Shortly after unveiling the new fourth-generation Dzire in India, Maruti Suzuki has gotten the compact sedan crash tested by Global NCAP. The new Maruti Dzire has scored an impressive 5 stars in adult occupant protection (AOP) and a 4-star safety rating for child occupant protection (COP), making it the first Maruti to score a 5-star rating from Global NCAP.
- New Dzire scores 31.24 points out of 34 in AOP
- COP score is 39.20 points out of 42
- Gets six airbags and ESP as standard
Maruti has received a lot of criticism in the past for poor safety ratings of its cars. The Dzire was voluntarily sent by Maruti to Global NCAP for the crash test, indicating their confidence in its safety performance. Global NCAP even tested the previous-gen model as reference. Unsurprisingly, the third-gen Dzire secured a lowly 2-star rating for both adult and child occupant protection; the bodyshell and footwell area were also rated unstable. With the conversation around safety gaining ground in India, Maruti Suzuki seems to have finally paid heed.
Maruti Suzuki Dzire standard safety features
The Maruti Dzire tested by Global NCAP came equipped with six airbags, ESC, 3-point seat belts with reminders for all seats, ISOFIX mounts for the rear outboard seats, and seat belt pretensioner and load limiters at the front. The Dzire also complied with UN 127 pedestrian protection norms. The model tested was made in India for the domestic market.
New Maruti Dzire adult occupant protection
The Dzire secured a score of 31.24 points out of 34 in AOP. The report noted that the protection offered to the driver’s and passenger’s head and neck was good. However, protection for the driver’s chest was marginal, while that of the front passenger was adequate. Driver’s and passenger’s knees also showed good protection. Notably, both the bodyshell and footwell area were rated as stable, and the former was also capable of withstanding further loadings.
The Dzire was also tested for side impact where it showed good protection for head, chest, abdomen and pelvis. In the side pole impact test, head, abdomen and pelvis protection were good, but chest protection was marginal. ESC performance was also as per Global NCAP’s requirements.
New Maruti Dzire child occupant protection
In the COP test, the Dzire secured 39.20 points out of 42. The forward-facing child seat for the 3-year-old, installed using the ISOFIX anchorages, was able to prevent excessive forward movement during the frontal impact offering full protection to the head and chest but limited protection to the neck. The rearward-facing child seat for the 18-month-old, installed using the ISOFIX anchorages, was able to prevent head exposure during the frontal impact offering full protection. The CRS installation showed full protection for both the 18-month-old and 3-year-old during the crash, passing in all positions.
The front passenger airbag of the Dzire cannot be disconnected in case a rearward-facing CRS is installed on the front passenger seat, which is where it lost some points.
Global NCAP’s comment
In an official statement, David Ward, executive president of the Towards Zero Foundation said, “The new Dzire’s 5-star rating sets a significant safety benchmark for Maruti Suzuki compared to the previous version of this model and others from Maruti we have tested. Global NCAP warmly welcomes this milestone voluntary test result. We are optimistic that going forward Maruti will seek to achieve this high level of safety performance across their model range. If they do, it will be a vehicle safety game changer for Indian consumers.”
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