Small cars from some of the leading brands sold in India has failed miserably in crash cases showing high risk of life threatening injuries in road accidents, according to Global NCAP.
Small cars like Maruti Alto 800, Tata Nano, Ford Figo, Hyundai i10 and Volkswagen Polo have received an adult protection rating of zero for frontal impact at 64 km/hour, in tests by Global NCAP, an independent charity based in the UK focused on consumer oriented vehicle safety initiatives.
The combined sales of these five cars account for around 20 per cent of all the new cars sold in India last year, NCAP said. According to Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, total car sales in 2013 stood at 18,07,011 units. Global NCAP Chairman Max Mosley said: “Poor structural integrity and the absence of airbags are putting the lives of Indian consumers at risk. They have a right to know how safe their vehicles are and to expect the same basic levels of safety which are standard in other part of the world.”
