With the rise in awareness among consumers, the Indian automobile industry is moving toward structurally stronger and safer cars. In recent years, the number of cars with 5-star safety ratings under Rs. 10 lakhs has increased. Today, we’ve compiled a list of five different cars (from different categories) that outperform the others in the leading global or Indian crash test.
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Tata Punch (starting from Rs. 6.13 lakhs ex-showroom)
With an ex-showroom price of Rs. 6,12,900, the Tata Punch (built on Alfa-ARC platform) is the most affordable four-wheeler with a 5-star safety rating. The vehicle got a perfect safety score on GNCAP in 2021. Most recently, the vehicle’s EV version, which is based on a re-engineered platform used on the ICE platform, also scored a 5-star safety rating from BNCAP.
Some of the notable safety features of the Tata Punch ICE include an anti-lock braking system, central locking, dual-front airbags, electronic brake-force distribution, seat belt warning, and electronic stability control.
From the baseline trim, the Tata Punch offers a 1.2-liter Revotron (3-cylinder) engine that generates a maximum power of 87 bhp and a peak torque of 115 Nm. The engine is mated with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT transmission. With a fuel tank capacity of 37 liters, the ARAI-claimed mileage of the vehicle is 18.8 kmpl.
Check out the SmartPrix comparison page of the Tata Punch to know more details about the vehicle.
Tata Altroz (starting from Rs. 6.50 lakhs ex-showroom)
With a starting ex-showroom price of Rs. 6.49 lakhs, the Tata Altroz is one of the few premium hatchbacks under Rs. 10 lakhs that has scored a perfect 5-star safety rating from GNCAP (in 2020). Standard safety features on the vehicle include an anti-lock braking system, six airbags from the base variant, electronic brakeforce distribution, impact-sensing auto door unlock, and electronic stability control.
From the baseline variant, the Tata Altroz offers a 1.2-liter (3-cylinder) 1199 cc that generates 86.7 bhp of power and 115 Nm of peak torque. At the same time, these are the specifications of the petrol engine: the diesel engine, a 1.5-liter turbocharged Revotorq (1497 cc, 4-cylinder), generates 200 Nm of peak torque. The vehicle is also available in a CNG variant, which offers the highest mileage of all.
Check out the SmartPrix comparison page of the Tata Altroz for more details about the vehicle.
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Maruti Dzire (starting from Rs. 6.79 lakhs ex-showroom)
The all-new Maruti Dzire, with a refreshed exterior and interior, becomes the first vehicle from the company to score a 5-star safety rating in adult safety and a 4-star safety rating in child safety from GNCAP. It marks the beginning of a new era for the company, as for years, Maruti Suzuki’s customers have complained about the overall build quality of the vehicles.
With a perfect safety score under Rs. 10 lakh, the vehicle offers crucial safety features like electronic stability control, six airbags from the variant, electronic brakeforce distribution, seat belt warning, engine immobilizer, hill assist, and more. The 2024 Maruti Dzire is by far the safest passenger vehicle by the automaker.
For those wondering, the vehicle features a Z12E 1197 cc engine (3-cylinder) that produces a peak power of 80 bhp and a peak torque of 111.7 Nm. The engine is mated with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT transmission. Besides top-notch build quality, the vehicle also boasts the highest claimed mileage figures in the segment (under Rs. 10 lakhs): 24.79 kmpl for manual transmission and 25.71 kmpl for the variant with automatic transmission.
If you wish to know more details about the Maruti Dzire, check out the SmartPrix comparison page here.
Mahindra XUV 3XO (starting from 7.79 lakhs ex-showroom)
The Mahindra XUV 3XO is the most affordable B2-segment SUV with a 5-star safety rating under Rs. 10 lakhs. Its baseline trim costs Rs. 7.79 lakhs ex-showroom (while the on-road price may differ based on the region and the negotiation with the dealer). Shortly after its unveiling, the vehicle received a 5-star safety rating in the tests conducted by Bharat NCAP (November 2024).
Some of the safety features of the vehicle include an anti-lock braking system, central locking, six airbags on the base variant, a tire pressure monitoring system, electronic brakeforce distribution, seat belt warning, electronics stability control, and more. Higher variants of the Mahindra XUV 3XO can include some optional safety features as well (which is also true for other entrants in this list).
The basic specifications include a mStallion 1197 cc (3-cylinder) engine that produces 109.9 hp of power and 200 Nm of peak torque. There’s another engine option, a Turbo XRDe diesel engine (4-cylinder, 1498 cc) that produces 115 hp of peak power and 300 Nm of peak torque. Besides, it provides slightly better ground clearance than the models mentioned in this list, larger boot space, and a more aggressive road presence.
Check out more details about the Mahindra XUV 3XO here.
Tata Nexon (starting from Rs. 8 lakhs ex-showroom)
Not a lot of people know this, but the Tata Nexon was the first mass-market car to receive a 5-star safety rating from GNCAP (in 2018). Today, it is one of the few vehicles below Rs. 10 lakhs that offer a superior safety standard. The baseline trim of the vehicle starts from Rs. 7,99,990 (ex-showroom). Even if you wish to get a feature-rich variant, there are plenty of options to consider.
Some notable features of the Tata Nexon include an anti-lock braking system, central locking, six airbags from the base variant, traction control, tire pressure monitoring system, electronic stability program, electronic brakeforce distribution, seat belt warning, etc. As you go to the higher models, the features might vary or increase.
It is important to mention that the Nexon is the only vehicle with three engine options: petrol, diesel, and CNG. The petrol variant has a 1.2-liter (3-cylinder) engine that generates 118.3 hp of peak power and 170 Nm of peak torque, while the diesel variant comes with a 1.5-liter engine (4-cylinder) engine that produces 113.3 hp of power and 260 Nm of torque. The CNG variant also offers a turbocharged petrol engine.
Honorable mentions
- Citroen Basalt: The baseline variant of the Citroen Basalt (which costs Rs. 7,99,000) has a 4-star safety rating in the BNCAP tests.
- Maruti Brezza: The baseline variant of the Maruti Brezza (which costs Rs. 8,34,000 ex-showroom) has scored 4 stars on the GNCAP tests.
- Tata Tigor/Tiago: The Tata Tigor and Tiago, which are priced similarly, score 4 stars on the GNCAP crash tests.
- Renault Kiger scores 4 stars in the GNCAP test.
- Nissan Magnite also scores 4 stars in the GNCAP test.
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