In the Indian automotive market, safety is increasingly becoming a crucial factor for consumers. This trend has led to a greater focus on crash ratings and safety features alongside the traditional considerations of appearance and performance. Over the past year, Bharat NCAP has evaluated numerous SUVs through its rigorous crash test program.
With safety at the forefront of car buying decisions, this article presents five of the safest SUVs currently available in India. Each of these SUVs has been awarded a 5-star rating in the Bharat NCAP crash tests. Here’s a comprehensive overview.
The Mahindra XEV 9e takes the top spot, excelling in safety evaluations with 32 out of 32 points for adult safety and 45 out of 49 for child safety. Its total score of 77 out of 81 makes it the highest-scoring SUV to date under Bharat NCAP. This SUV offers a comprehensive safety package, including seven airbags, ABS with EBD, all-wheel disc brakes, a 360-degree camera system, a blind-view monitor, lane-keep assist, forward collision warning, and Level 2 ADAS features such as adaptive cruise control. The XEV 9e’s ex-showroom price ranges from ₹21.90 lakh to ₹31.25 lakh, dependent on the chosen variant.
The Mahindra BE 6, another model within Mahindra’s Born Electric series, follows with a total safety score of 76.97 out of 81. It achieved 31.97 points for adult safety and 45 points for child safety. Safety features include seven airbags, ABS with EBD, a 360-degree camera system, hill-hold assist, ISOFIX child seat mounts, adaptive cruise control, and Level 2 ADAS. The ex-showroom price for the BE 6 starts at ₹18.90 lakh and can reach up to ₹27.79 lakh for the top-end variant; these prices may vary by city.
The Tata Punch EV, securing a 5-star rating, earned a total score of 76.46 out of 81. It scored 31.46/32 for adult safety and 45/49 for child safety, demonstrating competitive safety performance relative to larger and more expensive SUVs. It offers six airbags and features like hill-start assist, a 360-degree camera, ABS with EBD, all-wheel disc brakes, and hill-hold control. The Tata Punch EV is priced from ₹9.99 lakh to ₹14.44 lakh for the top model.
The Mahindra Thar Roxx is the first body-on-frame SUV to achieve a 5-star rating in Bharat NCAP. It scored 31.09/32 for adult safety and 45/49 for child safety, indicating a strong emphasis on occupant protection. It includes six airbags, electronic stability control, a 360-degree camera, and Level-2 ADAS. The price for this SUV starts at ₹12.99 lakh and reaches up to ₹23.39 lakh for the top model.
The Maruti Victoris, a notable contender, achieved full 5-star ratings in both Global NCAP and Bharat NCAP testing. In Global NCAP testing, it scored 33.72/34 for adult safety and 41/49 for child safety. In Bharat NCAP, it received scores of 31.66/32 and 43/49, respectively. The Victoris includes six airbags, EBD with ABS, ESC, ISOFIX mounts, 3-point seatbelts for all seats, hill-hold assist, traction control, and a 360-degree camera. The Maruti Victoris’ base smart hybrid manual variant starts at ₹10,49,900, with the top-end strong hybrid model priced at ₹19,98,900. The CNG variant starts at ₹11,49,900.