Shocking: Maruti Swift, Datsun Go fail crash tests

Maruti Suzuki’s premium selling model Swift and the Datsun Go havefailed the crash tests done by Global NCAP.

According to tests done by Global NCAP, an independent charity based in the UK focused on consumer-orientated vehicle safety initiatives, these cars received zero for adult protection ratings in a frontal impact at 64 km/hour.

“The Swift has received a zero star rating in the 64km/h frontal collision test. Two variants of the car were tested - one exported by Maruti to Latin America and another which sells as the base variant here in India. Latin American market regulations mean that car’s base variant too has airbags/ABS, while in India neither is standard,” NDTV reported today.

In the case of the Datsun Go, whose top-end variant is devoid of ABS and airbags, testers note that the “car’s body shell disintegrated severely”. The car received 0/5 stars even before it was crashed as it lacked ABS and airbags.

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Some of the most popular small cars sold in India, including Maruti Alto 800, Tata Nano, Ford Figo, Hyundai i10 and Volkswagen Polo, have failed crash tests conducted in January this year, showing high risk of life-threatening injuries in road accidents, according to Global NCAP.

The combined sales of these five cars account for around 20 percent of all the new cars sold in India last year, Global NCAP said.

Global NCAP said it also assessed the same models against the UN’s basic crash test of 40 per cent offset frontal impact test at 56km/hr, now widely applied by major manufacturing countries and regions, including Australia, China, European Union, Japan and Malaysia.

The Global Plan for the UN’s Decade of Action for Road Safety recommends that all Member States apply this standard, although it is not yet applied in India.