BT Explainer: India's safest cars by BNCAP ratings
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles leads BNCAP ratings with its 10 models securing a 5-star rating for both adult and child occupants from Bharat NCAP, followed by M&M with five models
- Apr 21, 2026,
- Updated Apr 21, 2026 4:56 PM IST
Look no further than India’s homegrown automobile brands as far as investing in a safe car is concerned.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) have the highest number of vehicles with a 5-star rating under Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP). Tata Motors leads the pack with its 10 models securing a 5-star rating for both adult and child occupants from Bharat NCAP, followed by M&M with five models. Japanese carmaker Maruti Suzuki corners the third place with four 5-star-rated BNCAP vehicles.
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The 5-star-rated BNCAP models in Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles’ portfolio include the Safari, the Harrier, the Harrier.ev, the Nexon.ev, the Curvv, the Curvv.ev, the Altroz, the Punch, the Punch.ev and the Sierra.
Meanwhile, in M&M’s portfolio, the 3XO, the XUV400 EV, the Thar Roxx, the BE 6 and the XEV 9E come with a 5-star rating under BNCAP.
India’s biggest carmaker by volume, Maruti Suzuki, has four BNCAP 5-star-rated models: the Victoris, the Dzire, the Invicto and its maiden electric car, the e-Vitara.
South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor India has only one BNCAP 5-star rated model in its portfolio. In March, Hyundai’s recently launched Venue achieved a 5-star BNCAP safety rating. Hyundai’s sister company, Kia, has secured a 5-star safety rating for two of its models under Bharat NCAP: the Syros and the Seltos.
Czech carmaker Skoda (Kylaq), Japan’s Toyota (Innova Hycross) and French car manufacturer Renault (Duster) have one model each with a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating.
Vietnamese automaker VinFast’s VF6 and VF7 electric SUVs have also bagged a 5-star rating under Bharat NCAP.
The Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP) was introduced by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in 2023 to improve safety standards for cars weighing up to 3.5 tonnes. Before the Bharat NCAP launch, Indian carmakers used to send their vehicles abroad for safety testing by agencies like the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP).
While Bharat NCAP continues to be voluntary and not mandatory, several car buyers in India are increasingly putting safety as a top priority. BNCAP evaluates vehicles across five key criteria: structural integrity, protection for adult passengers, safety of child occupants, pedestrian-friendly design, and the inclusion of both active and passive safety technologies.
Look no further than India’s homegrown automobile brands as far as investing in a safe car is concerned.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) have the highest number of vehicles with a 5-star rating under Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP). Tata Motors leads the pack with its 10 models securing a 5-star rating for both adult and child occupants from Bharat NCAP, followed by M&M with five models. Japanese carmaker Maruti Suzuki corners the third place with four 5-star-rated BNCAP vehicles.
Don't Miss: KTM brings in 350cc engine variants for 390 Duke, 390 Adventure to meet lower GST rate; check price
The 5-star-rated BNCAP models in Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles’ portfolio include the Safari, the Harrier, the Harrier.ev, the Nexon.ev, the Curvv, the Curvv.ev, the Altroz, the Punch, the Punch.ev and the Sierra.
Meanwhile, in M&M’s portfolio, the 3XO, the XUV400 EV, the Thar Roxx, the BE 6 and the XEV 9E come with a 5-star rating under BNCAP.
India’s biggest carmaker by volume, Maruti Suzuki, has four BNCAP 5-star-rated models: the Victoris, the Dzire, the Invicto and its maiden electric car, the e-Vitara.
South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor India has only one BNCAP 5-star rated model in its portfolio. In March, Hyundai’s recently launched Venue achieved a 5-star BNCAP safety rating. Hyundai’s sister company, Kia, has secured a 5-star safety rating for two of its models under Bharat NCAP: the Syros and the Seltos.
Czech carmaker Skoda (Kylaq), Japan’s Toyota (Innova Hycross) and French car manufacturer Renault (Duster) have one model each with a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating.
Vietnamese automaker VinFast’s VF6 and VF7 electric SUVs have also bagged a 5-star rating under Bharat NCAP.
The Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP) was introduced by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in 2023 to improve safety standards for cars weighing up to 3.5 tonnes. Before the Bharat NCAP launch, Indian carmakers used to send their vehicles abroad for safety testing by agencies like the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP).
While Bharat NCAP continues to be voluntary and not mandatory, several car buyers in India are increasingly putting safety as a top priority. BNCAP evaluates vehicles across five key criteria: structural integrity, protection for adult passengers, safety of child occupants, pedestrian-friendly design, and the inclusion of both active and passive safety technologies.