Taigun, Kushaq ace key safety crash test, emerge as safest compact SUVs in India

Volkswagen Taigun and Skoda Kushaq have emerged as the safest compact SUV for Indian roads after the duo sailed through the Global NCAP crash tests. Taigun and Kushaq SUVs, which were launched in India within months of each other last year, are the first two Made-in-India SUVs from Skoda Auto Volkswagen India. Both SUVs scored five-star rating at the crash tests. Kushaq and Taigun are manufactured from the joint facility near Pune, Maharashtra. Kushaq and Taigun have joined the elite list of Mahindra's XUV700 and XUV300 besides Tata Motors' Nexon and Punch as the only SUVs from India to have achieved highest safety ratings at Global NCAP.

The Taigun and Kushaq are the first two cars from India to be tested by GlobalNCAP under its new crash test protocols. The new rules include frontal and side impact protection assessment, ESC and pedestrian protection standards. Both SUVs that were tested had Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard feature. According to the crash test results, both Taigun and Kushaq demonstrated ‘stable structure in frontal impact, adequate to good protection for adult occupants, and marginal to good protection in the side impact scenarios’. Overall, Kushaq and Taigun scored nearly 30 points out of 34 points in adult occupant protection, and 42 points out of 49 points in child occupant protection.

Volkswagen Group in the country is highlighting the test results as an achievement for its focus on safer cars for the market here. “This is an important milestone and a gratifying accomplishment for us, as both our India SUV models have achieved the pinnacle of global safety standards," said Piyush Arora, MD and CEO of Skoda Auto Volkswagen India.

The results also auger well for the brands as India will soon have its own Bharat NCAP crash tests. It was earlier announced by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. The safety protocol will be in sync with that of the global agency.

Volkswagen Taigun comes with safety features such as six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Multi Collision Braking, Rear Parking Distance Control, Hill Hold Control, and 3-point seat belts for the middle passenger at the rear. Kushaq, being a technical cousin to the Taigun, offers similar safety features.