Low score for Maruti’s popular hatchback attributed to “high compression” to the driver’s chest, an unstable structure and poor protection for the driver’s feet.
Only a couple of weeks after the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza secured a stellar four-star rating at the Global NCAP crash test, Global NCAP has published crash test results for the new Maruti Suzuki Swift, which was only able to secure a lowly two-star rating.
Even though the new-generation Swift gets two airbags and Isofix child seat anchorages as standard, Global NCAP only rated it two stars for adult occupant protection and two stars for child occupant protection. The low score has been attributed to poor protection for the driver and the car displaying an unstable structure in the event of a crash.
“The two star result for adult occupants is due to high compression to the driver chest, unstable structure and poor protection for the feet explained by pedal displacement on the driver side”, reads the Global NCAP report.
Explaining the poor child protection score, Global NCAP’s report notes that “the forward facing positioning of the 18-month-old dummy in the test” provided insufficient protection, and also mentions the danger to the “chest of the 3 year old dummy.”
Global NCAP had tested the previous-generation Swift back in 2014, and that model – without airbags and Isofix anchorages – was rated zero stars. While Global NCAP notes the improvement Maruti Suzuki has made with the new Swift, it has said the Indian model has performed poorly compared to the model sold in Europe.
“The Indian version underperformed in the frontal crash test and is offering less safety features like side body and curtain airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) that are standard for Europe, in India are not even optional,” the report states.
Speaking on the Swift’s performance, David Ward, Global NCAP Secretary General said, “The latest version of the Swift sold in India has improved and it is good to see dual airbags as standard. This confirms the beneficial effect of the Indian Government’s new crash test regulations. But the performance of the Swift sold in Europe and Japan shows that a better safety performance is still possible, so Global NCAP would like to see Maruti Suzuki aim higher.”
Adding to Ward’s comments, Alejandro Furas, Global NCAP Technical Director, said, “Maruti Suzuki proved with the Brezza that they can produce locally models with high safety performance. They should do the same with the Swift and at least make it available in the model range added safety features available as standard in the European and Japanese version.”
It’s worth noting that Euro NCAP – which analyses a wider set of safety parameters – had tested the Euro-spec Swift in 2017. That car, equipped with side and curtain airbags and autonomous emergency braking, had scored three stars.