Maruti Vitara Brezza gets four stars, Renault scores zero in NCAP crash test

New Delhi: Maruti Suzuki's Vitara Brezza got four stars while French car major Renaults popular SUV Lodgy has failed crash test conducted by vehicle safety group Global NCAP.

In the test, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza with standard double airbags, ABS, and ISOFIX anchorages, achieved four stars for Adult Occupant Protection and two stars for Child Occupant protection, the UK-based Global NCAP, an umbrella body of consumer car safety testing bodies, said in its latest report.

The Safer Cars For India crash test results were released on Thursday, coincided with the inaugural Global NCAP World Congress held in Delhi.

The Renault Lodgy without airbags in its standard version achieved zero stars for Adult Occupant Protection and two stars for Child Occupant Protection, NCAP said.

The zero star result was partly due to the lack of airbags which caused the head and chest to impact the steering wheel, it added.

“Indian developed cars like the Vitara Brezza together with the Tata Nexon, previously published in August, are clear evidence of the steady improvement in the Indian automotive industry and show a significant potential for much safer cars in the near future,”  NCAP said.

David Ward, Global NCAP Secretary General said, “The four star result for Maruti Suzuki’s Vitara Brezza is really impressive. It demonstrates clearly the safety engineering capabilities of India’s leading vehicle manufacturer. It also shows the beneficial effects of the Indian Government’s new crash test standards helping to raise levels of vehicle safety. We are getting very close now to seeing India’s first five star car. In contrast the zero star Renault Lodgy is extremely disappointing. Global NCAP had hoped that Renault had learned from the difficult experience they had with the Kwid. It’s time now for Renault to make front air bags standard across their entire Indian product range."