Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara Gets 5 Star BNCAP Safety Rating on Official India Launch Day

BNCAP, the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme, has announced its safety ratings for the Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara, just as it is launched officially in India. The first electric vehicle from India’s largest carmaker has received a full five-star rating for both adult and child safety. This comes just months after it received a four-star Euro NCAP rating, and is the latest feather in Maruti’s cap following the Dzire, Victoris, and Invicto also achieving five stars.

Its scores of 31.49 out of 32 for adult occupant protection and 43 out of 49 for child occupant protection place it just a hair behind its sibling, the Maruti Suzuki Victoris which scored 31.66 and 43 points respectively. In terms of its rivals, the Mahindra BE 6 was awarded 31.97 and 45 respectively, while the Tata Curvv EV’s scores stand at 30.81 and 44.83 respectively.

BNCAP tested the Alpha 61kWh variant of the e-Vitara, and says these ratings also apply to the Delta 49kWh and Zeta 61kWh variants. Crash tests were performed in September this year. The test report notes that Maruti Suzuki will sell the e-Vitara with ESC (Electronic Stability Control), curtain airbags for side head protection, a Pedestrian Protection System, and seatbelt reminders as standard equipment on all variants.

Under the current testing regime, which is soon to be upgraded, the Maruti Suzuki e-Vitara was subjected to multiple crash test, simulating different kinds of accident scenarios. Frontal Offset Deformable Barrier Test, it managed 15.49 out of 16 possible points, while it aced the Side Movable Deformable Barrier Test with a full 16 out of 16. Adult occupant protection was deemed good, except for the driver’s chest and lower legs, which received an “adequate” rating.

As for child occupant safety, the e-Vitara got full points in the Dynamic Score section for front and side protection of 18-month-old and three-year-old child test dummies. It also got full points for Child Restraint System, ie car seat installation, with ISOFIX and i-Size anchor points in the outer rear seats. However, the vehicle assessment score was 7 out of 13. 

The e-Vitara is manufactured in India and has been exported to multiple countries even before its official launch here. It is strategically important for Maruti Suzuki as its first EV in India, and part of a renewed push to reclaim its majority market share here as competitors increasingly offer compelling options.