There’s been a definitive shift in the preferences of car buyers in our country over the past decade or so. The criteria for a purchase decision back then were the trifecta of fuel efficiency, price & maintenance cost. Now however, one has begun to hear people talking about the safest cars in India and basing their purchase decision on the levels of safety kit that the cars come with.
While we look at the domestic models however, here’s a closer look at the 10 safest cars in 2016 globally.
1. Maruti Baleno: The top variant of the made-in-India Baleno has scored a 4-Star rating in the recently conducted Euro NCAP tests. This makes it one of the safest cars to be sold here.
2. Volkswagen Vento: It too makes it to the list of 10 safest cars in 2016 on account of its superior safety kit, that includes dual airbags at the front, isofix seating, anti-lock brakes & a body shell that’s engineered to superior standards.
3. Hyundai Creta: The fluidic design inspired Hyundai Creta has just been given a dual-front airbag upgrade as standard across the entire model range, which makes it one of the safest cars in India.
4. Volvo XC90: Volvo is a legend in the annals of automotive safety and its full-size luxury SUV, the 2016 XC90 flagship tops the safety charts.
5. Toyota Corolla: With its advanced safety systems and well-engineered body shell is also one of the safer cars on the streets this year.
6. Toyota Camry: Like the younger sibling, the Corolla, the Toyota Camry which is sold here in hybrid guise has won top honours for being one of the safest cars to be sold in the country. Thanks to its side & curtain airbags, along with ABS & EBD, among other systems, it gets a nod to the list.
7. Mercedes-Benz E-Class: It needs no introduction to buyers and fans alike. In 2016 guise, the luxury mid-size sedan packs in enough safety kit to make passengers feel like they’re sitting in a protective cocoon.
8. Hyundai Tucson: The upcoming Hyundai Tucson which made its debut at the Auto Show in Delhi, earlier last month, has been rated among the highest on the safety scales in its class.
9. Volvo XC60: The one-size smaller, Volvo XC60 SUV too, like its elder sibling, the XC90 has won rave reviews from the authorities & media alike for continuing with the tradition of offering industry leading levels of safety equipment on board.
10. Honda CRV: It may not be the best looking of SUV’s in its class, but with a full complement of air-bags across the passenger cabin and other active, as well as, passive safety equipment, it does score highly on the automotive safety scale.
