Maruti Suzuki Swift was launched back in 2005. It has got upgrades since then. The latest version of the Swift boasts two airbags and ISOFIX child seat mounts as standard. But it was also able to score a low rating of 2 stars at the Global NCAP safety rating. Why do the company’s officials say that it is safer than ever even after losing a freaking 125kgs of weight? Let’s find out.
For reference, let me tell you that the European version of Maruti Suzuki Swift has scored a 4-star rating in EuroNCAP crash test rating while the Japenese version has scored a 5-star rating at the JNCAP.
For the weight reference, the Japenese version weighs around 1055 kgs whereas the Indian version weighs around 985 kgs. It may seem as if the Indian version has got a plus point but this is not the case. Global NCAP stated that the bodyshell of Swift is unstable and it was not able to withstand further loadings after the crash.
“For example, the weight of New Swift has been optimized by 125 kg in comparison to the first generation Swift launched in 2005. This weight optimization has been achieved by the increased use of AHSS and UHSS for all structural parts.” -C.V. Raman, Senior Executive Director, Engineering, Maruti Suzuki India Limited said.
The company recently announced that it won’t be sending its cars for Global NCAP. They have adhered to the safety rules that have been advised by the Indian government. Is the company trying to justify the lower safety standards? Is it the reason Maruti is able to sell cars at a much lower cost? We would like to hear your thoughts on these questions. Please comment in the section below.
Read here: Maruti Scared Of The Global NCAP Rating System?!?
