seat, but there is a warning about this. 

Maruti Suzuki Celerio safety rating

Meanwhile, the Celerio hatchback which now comes with six airbags standard, managed three stars with scores of 18.04 out of 34 for adult occupant protection and 18.57 out of 49 for child occupant protection. Stars are awarded based on features such as airbag count, seatbelt specifications, and ability to install child seats. 

For adults, driver chest protection in the frontal deformable barrier impact test was “weak”, while head and chest protection were both “marginal” in the side deformable barrier impact test. Neck protection for the driver and passenger were “good” but head protection for drivers was only “adequate”. In the side pole impact test, head and pelvis safety was “good” but chest and abdomen were only “marginal”. ESC, seatbelt reminders and the six airbags earned this model three stars.

Child seats were not enough to ensure adequate head, neck and chest protection for the 3-year-old and 18-month-old test dummies. The front airbag cannot be disabled when a child seat is installed. However, the Celerio still earns two stars for child occupant protection because it has three-point seatbelts and child restraint installation fixtures in all seats.

The third-gen Celerio was introduced in India in late 2021. A version with two airbags was also tested, and achieved two stars for adult safety and only one star for child occupant protection. This version is exported to various markets, including some African countries where it is sold as the Toyota Vitz. According to GNCAP, this result prompted Maruti Suzuki to improve safety equipment for future models and make six airbags standard, suggesting that it was tested earlier.