Car Safety Ratings in India: What Buyers Still Misunderstand in 2025

Car Safety Ratings in India: For years, India’s car market has been driven by mileage, price, and brand loyalty. But as crash-test data becomes more visible and new protocols like Bharat NCAP enter the picture, Car Safety Ratings in India are suddenly influencing purchase decisions like never before. Yet, even with this shift, many buyers still misunderstand what those stars actually mean — and don’t mean.

A new nationwide survey commissioned by Škoda Auto India and conducted by NIQ BASES underscores this change in mindset. It shows that safety has moved to the top of the priority list for a large portion of buyers. But it also reveals how incomplete awareness can lead to misplaced confidence.

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The Big Misconception: Safety Ratings Are Not Universal Promises

A 5-Star Car Is Not a Magic Shield

One of the most common misunderstandings among Indian car buyers is the belief that a high safety rating ensures equal protection in every kind of crash. In reality, NCAP ratings apply only to the specific tests conducted — primarily frontal offset and side impact evaluations at controlled speeds.

A car may score five stars in these scenarios but perform very differently in:

• Rear-end collisions
• Rollover accidents
• High-speed impacts far beyond test limits

This nuance rarely reaches the average buyer, who often assumes “5-star safe” means safe in all conditions.

Speed Changes Everything

Another widespread misconception: that a high-star rating guarantees survival even at very high speeds. Global NCAP’s standard frontal impact test is conducted at 64 km/h, and energy levels rise dramatically beyond that. In real-world conditions, especially on highways where speeds can double, the protection level can drop significantly.

Stars Aren’t Comparable Across Segments

Perhaps the biggest blind spot is segment comparison. A 5-star hatchback does not automatically outperform a heavier, lower-rated SUV in a real-world collision. Vehicle mass matters, and crash energy distribution differs from test conditions.

On top of that, comparing ratings from Global NCAP, Euro NCAP, and the new Bharat NCAP is not straightforward. Protocols evolve every few years — a 5-star rating from 2017 is not equivalent to one from 2024.

The Human Element: Safety Features Need Cooperation

Seatbelts Are Still the Weakest Link

Many Indian families still do not use rear seatbelts, effectively nullifying the benefits of airbags and crumple zones. Crash-test ratings assume:

• All occupants are belted
• Recommended child seats are installed
• No aftermarket modifications alter crash behaviour

In reality, rear passengers often travel unbelted, and accessories like bull bars disrupt the vehicle’s engineered safety structure.

Child Safety Ratings Are Often Misinterpreted

Parents typically focus on adult occupant protection stars and ignore child occupant scores. Even fewer understand that these ratings depend on using child seats exactly as specified in the test — many of which may not be widely available or regularly used in India.

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Mileage vs Safety: A Shifting but Incomplete Priority

For decades, the “kitna deti hai?” mindset has defined India’s car-buying culture. This pushed manufacturers to deliver lighter, more fuel-efficient cars — sometimes at the cost of structural integrity and additional safety features in lower variants.

But the new survey suggests consumers are changing course.

What the Survey Reveals

According to NIQ BASES:

• Car safety rating is now the top purchase driver (22.3%)
• Number of airbags is close behind at 21.6%
• Fuel efficiency, once the undisputed king, has slipped to third at 15%

A striking 9 out of 10 respondents believe every car sold in India should have an official safety rating.

Among preferences:

• 5-star rating is most desirable (22.2%)
• 4-star rating follows (21.3%)
• 0-star cars are strongly rejected (6.8%)

This is a remarkable shift for a market traditionally defined by cost sensitivity.

Awareness Is Rising, But Not Fast Enough

Global NCAP’s Role

Since 2014, Global NCAP has been pushing Indian manufacturers toward safer designs. Secretary General Alejandro Furas notes that rising consumer interest has directly influenced automakers to improve safety structures and features.

Automakers Feel the Pressure

Škoda Auto India Brand Director Petr Solc highlights that buyers now actively associate the brand with high safety ratings — something that was not common a decade ago. With India’s evolving road infrastructure and the rollout of Bharat NCAP, he believes this awareness will only grow.

But Ground-Level Knowledge Still Lags

Many buyers still do not know:

• Why certain India-specific models score lower than their international versions
• How structural differences in variants affect ratings
• That safety features must be used correctly to offer protection

There’s also a cultural component — a lingering fatalistic belief that accidents are unavoidable, and safety features cannot counter destiny. This mindset is slowly changing but remains a barrier.

Why This Matters for 2025 Buyers

As India pushes toward safer roads and stricter regulations, understanding crash-test ratings is no longer optional. Buyers must:

• Read full NCAP or Bharat NCAP reports, not just star scores
• Prioritize structural integrity and standard safety features
• Avoid aftermarket additions that compromise safety
• Use seatbelts in every row, every time
• Install proper child seats for young passengers

Even in budget segments, safer cars are becoming more accessible. And with consumer pressure rising, manufacturers have fewer excuses to cut corners.

Conclusion: Car Safety Ratings in India — Awareness Must Keep Up

India is undergoing a rare shift where buyers are finally valuing safety as much as price and mileage. Surveys show that crash ratings and airbags now drive more purchase decisions than fuel economy — a landmark change for the country’s automotive landscape.

But the gap between perception and reality remains wide. A 5-star rating is not a blanket guarantee, nor does it compensate for poor driving habits or ignored seatbelts. Safety is a partnership between engineering and human behavior, and real protection comes only when both work together.

For buyers, the takeaway is simple: look beyond the stars, understand what they stand for, and use safety features the way they were designed. Only then will India’s roads truly become safer.

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