Top 5 safest cars in India as rated by Global NCAP: Skoda Kushaq to Tata Punch

The Indian car industry has come a long way in the past few years as far as safety is concerned, with government implementing standard safety features and buyers also realising the importance of owning a safe car. That said, Global NCAP's 'Safer Cars for India' campaign has also served as an eye opener for both, manufacturers, as well as customers.
The campaign has resulted in manufacturers introducing safer cars for the country, with made-in-India cars currently leading the score chart. Let's take a look at the top 5 safest cars and SUVs currently available in the Indian market, as rated by Global NCAP -
1. Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq
The Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq are the latest Indian cars to be tested by Global NCAP. The made-in-India and made-for-India SUVs are based on the heavily localised MQB A0 IN platform, and are equipped with safety features like dual airbags, ESC, ABS with EBD, traction control, dual front airbags, three-point seatbelts for all five seats, ISOFIX child seat anchorage for rear seats and a tyre pressure monitor system as standard.

The two SUVs have scored five stars for both adult occupant protection (29.64/34) as well as child occupant protection (42/49) - which makes them the only cars in India to achieve this feat. The bodyshell integrity of the two SUVs was rated as stable, meaning it could take further load, while the doors offered offered side impact protection.
The top-end variants of the Kushaq and Taigun are offered with 6 airbags and hill-hold control as well. The Taigun is priced from Rs 11.56 lakh to Rs 18.71 lakh, while the Kushaq is available at a base price of Rs 11.29 lakh, going up to Rs 19.49 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). Do note that the Skoda Kushaq and Volkswagen Taigun are the only two cars to be tested under Global NCAP’s latest, more-demanding crash test requirements.
3. Tata Punch
The Tata Punch is certainly a testament that affordable cars do not have to compromise on safety. Currently priced from Rs 5.93 lakh to Rs 9.49 lakh (ex-showroom), the Tata Punch scored 5 stars in adult occupant protection, securing 16.45 points of out 17, and 4 stars in child occupant protection, with 40.89 points out of 49. The bodyshell integrity was rated stable.

On the safety front, the Tata Punch is equipped with dual frontal airbags, ABS with EBD and Brake Sway Control, ISOFIX child seat anchors, rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera. The Tata Punch currently puts up against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ignis, Citroen C3 and Mahindra KUV100 NXT in the market, among other similarly priced hatchbacks.
4. Mahindra XUV300
Tested back in 2020, the Mahindra XUV300 was the safest car in India for around a year, thanks to its 5 star crash test rating for adult occupant protection, scoring 16.42 points out of the maximum 17. Meanwhile the child occupant protection was rated at 4 stars with a score of 37.44/49.

The XUV300's safety suite consists of 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, front and rear parking sensors, ESP with Roll-over Mitigation, disc brakes on all 4 wheels, Corner Braking Control, Hill Start Assist, front and rear fog lamps, a tyre pressure monitoring system as well as a rear parking camera.
5. Mahindra XUV700
The XUV700 was sent to Global NCAP to be crash test right after its launch, and the SUV passed with flying colours, as was expected from it. The XUV700 achieved five stars for adult occupant (16.03/17) and four stars for child occupants (41.66/49). The bodyshell and footwell area were rated as stable and they were capable of withstanding further loadings.

It should be noted that the entry-level variant of the XUV700 was tested, fitted with dual frontal airbags, ABS with EBD and ISOFIX child seat anchorages. However, the higher variants of the SUV are also offered with 5 additional airbags (total 7), ESP, a 360-degree camera, tyre pressure monitoring system, as well as a host of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) like autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control etc.