The New Car Assessment Programme for Latin America (popularly known as Latin NCAP) has recently crash-tested the Suzuki Swift where it scored a big ZERO safety rating. However, it is worth noting that the car tested by Latin NCAP was made in India, manufactured at Japanese automaker Suzuki's Gujarat facility.
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The tested model of Suzuki Swift was featuring dual-front airbags, a pre-tensioner & load limiter for front seatbelts with a reminder, and ISOFIX anchorages. The hatchback scored 15.53% in the adult occupant protection test and 0 for Child Occupant Safety. However, it decently secured 66.07% in Pedestrian Protection & Vulnerable Road Users test, but again the rating for Security Assist System falls to a miserably 6.98%.
The Latin NCAP has rated the bodyshell of Suzuki Swift as marginal unstable due to its asymmetries and stated that it is not capable of withstanding further loadings. While head and pelvis protection of the driver and passenger was said to be good, both scored inadequate ratings in chest protection. Also, the rear passenger side door opened during the side impact test. The regulators have also said that the car does not prove to meet the rear impact structure requirements.
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In terms of child occupant safety, the crash-testing agency given it a zero rating as Suzuki declined to recommend CRSs for the test. For pedestrian safety, the car showed the majority of areas with good to marginal protection levels, but unfortunately, it failed to meet the UN regulations.
Alejandro Ferras, Secretary-General of Latin NCAP said –
Basic vehicle safety, which is standard in mature economies markets, is a right that Latin American consumers should claim without having to pay extra for them. These safety features act like vaccines for one of the most severe pandemics like road traffic injuries and fatalities. Consumers have the right to receive the same vaccine supplied anywhere else without having to pay more for it.
Talking about the safety ratings of Indian-spec Maruti Suzuki Swift, it had received just a 2-star rating for adult as well as child occupant protection, with the car's bodyshell rated as unstable when it was tested back in 2018 by Global NCAP. It is also worth mentioning that not a single made-in-India Maruti Suzuki car has ever received a full 5-star rating in the Global NCAP tests so far. In fact, Vitara Brezza is the only car to get the highest 4-star adult occupant safety rating for Maruti Suzuki, which comes with a stable body shell.
