The Global New Car Assessment Programme or GNCAP has announced the results of its latest round of crash tests under its ‘SaferCarsForIndia’ programme for three India-market cars, which include the Hyundai Creta, i20 and the Toyota Urban Cruiser. All three models were subject to frontal crash test assessment at a speed of 64kph, in their most basic safety-spec trim, having dual frontal airbags as standard and coming equipped with ABS.
Hyundai Creta gets 3 stars
While the Hyundai Creta received a three-star rating for both adult and child occupant protection, managing to score 8 out of 17, and 28.29 out of 49, in the respective categories, it offered adequate protection to the driver’s head whereas the passenger’s neck showed good protection.
The midsize SUV, however, recorded an unstable structure, establishing the risk of causing injury to the lower legs and feet of the driver. In addition, the lack of ISOFIX anchorages as well as three-point seat belts in all seating positions was the key reason for the three-star child protection rating.
Hyundai i20 gets 3 stars
The premium Hyundai i20 hatchback too received three stars, slightly bettering the score than its SUV sibling. The car scored 8.84 out of 17 for adult occupant protection, and 36.89 out of 49 for child occupant protection, albeit with its bodyshell integrity too being unstable. As per GNCAP, the assessment found a risk of the driver airbag not fully protecting the driver’s head and there was weak protection offered to the driver’s chest.
Contrary to the Creta, the i20 offers ISOFIX anchorages as standard, but misses out on a three-point seat belt for the middle seat occupant at the back.
Urban Cruiser gets 4 stars
Toyota’s Urban Cruiser, which is essentially a badge-engineered Maruti Vitara Brezza, received a four-star adult occupant protection rating in the GNCAP crash tests, similar to the Vitara Brezza. The compact SUV scored 13.52 points out of 17 for adult occupant protection, while child safety score was pegged at 36.68 points out of 49, for a three-star rating.
According to GNCAP, the Urban Cruiser showed a stable structure, offering adequate- to good protection for critical adult body regions. While the child restraint system installed using the ISOFIX anchorages also offered good protection to both child occupants seated at the rear, the lack of three-point seat belts for the middle occupant at the back along with high neck biomechanical values are the key reasons for the three stars awarded for child safety.
According to Alejandro Furas, secretary general, GNCAP, “Although the overall rating of these models might seem reasonable, the continued reluctance of manufacturers like Hyundai and Toyota to equip safety systems such as ESC, side body and head protection airbags, as a basic requirement in India is disappointing.”