Maruti Suzuki Wagon R Crash Test Results, Rating 2019: 2 Star Global NCAP

After a strong showing in the last round of crash tests, Maruti Suzuki once again finds itself in the dock on vehicle safety. Fresh results from crash tests of Indian made cars by safety watchdog Global NCAP see the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R scoring just 2 Stars for adult occupant safety. The car has also received only 2 Stars for child occupant protection. The Wagon R's body shell integrity has been rated as 'Unstable' as well. The Wagon R has received a score of only 6.93 from a possible 17 in adult occupant protection. The test showed that the car's front seatbelt pretensioners did not operate es required, causing severe potential injuries to the chest and knee area of the crash test dummies. The Wagon R's foot well area has also been rated as unstable eas a result of possible knee and ankle related injuries.

The car's child occupant score was 16.33 from a maximum 49 points. The low score is on account of the Child Seat for a 3 year old having failed during the test. The seat broke and impacted the car's roof during the test. The Wagon R also does not offer a 3-point belt in all seating positions, nor does it have ISOFIX anchorages. The 18-month-old's rear-facing seat fared better. Having fixed seats would be a lot safer in any event, rather than seats installed using seatbelts.

The Wagon R was relaunched earlier this year in a new generation. The car moved to the larger 'Heartect' platform that also hosts the Baleno, Ignis and Swift. The expectation was that moving from the earlier dated platform to the more refined and rigid one would improve its vehicle safety. The new Wagon R is therefore larger, drives better, and has more comfort and better ride quality too. It has moved up in price due to this of course, and is priced between Rs. 4.34 lakh and Rs. 5.91 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The Maruti Suzuki Swift had also received only 2 Stars each for adult and child protection - and very similar scores - when the test on the current generation car was carried out in 2018. carandbike has reached out to Maruti Suzuki India for a statement on the latest NCAP results, but has not heard back from the company at the time this video was published.