Bharat NCAP has crash-tested 20 models to date, including both ICE-powered vehicles and EVs.
02 Jul 2025 | 862 Views | By Uday Singh, Autocar India
Introduced by the Central government in 2023, the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP) has taken over the responsibility of Global NCAP to conduct crash tests and award scores to cars sold in the country. The government hopes this will help buyers make more informed purchase decisions. Since its inception, ...
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Introduced by the Central government in 2023, the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP) has taken over the responsibility of Global NCAP to conduct crash tests and award scores to cars sold in the country. The government hopes this will help buyers make more informed purchase decisions. Since its inception, BNCAP has tested 20 vehicles - primarily SUVs - and here are the results detailing how each car performed.
The Toyota Innova Hycross has a 5-star safety rating for both adult and child occupant protection with 30.47/32 points in AOP and 45/49 points in COP. In the frontal offset deformable barrier test, the Innova Hycross provided good protection for most of the body for both driver and passenger, but chest protection was only adequate. It was rated ‘OK’ in the side pole impact test. Bharat NCAP tested both petrol and hybrid variants of the Innova Hycross, and the rating applies to the entire Innova Hycross range. As standard, the Innova Hycross comes equipped with six airbags, 3-point seat belts with reminders for all passengers, ESC, and ISOFIX anchors; top-spec trim also gets an ADAS suite.
The Tata Harrier EV has been rated 5-stars in both adult and child occupant protection, scoring a full 32 points in AOP, and 45 out of 49 points in COP. It is only the second vehicle tested by BNCAP to secure maximum points in AOP, the other being the Mahindra XEV 9e. The Harrier EV comes equipped with six airbags (7 on Fearless and Empowered), 3-point seatbelts with reminders for all passengers, ESC, and ISOFIX anchors as standard. Notably, it has slightly better AOP and COP scores than the combustion-powered Harrier, which too has a 5-star BNCAP rating.
As the first sedan to be tested by Bharat NCAP, the Maruti Suzuki Dzire took home an impressive 5-star safety rating. The compact sedan scored 29.46 out of 32 points for adult occupant protection, and 41.57 out of 49 points for child occupant protection. BNCAP tested the Dzire's base LXI trim, which comes with standard safety equipment like 6 airbags, ESC, reverse parking sensors, hill hold assist, overspeed alerts, etc, thereby extending the 5-star rating to all variants.
Maruti Suzuki's premium hatchback - the Baleno - scored 4 stars in Bharat NCAP testing for its entire variant line-up, including trim levels equipped with 2 airbags (Sigma, Delta) and 6 airbags (Zeta, Alpha). Out of a maximum of 32 points, adult occupant protection for the Baleno's Sigma and Delta trims was rated 24.04, while the Zeta and Alpha trims got 26.52 points. Child occupant protection stood at 34.81 for all trim levels. Standard safety features for the Baleno include 2 airbags, ABS with EBD, brake assist, ESC, hill hold assist, 3-point seats with reminders for all passengers, reverse parking sensors, and more, with higher trims adding side and curtain airbags, a 360-degree camera, and a rearview camera to the mix.
The 30kWh and now-discontinued 40.5kWh variants of the Tata Nexon EV achieved a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating for both adult and child protection in May 2024, scoring 29.86/32 and 44.95/49 points, respectively. In April 2025, BNCAP also tested the current range-topping 45kWh variants of the Nexon EV, which received identical AOP and COP scores, and therefore a 5-star rating. Standard safety features for the Nexon EV include ABS with EBD, six airbags, ESP, hill hold control, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, rear parking sensors, rear camera and TPMS.
After securing 5-star ratings in both adult occupant protection (AOP) and child occupant protection (COP), the Kia Syros has become the latest SUV to be tested by the BNCAP. The compact SUV scored 30.21 out of 32 points in AOP and 44.42 out of 49 points in COP; ratings applicable to the entire Syros petrol range. It should be noted that the Syros is Kia’s first SUV to get a 5-star safety rating in a crash test done by either BNCAP or GNCAP. Although it uses the K1 platform as the Hyundai Grand i10 (got 2 stars in 2020 GNCAP), Kia achieved the top rating by using a reinforced K1 base and adding many hot-stamped parts to the body shell. The Syros offers ABS with EBD, TPMS and six airbags (with passenger-side airbag cut-off switch) as standard safety features.
The Skoda Kylaq compact SUV also got a 5-star rating in both adult and child occupant protection in the BNCAP crash testing. Skoda’s compact SUV scored 30.88 out of 32 in AOP and 45 out of 49 in child COP. Six airbags, three-point seat belts with reminders for all passengers, ESC and ISOFIX anchors for rear outboard seats are some safety features available across its variants.
The Mahindra XEV 9e coupe-SUV was awarded a 5-star rating in the latest round of Bharat NCAP crash tests. The electric SUV scored a full 32 points in AOP and 45 out of 49 points in COP. The model tested by BNCAP was the top-spec XEV 9e Pack-Three. Safety features like 6 airbags, ISOFIX anchors, rear disc brakes and tyre pressure monitors are offered from the range starting with the XEV 9e Pack One.
Another electric offering from Mahindra, the BE 6, also scored a 5-star rating in both AOP and COP. In AOP, the EV received 31.97 points out of 32, while it got 45 points out of 49 in COP. As for the side pole impact test, it was rated ‘OK’. Just like the XEV 9e, the BNCAP crash-tested the range-topping BE 6 Pack Three trim, but Mahindra claims that this rating applies to the base Pack One as well. In terms of standard safety equipment, the BE 6 comes with six airbags, a rear camera, parking sensors, TPMS and a driver drowsiness detection system.
The Tucson was the first Hyundai car tested by BNCAP in November 2024. Its 5-star rating in AOP and COP translated to 30.84 and 41 points, respectively. Available with petrol and diesel engines, only the former was crash-assessed, to which the scores apply. Regarding standard equipment, the SUV gets six airbags, ESC, three-point seatbelts with alarms, and ISOFIX anchorages for rear outboard seats.
The 5-star rating for the Mahindra Thar Roxx consisted of AOP and COP scores of 31.09 and 45, respectively. This safety rating applies to all the variants of the 5-door SUV. The Thar Roxx complies with AIS-100 pedestrian protection norms for keeping the occupants as well as pedestrians safe when on the go. As standard, it features six airbags and a cut-off switch for the passenger seat airbag. Additionally, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, all three-point seatbelts with reminders and ESC are offered throughout the range. Similar to the XUV 3XO, an ADAS suite is offered in the AX5L and AX7L variants.
Next up, the Mahindra XUV 3XO continued the 5-star streak with scores of 29.36 in AOP and 43 in COP. BNCAP reported that the MX2 and AX7 L variants were sent by the homegrown brand for testing, but the results apply to the entire XUV 3XO line-up. Also, all trims of the sub-compact SUV have standard safety assist technologies like six airbags, three-point seatbelts with reminders, ESC, ISOFIX seats and a passenger-side airbag cut-off switch. Level 2 ADAS suite, however, is reserved for AX5 L and AX7 variants.
Of the three Mahindra SUVs sent for testing in November 2024, the XUV400 stands out as the sole EV. It got 30.38 points (maximum 32) in AOP, while it scored 43 points (maximum 49) in COP. BNCAP reported that the model’s rating applies to all variants. The EC and EL trims come with ABS, ESP, front and rear disc brakes, TPMS and ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard fitment. Do note that six airbags are exclusive to range-topping EL variants, while EC models get two airbags only at the front.
Tested by Bharat NCAP in October 2024, the Tata Nexon secured a perfect 5-star rating for AOP as well as child occupant protection COP, scoring 29.41/32 and 43.83/49 points, respectively. Standard safety features include six airbags, ESC, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, rear parking sensors and hill hold control.
The Curvv's crash test result was also revealed alongside the Nexon, and just like the compact SUV, the coupe-SUV also scored 5 stars for both adult and child occupant protection. It secured 29.50/32 points for AOP and 43.66/49 points for COP. On the safety front, the Curvv gets ABS with EBD, ESC, six airbags, hill hold control and ISOFIX child seat anchor points as standard across the range.
The Curvv EV secured 5 stars for AOP and COP, scoring 30.81/32 and 44.83/49 points, respectively. It gets six airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, a rear camera and rear parking sensors as standard. Higher variants of the electric vehicle also get Level 2 ADAS, just like its ICE twin.
The Citroen Basalt is the only car from the brand to have been crash tested by Bharat NCAP so far. The coupe-SUV managed to secure 4 stars for AOP (26.19/32) and 4 stars for COP (35.90/49). On the safety front, Citroen offers the Basalt with six airbags, ESP, hill hold, TPMS, a rear view camera, rear parking sensors and ISOFIX child seat anchor points.
The Punch EV, tested alongside its sibling Nexon EV, also achieved an identical 5-star rating for both adult and child occupancy. It scored 31.46 out of 32 points for AOP and 45 out of 49 points for COP. Safety features such as six airbags, ESP, hill hold control, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, rear parking sensors and TPMS are standard.
Crash tested in December 2023, the Harrier SUV received a 5-star safety rating from Bharat NCAP for both adult and child occupancy. It achieved an AOP score of 30.08 out of 32 and a COP score of 44.54 out of 49. Tata offers the Harrier with ABS and EBD, corner stability control, six airbags, ESP, hill hold control, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, traction control and rear parking sensors as standard.
The Safari was also crash-tested in December 2023, and it secured a 5-star safety rating from Bharat NCAP for both adult and child occupancy. It matched the Harrier with an AOP score of 30.08 out of 32 and a COP score of 44.54 out of 49. As standard, the Tata Safari gets all-wheel disc brakes, six airbags, ABS with EBD, corner stability control, ESP, hill hold control, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, rear parking sensors, roll-over mitigation and traction control.