Safest cars in India with best Global NCAP rating in 2024: From Tata Harrier to Punch and Mahindra XUV 300
Which are the safest cars in India to buy? Here are the top ten as suggested by Global NCAP ratings
India holds the unfortunate distinction of being the most dangerous country for driving. A report by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways revealed that 9.5 out of every 1 lakh people succumbed to fatal incidents on the roads in 2022. In such an environment, acquiring vehicles that ensure safety on impact is crucial. This blog has compiled the top ten safest cars in India according to Global NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) ratings.
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Top ten safest cars in India
Our list of the top ten safest cars in India contains Global NCAP’s safety ratings (as of April 1, 2024) for both adult and child occupants, along with the car body type. We have ranked them in descending order based on the adult occupant protection scores they have received.
| Rank and car name | GNCAP Rating- Adult Occupant score (maximum 17 points) | GNCAP Rating- Child Occupant score (maximum 49 points) | Car body type |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Tata Harrier | 5 stars (33.05 max 34 points)* | 5 stars (45.00) | 5 door SUV |
| #2 Tata Safari | 5 stars (33.05 max 34 points)* | 5 stars (45.00) | 5 door SUV |
| #3 Tata Nexon | 5 stars (32.22 max 34 points)* | 5 stars (44.52) | 5 door SUV |
| #4 Volkswagen Virtus | 5 stars (29.71 max 34 points)* | 5 stars (42.00) | 5 door sedan |
| #5 Skoda Slavia | 5 stars (29.71 max 34 points)* | 5 stars (42.00) | 5 door sedan |
| #6 Skoda Kushaq | 5 stars (29.64 max 34 points)* | 5 stars (42.00) | 5 door SUV |
| #7 Volkswagen Taigun | 5 stars (29.64 max 34 points)* | 5 stars (42.00) | 5 door SUV |
| #8 Mahindra Scorpio-N | 5 stars (29.25 max 34 points)* | 3 stars (28.93) | 5 door SUV |
| #9 Hyundai Verna | 5 stars (28.18 max 34 points)* | 5 stars (42.00) | 5 door sedan |
| #10 Tata Punch | 5 stars (16.45) | 4 stars (40.89) | 5 door SUV |
Note: The cars that have undergone testing under the new protocol with a maximum score of 34 points for Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) are marked with an asterisk (*).
Understanding Global NCAP ratings
The Global NCAP safety test is a front offset crash test replicating a collision between two cars of equal weight at a speed of 50 kmph. In this test, a vehicle is directed into a deformable barrier at 64 kmph, impacting only 40 percent of the car due to its front offset nature.
Crash test dummies represent passengers typically found in a car—two adults in the front seats and two children in the rear seats, imitating a standard family car trip.
