Several popular Indian car models fail in UK agency safety test

The cars tested were Maruti Suzuki Celerio, Maruti Suzuki Eeco, Mahindra Scorpio, Hyundai Eon and three versions of Renault Kwid.

The cars were crashed at 65kmph speed.

In the child safety category, except Maruti Suzuki Celerio, which got a single star, others got two stars each.

According to Autocar Professional, Maruti Suzuki Alto 800, the Hyundai i10, the Ford Figo, the Volkswagen Polo and the Tata Nano failed the crash tests conducted in January 2014 while Nissan's Datsun Go and the Maruti Suzuki Swift failed the November 2014 tests.

Commenting on the latest test results published on Tuesday, David Ward, Secretary General of Global NCAP said, “The latest SaferCarsforIndia results show how important it is for cars to have a body shell that can remain stable in a crash. This is an absolutely crucial pre-requisite for occupant safety together with fitment at least of front air bags."

The Renault Kwid was tested in three versions, including one with airbags, but each was rated as zero star for adult safety.

Ward added, "It is very surprising that a manufacturer like Renault introduced the Kwid initially lacking this essential feature. Global NCAP strongly believes that no manufacturer anywhere in the world should be developing new models that are so clearly sub-standard. Car makers must ensure that their new models pass the UN’s minimum crash test regulations, and support use of an airbag."

According to the Global NCAP website, "As a result of Global NCAP’s SaferCarsforIndia crash testing, Renault has sought to improve the safety performance of the Kwid. Four versions of the Kwid have been produced with different safety features, with the fourth only recently released and yet to be tested by Global NCAP."

Image: Global NCAP website