Maruti Suzuki has just secured its first-ever five-star Global NCAP crash safety rating. It’s a breakthrough moment for the brand whose cars thus far, had to contend with an adult safety rating of one or two stars at the most, leading to the brand being perceived as a maker of “tin can” cars.
What makes the rating more significant is the fact that it’s a mass-market, sub-four metre car like the Dzire and not a more premium product like the Grand Vitara that has been voluntarily offered to Global NCAP for a rating.
With this, Maruti Suzuki intends to signal the fact that the crash-worthiness of its budget products is a key priority for the brand and that it intends to rectify what has been perceived as a cavalier attitude towards passenger safety.
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What does this mean for the customer?
The key difference between the previous-generation Dzire and the new one is the standardisation of certain safety features. A lot of additional safety features available as standard fitments appear to have worked in the Dzire’s favour.
When compared to the last-generation Dzire, which received a two-star rating in both adult and child occupant safety parameters, the new one has received a five star rating primarily by adding a side head curtain airbag as a standard fitment for all seats, both at the front and rear. The Dzire now also comes with a side chest airbag for the driver and the front passenger.
Six airbags as standard, along with greater pedestrian safety and using 45% “Ultra and Advanced High Strength Steel” for greater structural integrity means that the cost for the base level Dzire, which at present bears an ex-showroom price tag of ₹6.59 lakh, will go up.
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In the past, Maruti Suzuki Chairman RC Bhargava has cautioned against making features like four airbags and seat-belt reminders mandatory as it raises the price barrier for consumers looking to upgrade from motorcycles and purchase their first car. With the entry-level segment shrinking, – its chief rival Hyundai has altogether exited the entry-level segment – Maruti Suzuki has decided that it would rather salvage its image by making a variety of features standard despite any legal requirement to do so – the six airbag rule, for instance, is not mandatory.
Maruti’s push for automotive safety is yet another attempt at refurbishing the brand’s image as it moves towards more high-margin, hybrid, and electric offerings.
Until the prices for the Maruti Suzuki Dzire are announced on Monday, it’s anybody’s guess just how much of the additional cost Maruti Suzuki will be willing to absorb at a time when the sales for its compact segment have experienced an 18.9% year-on-year decline.
In the second quarter of the fiscal year, the brand only registered a growth of 0.4 per cent – its slowest in three years. Besides, far more customers are now willing to pay more money for safety. According to McKinsey’s Automotive Consumer Survey, 58 per cent of respondents are willing to pay more money for safety while a staggering 70 per cent car buyers now view safety as the most important attribute.
Why crash safety ratings matter
Ever since Global NCAP started its “Safer Cars for India” initiative ten years ago, the notion of crashworthiness has become a major consideration for Indian car buyers who, in the past, chose not to go for optional safety features when given a choice. In this respect, two of India’s largest carmakers – Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai – fared particularly poorly, having been habituated to serving consumer preferences for gimmicks instead of safety features which were often not visible.
The movement brought to light the fact that many bestselling cars sold in India, including those offered by Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, used more high-grade steel instead of the ultra-high-strength steel it reserved for its international cars in a bid to manage costs.
The Suzuki Swift sold in European countries, for instance, secured a three-star safety rating. The same model sold in India, got a Global NCAP rating of one star in both adult and child occupant safety.
High levels of consumer awareness and social media memes aided by Gadkari’s own efforts at reducing road fatalities meant that carmakers had to address the issue. A report filed by Grant Thornton shows that 32 per cent of car buyers now look for advanced safety features, prioritising them over looks, comfort and performance.
According to Deloitte’s 2023 Global Automotive Consumer Study, 8 per cent of car owners would avoid using their vehicles on high-speed roads if they believe their car scored low in crashworthiness. Given how India’s highways have developed over the past few years, manufacturers can no longer ignore this statistic.
In light of these tests, it was Indian car manufacturers like Tata Motors and Mahindra that rose to prominence, showcasing the fact that although Maruti Suzuki had an extensive aftersales network and sold in higher numbers, it was Indian car makers that made safer cars. And for the first time, safer implied better.
As the country’s largest carmaker and former PSU, the country’s woeful road fatality statistics reflect particularly poorly on Maruti Suzuki, which statistically has more cars on Indian roads than any other brand.
Given the repeated admonitions of the Union minister of road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, who has urged automotive brands to adopt global safety standards, carmakers wanted to meet the government halfway by making six airbags standard, despite it being a legal requirement. No manufacturer wants to be caught on the wrong side of history.
The way forward
What remains to be seen is how the rest of its models fare with several of them up for assessment by India’s own Bharat NCAP – which follows more or less the same UN-based crash safety regulations. Will the Swift, with six airbags as standard be up-next for assessment?
Will Maruti Suzuki make more safety features standard across entry-level vehicles like the WagonR and the Alto? For now, the brand has much to celebrate having beaten both Hyundai and Kia to the punch, as neither have secured a Global NCAP rating of 5 stars for cars made in India.