Maruti Suzuki recently announced that it is planning to standardise the 6-airbag safety feature across its Arena retail network soon. It is a step in the right direction from Maruti Suzuki’s side towards the customers’ safety.
Does This Mean Maruti Cars Are Safe Now?
While the addition of six airbags is a welcome addition, Maruti Suzuki has to do some serious work on its chassis and structural integrity. Except for the Brezza, Grand Vitara, and recently the Dzire, no Maruti product has scored a safety rating above 2 stars. This is mostly because of their poor structural integrity and bodyshell strength. Active safety features like airbags are useless if the car’s passive safety (its chassis) crumples completely under impact. Airbags can help with very low-speed collisions, but don’t make up for a rigid structure at all. To decide if a vehicle is safe, please refer to its NCAP rating to make an informed choice.
Models With 6 Airbags
The Arena retail network chain has a wide range of Maruti Suzuki portfolios, ranging from budget cars to popular models. The models are Alto K10, Wagon R, Celerio, Eeco, Swift, Dzire, and Brezza. Earlier, most of these cars came with only 2 front airbags. By standardising 6 airbags, Maruti Suzuki has improved the safety features of their vehicles. Maruti has now included side airbags and curtain airbags.
A Step In The Right Direction
Mr Partho Benerjee, Senior Executive Officer, said, “India is progressing towards safer roads, and car manufacturers need to prioritise the safety of their customers.” With the standardisation of six airbags across Maruti’s lineup, it does make the cars safer than before and can protect users against light, low-speed impacts. However, Maruti has a long way to go before it can truthfully claim that it prioritises the safety of its customers.
