Maruti Suzuki popular premium hatchback has made headlines for its latest crash test performance. The Baleno has walked away with a solid safety score, showcasing the brand’s progress in occupant protection across both adult and child categories under Bharat NCAP’s latest standards.

Adult Occupant Protection

Maruti Suzuki Baleno received 24.04 out of 32 points in the Bharat NCAP crash tests for adult occupant safety. The variants tested — Delta AGS and Alpha AGS, both weighing 1,220 kg, are offered with six airbags standard, including curtain airbags for both rows.

In side pole impact simulations, the Baleno’s structure was stable, having good survival space. Chest protection in the side moving barrier test fell to marginal but the head and abdomen regions remained within safe zones. In frontal offset tests, front occupants’ head and neck protection were firm but the driver’s chest had only marginal protection at best.

One significant shortcoming was the lack of rear seat belt pre-tensioners and load limiters, which left a gap in the overall safety consistency of the vehicle. This incomplete coverage did end up impacting the overall score.

Child Occupant Safety

The Baleno also did a good job in child safety test, getting 34.81 out of 49. It scored 16.81 in dynamic crash test with child restraints and a perfect 12 out of 12 for CRS (Child Restraint System) compatibility.

But the Baleno underperformed in the vehicle-level test, garnering a mere 6 out of 13 points. Major negatives were the absence of ISOFIX hooks on front seats, absence of built-in booster seats, and absence of passenger airbag cut-off switch. All these are progressively crucial in maintaining safer child transport.

Safety Features

Maruti Suzuki fitted the Baleno with safety features targeting contemporary protection standards. These comprise:

  • Curtain airbags for both rows
  • ESC (Electronic Stability Control), UN and AIS-133 compliant
  • Front occupant-side chest and pelvis airbags
  • Three-seat zone seatbelt reminders
  • Pedestrian safety, as per AIS-100 standards

Even with all these enhancements, the absence of full rear passenger restraint systems and low chest safety scores prevented the Baleno from joining the 5-star club, where Maruti’s own new Dzire recently placed.

Room for Improvement

Though the Baleno’s structural strength and airbag protection demonstrate worthy engineering, the rear seat safety is a weak link. With some augmented restraint features, particularly for occupants in the rear, the Baleno might have run higher-rated rivals close. The four-star rating is nevertheless a significant improvement for Maruti Suzuki in the premium hatchback segment.