Crash ratings from New Car Assessment Programs (NCAP) are a reliable indicator of a vehicle’s safety. Global NCAP tests Indian cars (as part of the Safer Cars For India campaign), and Latin NCAP tests some of them, such as the VW Virtus. The two agencies collaborated to test over a dozen different models that will be sold in India in 2022.
Here’s a list of the top five winners and top five losers in NCAP tests this year:Â
Winner: Skoda Kushaq/Volkswagen TaigunÂ
The Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun platform siblings performed admirably in Global NCAP crash tests, earning full five-star ratings for adult and child occupant protection. The two compact SUVs come standard with ESC and dual airbags.
Winner: Mahindra Scorpio NÂ
The Scorpio N received five stars for adult occupant safety and three stars for child safety. The base-spec SUV tested had dual airbags, but GNCAP claims that units with six airbags account for the majority of its sales.
Winner: Mahindra XUV700Â
Given the SUV’s five-star adult and four-star child occupant safety ratings, Global NCAP named it a “Safer Choice.” It’s one of the few models in its class to include driver-assistance features in the top-spec models.
Winner: Volkswagen VirtusÂ
Latin NCAP tested the made-in-India Volkswagen sedan and gave it five stars, with a 92% score for both adult and child occupant protection. While the South American Virtus comes standard with six airbags, the India-spec sedan has dual airbags on lower variants.
Winner: Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger
The Nissan Magnite and its platform cousin, the Renault Kiger, both received four stars in GNCAP’s adult safety tests, with a two-star rating for child occupants. The sub-4-metre SUV also performed admirably in the ASEAN NCAP safety tests. Even in higher-spec variants, it lacks six airbags, but the SUV’s stable body structure helped it achieve a good safety rating.
Loser: Kia CarensÂ
For adult and child safety, Kia’s people mover received a subpar three-star rating. Despite the fact that the Carens MPV comes standard with six airbags. It demonstrates that not only are safety features important, but the vehicle must also have a stable body structure.
Loser: Honda WR-VÂ
Latin NCAP gave the Honda subcompact SUV a one-star rating, with a 41% rating for adult and child occupant safety. The model tested in Brazil was similar to the model tested in India, with dual front airbags as standard.
Loser: Maruti SwiftÂ
Maruti’s hatchback managed to bag only one star for adult safety and one star for child safety. Its body shell was rated ‘unstable’ in the frontal crash tests. The hatchback’s rating dropped from two stars to one after being retested by Global NCAP’s more stringent norms.
Loser: Maruti S-PressoÂ
The Ignis received a crash rating of one star for adult safety and zero stars for child safety, which is similar to the Ignis. The former, on the other hand, is a step up from the previous India-spec model’s zero test score. It has dual airbags and a ‘unstable’ body structure, as required by the government.
Loser: Maruti Ignis
The Ignis received a similar dismal crash rating of one star for adult safety and zero stars for child safety. The former, on the other hand, is an improvement over the previous India-spec model’s test score of zero. It comes standard with dual airbags and a ‘unstable’ body structure, as mandated by the government.
 are a reliable indicator of a vehicle's safety. Global NCAP tests Indian cars (as part of the Safer Cars For India campaign), and Latin NCAP tests some of them, such as the VW Virtus. The two agencies collaborated to test over a dozen different models that will be sold in India in 2022.){kind=link}