Top 7 safest SUVs in India: From Mahindra Scorpio N to Skoda Kushaq

Global NCAP's 'Safer Cars for India' campaign has also served as an eye-opener for both, manufacturers, as well as customers. We think that the campaign has resulted in manufacturers introducing safer cars for the country, with made-in-India cars currently leading the score chart.
Also, safe cars offer the peace of mind that you and your family will be better protected and in some cases also pose less of a risk to other road users in the event of an accident.
Let's take a look at the top 7 safest SUVs currently available in the Indian market, as rated by Global NCAP.

1. Volkswagen Taigun
Adult safety: 5 stars
Child safety: 5 stars
The first SUV on the list is the Volkswagen Taigun. The Volkswagen Taigun has scored a 5-star rating in the Adult protection category, it scored an impressive 29.64 points in the adult occupant protection test out of a maximum of 34 points. Interestingly, the SUVs also scored very well in the child occupant protection test, scoring 42 points.
The VW Taigun comes with safety features such as three-point seat belts with adjustable headrests for all passengers, Seat-belt Reminder for the front seats, up to six airbags, Roll-over Protection, ISOFIX for child protection, Hill Hold Control, Electronic Stability Control with ABS and Electronic Brake-force Distribution as standard, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, Electronic Differential Lock System, Multi Collision Braking, Brake Disc Wiping and Rear Parking Sensor with camera and impact absorbing body components and Side Impact Protection Beam in the doors.
2. Skoda Kushaq
Adult safety: 5 stars
Child safety: 5 stars
Next on the list is the Skoda Kushal. The Kushaq which is based on the same platform as the VW Taigun returned with a similar safety rating at the Global NCAP crash tests.
The Kushaq received a 5-star rating, scoring 29.64 points in the adult occupant protection test out of a maximum of 34 points. Interestingly, the SUVs also scored very well in the child occupant protection test, scoring 42 points.
The Kushaq comes equipped with safety features such as three-point seat belts with adjustable headrests for all passengers, Seat-belt Reminder for the front seats, up to six airbags, Roll-over Protection, ISOFIX for child protection, Hill Hold Control, Electronic Stability Control with ABS and Electronic Brake-force Distribution as standard, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, Electronic Differential Lock System, Multi Collision Braking, Brake Disc Wiping and Rear Parking Sensor with camera and impact absorbing body components and Side Impact Protection Beam in the doors.
3. Mahindra Scorpio-N
Adult safety: 5 stars
Child safety: 3 stars
The Mahindra Scorpio-N is the latest SUV to join the 5-star club. The SUV has scored full 5 stars for adult occupant protection and 3 stars for child occupant protection in the Global NCAP crash tests, scoring 29.25/34 and 28.93/49 points respectively.
The new Scorpio-N’s safety suite consists of four disc brakes, 6 airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), driver drowsiness detection, a collapsible steering system, ABS with EBD, 360-degree camera, Hill Hold Control, Hill Descent Control, front and rear parking sensors, TPMS, all 4 disc brakes, Mechanical Locking Differential, electronically controlled Brake Locking Differential, and ISOFIX & i-SIZE compatibility.
4. Mahindra XUV 700
Adult safety: 5 stars
Child safety: 4 stars
Another Mahindra on the list is the Mahindra XUV 700 SUV. The 700 has scored five stars for adult occupants (16.03/17) and four stars for child occupants (41.66/49).
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, a 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.
5. Mahindra XUV 300
Adult safety: 5 stars
Child safety: 4 stars
The Mahindra XUV300 is the first sub-four-metre SUV from the Mahindra to receive a 5-star rating from GNCAP. The SUV has scored five stars for adult occupancy (scoring 16.42/17) and four stars for child occupant protection (scoring (37.44/49).
The compact SUV offers a good set of features for its segment, especially when compared to its competitors.
In terms of safety, the XUV 300 gets Six airbags, All four disc brakes, Front and rear parking sensors, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), ABS and EBD with cornering function, Front and rear fog lamps, ISOFIX anchorage, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Seat belt reminder for all passengers and Hill Start Assist.
The Mahindra XUV 300 is offered two engine options - a 1.2-litre Petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine options.
The prices for the XUV 300 starts from Rs 8.41 lakh and goes up to 14.07 lakh (ex-showroom, India).
6. Tata Nexon
Adult protection: 5 stars
Child protection: 3 stars
The Tata Nexon is the first SUV from Tata and also the first made-in-India car to receive a 5-star safety rating from the Global NCAP.
Tata Nexon initially received a 4-star rating, with the carmaker upgrading the model post the results and sending it back for a second round where it achieved all five stars in the Adult protection category (16.06/17).
Just like the Altroz, the Nexon didn’t score as well on child occupant protection, securing only three stars (25/49).
Safety features include two airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, rear camera, Traction control, Hill-hold assist, Brake disk wiping and Isofix child-seat mounts.
The prices for the Tata Nexon start from Rs 7.70 lakh and go up to 14.18 lakh (ex-showroom, India).
7. Mahindra Thar
Adult safety: 4 stars
Child safety: 4 stars
The Mahindra Thar is the second safest body-on-frame SUV on the list. The SUV has scored four stars for adult occupancy (scoring 12.52/17) and four stars for child occupant protection (scoring (41.11/49).
The active and passive safety features of the Mahindra Thar include ESP with anti-rollover protection, crash-safety compliant body and chassis, dual airbags, ABS with EBD and hydraulic brake assist, panic braking signal, roll-cage protection, over-speed warning, rear parking sensors, hill hold and hill descent control and many more.