Top 8 Safest Cars Under Rs. 10.0 - 15.0 Lakh - GNCAP Tested (Updated)

All the cars listed below boast a 5-star rating from Global NCAP.

1. Tata Nexon

The Tata Nexon facelift was crash tested by the Global NCAP under the ‘Safer Cars For India’ campaign in February 2024 and it received a full 5-star safety rating just like its predecessor. The 2024 Nexon scored the second highest Global NCAP score of 5 stars for adult and child occupant safety in the ‘Safest Cars For India’ tests. The top spot is still held by the Tata Harrier and Safari pair. However, they cost over Rs. 15.0 lakh (ex-showroom).

In the crash test, the Nexon facelift scored 32.22 out of 34 for adult protection.  The protection offered to the driver’s and passenger’s head and neck was good. Driver’s and passenger’s chest showed adequate protection. Driver’s and passenger’s knees showed good protection. Driver’s tibias showed adequate protection and passenger’s tibias showed good protection. Footwell area was rated as stable. The bodyshell was rated as stable and capable of withstanding further loadings.

In the child safety frontal impact test, the Nexon facelift received a score of 44.52 out of 49, giving it a 5-star rating. The child seat for the 3 year old was installed rearward facing using Isofix-compatible seats and a support leg. It was able to prevent head exposure during the frontal impact and offered almost full protection. The child seat for the 18 month old was installed rearward facing using the Isofix-compatible seats and a support leg and it was able to prevent head exposure during the frontal impact and offered almost full protection. The full fact sheet also mentions the 3-point seatbelts for all passengers with the option to disconnect the passenger airbag for a safe installation of the rearward facing child seats was appreciated.

The Tata Nexon facelift comes with standard safety features like 6 airbags, electronic stability control (ESC) and anti-lock braking system (ABS), among others. The 2024 Nexon was tested under Global NCAP’s latest test protocol, which includes frontal and side impact protection.

Also Read: Tata Crashed Another Nexon To Remind Us That It’s Still 5-Star Safe

2. Volkswagen Virtus

In April 2023, the Volkswagen Virtus secured a 5-star rating under Global NCAP’s revised crash test criteria, showcasing commendable results in both adult and child occupant protection. Scoring 29.71 out of 34 points for adult occupant safety and 42 out of 49 points for child occupant protection, the Virtus demonstrated exceptional safety measures.

Its stable body shell contributed significantly to its safety standing. The model evaluated boasted an array of safety features, including dual airbags, front seat belt pretensioners and load limiters, the option for 4 additional airbags, a seat belt reminder system, ISOFIX seat mounts for second-row seating, as well as ABS with EBD and ESC.

In terms of prices, only four 1.0L turbo petrol-manual variants are priced under Rs. 15.0 lakh.

Also Read: VW Virtus Gets New GT Line, GT Plus Sport And Highline Plus Variants

Volkswagen Virtus Petrol Variants Explained — Which One To Buy?

3. Volkswagen Taigun

The made-in-India Volkswagen Taigun secured a 5-star safety rating in the Global NCAP test in October 2022. The Taigun is equipped with a range of safety features, offering 3-point seat belts for all 5 passengers and ISOFIX child seat anchorages as standard. In addition to dual front airbags, ESC, a tyre pressure monitor (TPMS), and rear parking sensors, Volkswagen have equipped higher variants of the Taigun with advanced safety elements including up to 6 airbags, hill-start assist, and a reversing camera.

The Taigun secured 92.47% out of 36.99 points in the adult occupant safety and 91.84% out of 45 points in the child occupant safety test. It offered good protection to the driver and co-driver’s head, neck and knees. In the side pole impact test, the head, abdomen and pelvis showed good protection whereas protection to the chest was found marginal. The footwell area of the Taigun was found stable and the bodyshell was capable of withstanding further loads.

In terms of child occupant safety, the Taigun offered good protection to the child dummy and it was able to prevent head exposure for both 3-year-old and 18-month-old dummy. In terms of safety features, the test car was equipped with front, side thorax and curtain airbags, front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters, ISOFIX child seat anchorages and electronic stability control (ESC).

In terms of prices, only four 1.0L turbo petrol-manual variants and one 1.0L turbo petrol-automatic variant of the Taigun are priced under Rs. 15.0 lakh.

Also Read: Volkswagen Taigun Petrol Variants Explained — Which One To Buy?

4. Skoda Slavia

Similar to the Volkswagen Virtus, the Skoda Slavia scored 29.71 points in adult safety, outperforming the Kushaq/Taigun that secured 29.64 points. Both sedans also scored 42 points in child safety with a 5-star rating, equaling their SUV counterparts. Furthermore, the bodyshell integrity of the Slavia was found stable.

The Slavia offered good protection to the driver and co-driver’s head, neck and knees. In the side impact test, the protection for head, chest and abdomen was adequate whereas the pelvis showed good protection. In the electronic stability control (ESC) test, both sedans offered acceptable performance as per Global NCAP’s latest requirements.

In terms of prices, only four 1.0L turbo petrol-manual variants and two 1.0L turbo petrol-automatic variants of the Slavia are priced under Rs. 15.0 lakh.

Also Read: Skoda Slavia Petrol Variants Explained — Which One To Buy?

5. Skoda Kushaq

The Skoda Kushaq underwent the Global NCAP crash test alongside its VW cousin, the Taigun in October 2022. Both SUVs came out with flying colours, securing 5 stars. In the adult occupant safety, the Kushaq offered good safety to the driver and passenger’s head, neck and knees and scored 29.64 points out of 34. The bodyshell was rated stable and was found capable of withstanding further loads.

The test car was equipped with safety features like front airbags, seat belt pretensioners with load limiters, seat belt reminders, pedestrian protection and electronic stability control. The top-spec variants of the Kushaq also offer 6 airbags and hill start assist.

In terms of prices, only 3 1.0L turbo petrol-manual variants of the Kushaq are priced under Rs. 15.0 lakh.

Also Read: Skoda Kushaq And Slavia Elegance Edition Launched

Skoda Kushaq Petrol Variants Explained — Which One To Buy?

6. Hyundai Verna

The Hyundai Verna joined the list of C-segment sedans with a 5-star safety rating in October 2023. The Hyundai Verna tested by GNCAP was a made-in-India model equipped with 6 airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), rear ISOFIX child seat mounts and seat belt reminders for all passengers. Hyundai’s C-segment sedan not only scored a 5-star safety rating for adult protection but also for child occupant protection. 

In the latest test, the Hyundai Verna scored 28.18 points out of a maximum 34 points for adult occupant safety, and 42 points out of a total 49 for child occupant safety. However, the bodyshell was rated as unstable and not capable of withstanding any further loadings.

Nonetheless, the Hyundai Verna 2023 offered good protection to the driver and passenger’s head and neck in the frontal impact test. Chest protection for the driver was deemed marginal, while passenger chest protection was rated good. The driver’s and passenger’s knees showed marginal protection and the footwell area was rated as unstable. 

In terms of prices, four 1.5L normal petrol-manual, one 1.5L normal petrol-automatic, and two 1.5L turbo petrol-manual variants of the Verna are priced under Rs. 15.0 lakh.

Also Read: Hyundai Verna Petrol Variants Explained — Which One To Buy?

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7. Mahindra Scorpio-N

After the XUV300 and XUV700, the Scorpio N became the 3rd Mahindra model to secure 5 stars in the Global NCAP crash test. The crash test was performed with the latest GNCAP protocols in place including side pole impact and ESC tests in December 2023.

The new Scorpio N secured 5 stars in adult occupant safety. It scored 29.25 points out of 34 points and also secured ‘OK’ rating in the side pole impact test. In the frontal offset impact test, the Scorpio N offered good safety to driver and co-passenger head, neck and knees. Furthermore, it offered marginal safety to driver and co-passenger chest and both the footwell area and bodyshell integrity was found stable.

Mahindra Scorpio N scored 3 stars in child occupant safety, securing 28.93 points out of 49 points. The Scorpio N offered full protection during the frontal impact crash test with both a 3-year-old child seat and 18-month-old child seat installed with needed supporting safety equipment. It is worth mentioning that the tested model didn’t offer 3-point seatbelts for all passengers as standard.

8. Mahindra XUV700

The XUV700 is the second Mahindra to score a 5-star safety rating from Global NCAP. It scored 16.03 points for adult safety. In terms of child safety, it’s better than the previous-generation Nexon and XUV300. The XUV700 scored 41.66 points in child safety with a 4-star safety rating.

Only a handful of XUV700 variants with the 5-seat layout fit under the Rs. 15.0 lakh limit while none of the 7-seat variants meet this budget criteria.

Mahindra XUV700 5-Seat Petrol Variants Explained

Mahindra XUV700 5-Seat Diesel Variants Explained

Mahindra XUV700 7-Seat Petrol Variants Explained

Mahindra XUV700 7-Seat Diesel Variants Explained

To know more about Global NCAP’s testing protocols and how the star rating system works, click here. To know more about Bharat NCAP, head here.

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