The Maruti Suzuki Celerio has once again come under the safety scanner after securing a three-star adult occupant safety rating in the latest Global NCAP crash test results. These updated results specifically evaluate the six-airbag version of the made-in-India hatchback, offering prospective buyers a clearer understanding of how the popular small car performs in real-world crash scenarios.
With safety increasingly influencing car-buying decisions in India, Global NCAP ratings now play a crucial role alongside mileage, pricing, and features.
Global NCAP serves as an independent vehicle safety assessment programme, crash-testing cars under controlled conditions to evaluate how well they protect adult and child occupants during accidents.
Higher star ratings indicate better protection
Results help buyers look beyond fuel efficiency and design
Safety has become a major talking point in the Indian car market
In the frontal offset crash test, the Maruti Suzuki Celerio showed:
Adequate to good protection for the head and neck of both the driver and front passenger
This is considered a positive outcome for a small hatchback
However, the test also highlighted some weak areas:
Driver chest protection was rated weak
Knee protection for both front occupants was marked marginal, indicating potential injury risk in serious collisions
One of the key concerns raised by Global NCAP was the unstable bodyshell and footwell area.
The vehicle structure was not capable of withstanding additional impact loads
This structural limitation directly affected the overall safety score
In simple terms, while airbags provide some protection, the car’s core structure still needs strengthening.
In side impact testing, the Celerio delivered:
Marginal protection for the head and chest
Adequate protection for the abdomen
Better performance in pelvis protection
During the more severe side pole impact test:
Head and pelvis protection improved to good
Chest and abdomen protection remained marginal
This indicates that while the six airbags contribute positively, overall crash protection is still constrained by structural factors.
Child occupant protection was where the Celerio struggled the most.
In frontal crash tests, child restraint systems failed to fully prevent head contact for both:
18-month-old dummy
Three-year-old dummy
Neck and chest protection for both dummies was rated poor
The restraint system for the younger child performed better
The system used for the three-year-old failed to fully control head movement
As a result, child occupant protection scored significantly lower than adult protection, an important consideration for families.
It is important to note that:
The six-airbag version achieved a three-star rating
The two-airbag version managed only a two-star rating under the same Global NCAP programme
This clearly demonstrates that additional airbags improve safety outcomes, even though structural limitations remain.
The Maruti Suzuki Celerio remains popular due to:
Affordable pricing
Ease of driving
Strong fuel efficiency
However, the latest Global NCAP results suggest that while safety has improved with six airbags, buyers should weigh structural safety limitations carefully, especially if child safety is a priority.