Recently, the Maruti Suzuki Invicto has earned a major safety milestone — it has scored a 5-star rating in the Bharat NCAP crash test. This achievement underlines Maruti Suzuki’s growing emphasis on safety in the Indian auto market.
What is Bharat NCAP?
The Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) is India’s own crash-test and safety rating system for passenger vehicles. Launched officially in 2023 by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), it is designed to help buyers compare the safety performance of cars sold in India. The tests evaluate both Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) and Child Occupant Protection (COP), among other performance metrics, to yield a star rating.
Because Bharat NCAP is relatively new, high ratings carry significant marketing and consumer value, pushing manufacturers to improve their crashworthiness, structural integrity, and safety feature sets.
The Invicto’s Crash Test Performance
Here’s a breakdown of how the Invicto fared in various elements of the Bharat NCAP assessment:
Adult Occupant Protection (AOP)
- The Invicto scored 30.43 out of 32 in the adult occupant protection category.
- In the frontal offset deformable barrier test, it earned 14.43 out of 16.
- In the side movable deformable barrier test, it achieved a perfect 16/16 score.
- Some deductions were made because the driver and front passenger chest regions were rated only “adequate,” and the driver dummy’s shin area also received “adequate” protection.
- The Invicto was also rated “OK” in the side pole impact test.
Notably, its AOP score was just 0.04 points lower than its sibling, the Toyota Innova Hycross, which scored 30.47/32.
Child Occupant Protection (COP)
- In the child safety category, the Invicto achieved 45 out of 49 points.
- It scored a full 24/24 in dynamic crash tests (simulating collisions with child dummies).
- In CRS (Child Restraint System) installation tests, it got 12/12.
- However, in the vehicle assessment portion of the child protection tests, it scored 9 out of 13.
- The Invicto is equipped with ISOFIX anchors on the outboard rear seats, but it does not have an integrated child restraint system.
Because of these scores across adult and child occupant protection, the Invicto earned its 5-star rating.
Safety Features That Helped
The strong performance in crash tests is supported by a robust suite of safety features in the Invicto, many of which are standard across all variants. Some of its key safety and structural provisions include:
- 6 airbags (front, side, curtain) are standard across variants.
- ABS with EBD (anti-lock braking system + electronic brakeforce distribution).
- Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Hill Hold Assist.
- Rear disc brakes.
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
- Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Hold.
- 360-degree camera system with dynamic guidelines (available on higher trims).
- Three-point ELR seat belts for all seating positions.
- Seat belt reminders, ISOFIX mounting, and emergency call / e-Call feature.
These features, combined with a structurally rigid body design, help the Invicto manage crash energy, protect occupants, and reduce intrusion into the cabin.
Significance & Industry Context
- With the Invicto’s 5-star rating, Maruti Suzuki now has multiple models that have achieved top safety scores under Bharat NCAP (alongside models like the Dzire and Victoris).
- For consumers in India, which is only recently adopting crash test norms more widely, such safety validation is becoming an increasingly important differentiator in buying decisions.
- It also signals that mainstream manufacturers are pushing their design, engineering, and features closer to global standards, rather than relying purely on cost cuts.
- This move may also influence regulatory and consumer expectations: more brands may need to commit to higher passive (crash) and active safety technologies in order to remain competitive.
Summary
In summary, the Maruti Suzuki Invicto’s 5-star Bharat NCAP rating is a strong endorsement of its structural integrity, occupant protection capability, and safety feature suite. Its performance in both adult and child crash tests, along with supporting active safety systems, marks it as one of the safest MPVs in the Indian market today.