Almost expectedly, Skoda Auto have stamped their authority on the Indian automotive scene with a full five-star rating in crash safety in the recent GNCAP tests for the Skoda Kushaq.
The Global New Car Assessment Program (GNCAP) is the go-to crash safety standard for us in India, and is part of a larger network of automotive safety testing standards under the NCAP umbrella including the Euro NCAP, ASEAN NCAP and Latin NCAP, among others. Now, Skoda have made headlines with the Kushaq SUV reiterating the Czech brand’s tank-like build scoring a five-star rating. And this is no mean feat now.
We say Skoda have stamped their authority not only because the Kushaq got five stars—there are a few Indian cars with five-star ratings already—but also because two things make the Kushaq’s feat significant. One, it has got five-star ratings for both adult and child occupant safety, making it the only car in India to do so. Two, it has done this under the GNCAP’s newer and more stringent test protocols.
The Global NCAP’s updated crash test protocols assess frontal and side impact protection, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), pedestrian protection, and side impact pole protection assessments, each of which are also required for vehicles scoring the highest star ratings. And this is where the Skoda Kushaq aced the brief, and set new benchmarks.
A tally of 29.64 points out of a maximum possible 34.00 for adult occupant protection and a score of 42.00 points out of a new maximum possible 49.00 in child occupant protection now make it the safest car made in India.
The details speak for themselves, in the frontal offset deformable barrier test, side movable deformable barrier test, and the side pole impact test, it performed admirably, to say the least. In the frontal impact test, the passenger side received an overall (all-green) “Good” rating. The driver side was rated “Good” for the driver’s head and thighs. For the side-impact protection, a “Good” rating for head, abdomen and pelvis is indeed encouraging. The all-important bodyshell integrity (frontal) was rated “Stable” with the doors after the side impact protection (structural) also in the green.
In the child occupant protection tests, the Skoda Kushaq scored the maximum possible points: 8.00 out of 8.00 in the dynamic score for front as well as 4.00 out of 4.00 in the side impact tests for both the 18-month-old and three-year-old child in the rearward-facing child restraint system with ISOFIX and Leg tethers. That’s a total of 24.00 out of 24.00 dynamic, making for a score of 12.00 out of 12.00 for CRS Installation.
What’s important to note is that Electronic Stability Control, pedestrian protection, pole-side impact, and seat belt reminders are required in even in the base variant to even be eligible for a five-star rating under new GNCAP protocols. The Skoda Kushaq offers all that and more with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Antilock Braking System with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (ABS with EBD), Multi-Collision Brake, Traction Control, Tyre Pressure Monitoring, Electronic Differential Lock System, Multi Collision Braking, not to forget the impact-absorbing body components and the side impact protection beam in the doors, with standard dual front airbags and optional six airbags.
The Skoda Kushaq is the first car from the Czech marque to be based on the India-specific MQB-A0-IN platform under their immensely promising INDIA 2.0 project. The platform was developed for India with the aim of lowering ownership costs by teams in India and the Czech Republic. Their sedan offering, the Slavia, is also based on this platform, and should reflect a similarly high safety score whenever it gets tested. This is the first ever platform that Skoda have specifically developed for the Indian market. It was tested internally for a variety of impacts and its structure consists of high-tensile steel ensuring a rigid and impact-absorbing body structure to complement the bevy of active and passive safety technologies present in the cars. While some had initial doubts whether this platform would be as safe as Skoda’s international products, the dual five-star ratings for both adult and child occupant safety proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Skoda’s approach to safety is and will be zero-compromise. These made-in-India car models, the Kushaq and Slavia, are now also being exported to left-hand-drive markets. Skoda have also announced their intention to enter the Vietnam market and the INDIA 2.0 cars will also be part of their product offerings for that country.
Petr Šolc
Brand Director, Skoda Auto India
‘At Skoda, safety is not just a feature. It is an essential part of our brand DNA. Today, I am extremely proud to share that the Kushaq has received a five-star safety rating by Global NCAP for both adult and child occupants, making it the first car made in India to do so. It is a proud moment for all of us at Skoda to have India’s safest family car leading our growth story in India. The Kushaq, along with the Slavia, drives the success of Skoda’s “INDIA 2.0” project. In a very short time, it has created a space for itself among SUV enthusiasts across the country. The intelligent, Simply Clever solutions and advanced safety features have been appreciated by experts as well as our valuable customers.’
