Maruti Baleno Gets 5 Star Safety: India’s top-selling premium hatchback is in the limelight, but not because of its sales this time. Maruti Baleno, which was the bestseller with 1.67 lakh units sold in FY25, has been awarded two contrasting safety ratings in crash tests carried out by Bharat NCAP. Let’s break down what this implies for the average buyer.

Two Ratings for One Car – The Real Reason

Baleno was not tested as a standalone car. Bharat NCAP, however, tested two of its variants, the entry-level trims Sigma and Delta, and the higher-end trims Zeta and Alpha. The key difference between them is the number of airbags. While the Sigma and Delta variants have only 2 airbags, Zeta and Alpha variants have 6 airbags, including side and curtain airbags. This significant difference had a huge impact on the crash test results.

What the Crash Tests Entailed

Bharat NCAP tests vehicle safety on three broad parameters. The Baleno underwent all of them:

Adult Occupant Protection (AOP)

Child Occupant Protection (COP)

Safety Assist Systems, including ESC and seatbelt reminders

Particular test conditions involved

Frontal offset crash at 64 km/h

Side impact crash at 50 km/h

Side pole impact at 29 km/h

The Scores Unveiled

Here’s how each model fared:

Sigma/Delta (2 airbags)

AOP: 24.04 out of 32

COP: 34.81 out of 49

Result: 4 Stars

Zeta/Alpha (6 airbags)

AOP: 26.52 out of 32

COP: 34.81 out of 49

Result: 5 Stars

The additional airbags on the more expensive trims provided better protection against side impacts, the reason for the extra star.

What This Means for You

If you are set to purchase the Baleno, picking the variant is no longer a feature or price choice—it influences your safety directly. The base models do have safety standards, but they have a lower score because they only offer 2 airbags. Alternatively, you can buy the Zeta or Alpha models and have a superior safety rating, courtesy of 6 airbags providing wider protection.

Standard Safety Features in All Variants

In spite of the variation in the ratings, all Baleno models come equipped with certain basic safety features as a standard. These are:

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

Pedestrian protection system

Seatbelt reminder

So, even the lowest variant provides a basic level of safety, so it’s a contender in its segment.