Recently, the New Car Assessment Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean (Latin NCAP) tested the Made-in-India Maruti Swift and the results were beyond shocking. The country's most popular hatchback scored a dismal zero star rating in the crash test carried out by the apex body for Latin American markets. The Made-in-India Maruti Swift despite being equipped with dual front airbags scored 6.21 points (15.53 percent) in Adult Occupant protection due to its unstable bodyshell. The side impact protection was also rated poor.
Maruti Swift bagged 0 percent (0 points) in Child Occupant protection and 66.07 percent (31.71 points) in Pedestrian and Vulnerable Road Users protection while it earned 6.98 percent (3 points) for its Safety Assistance systems. The Latin NCAP opined that factors like poor side impact protection, a low whiplash score, the lack of standard side protection airbags and absence of ESC attributed to the least zero star rating. In addition, the presence of a lap belt in the rear centre seat in place of a three-point unit made matters even worse for the hatchback. Maruti Suzuki has never recommended the use of Child Restraint Systems (CRS) and it too made the Swift a less safer car.
Latin NCAP pointed out that head and neck protection for the driver and front passenger was decent. However, it was quick to add that chest protection for drivers is weak in the Swift. Moreover, the knee protection for the occupants at the front seats was judged as disappointing. The agency was of the view that structures behind the dashboard might damage the driver and front co-passenger knees in case of a collision. As far as side impact protection is concerned, Maruti Swift showed satisfactory results in head and pelvis protection. Though the chest protection was again rated poor while the abdomen protection was termed as 'adequate'. In all, due to asymmetries the bodyshell was called 'adequate'.
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