Mixed results for Maruti Suzuki
Maruti Suzuki has achieved mixed crash-test results with its models sold in India, Latin America, Australia and New Zealand.
The Maruti Suzuki Celerio has improved to a three-star rating for adult occupant protection, in the latest #SaferCarsForIndia tests, thanks to six airbags now being fitted as standard.
The result follows a commitment from the manufacturer to improve on the model’s previous poor results.
While concerns over the Celerio’s performance remain, Global NCAP is encouraged by Maruti Suzuki’s commitment to six airbags as standard and the five-star performance of its new Dzire and Victoris.
A one star result for the Ciaz, also tested as part of the #SaferCarsForIndia campaign, remains extremely disappointing.
The Suzuki Baleno, produced in India and sold in Latin America, has improved to two stars thanks to safety enhancements made following a previous one star performance in Latin NCAP tests.
The first Baleno tested by Latin NCAP was fitted with only two airbags and offered no side head protection as standard.
Its poor results prompted Suzuki to improve the basic equipment of the Baleno, Chile’s best-selling passenger car, by fitting six airbags as standard. The additional side body and side curtain airbags improved the Baleno’s performance to two stars.
In Australasian NCAP’s latest result the Suzuki Fronx narrowly reached the threshold for a one-star rating, following poor performance in key crash tests and low levels of occupant protection for both adults and children.
In addition to its poor overall crash performance, ANCAP testing identified a serious and separate safety concern, with a rear seatbelt failure occurring during the full width frontal crash test.
This component failure has been reported to Australian and New Zealand vehicle safety regulators and ANCAP is advising consumers to be aware of this component failure if considering purchasing a Suzuki Fronx prior to Suzuki demonstrating that the failure has been investigated and addressed.
