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With safety now playing an increasingly important role in purchase decisions, Maruti Suzuki India is emerging as the country’s top seller of vehicles equipped with six airbags. Following the launch of the sixairbagequipped Alto in early March, the company now sells nearly 97% of its vehicles with six airbags as standard.

In the AprilJune quarter, Maruti Suzuki sold 393,572 cars, of which nearly 380,000 units were equipped with six airbags. This figure puts it far ahead of rivals Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors. Mahindra sold close to 93,000 such cars during the same period, accounting for 61% of its total sales of 152,067 units. Tata Motors sold around 65,000 sixairbagequipped vehicles, which comprised 51% of its 129,369 units sold in the quarter.

From reputation to response

Of Maruti’s 16 models on sale, only SPresso and Ignis are yet to get six airbags. Mahindra, meanwhile, offers six airbags as standard in just four of its 12 models—XUV 3XO, Thar Roxx, BE 6, and XEV 9e. Tata Motors’ sixairbag list includes eight of its 13 models, with five entrylevel offerings (Tiago, Tigor, and Punch in ICE; and Tiago, Tigor in EV) still sold with fewer airbags.

Industry observers said Maruti Suzuki’s strategy goes beyond regulatory compliance. “The company is actively trying to change its brand perception,” said one automotive analyst. “When Global NCAP started its ‘safer cars for India’ campaign, many Maruti models scored poorly, raising questions about their structural integrity. That didn’t impact sales dramatically because buyers are pricesensitive. But as Tata Motors and M&M began marketing their GNCAP 5star ratings, Maruti had to respond.”

That response, analysts said, has come in the form of more investment in safety. The Dzire’s recent 5star Bharat NCAP rating, along with the rapid rollout of sixairbag variants across its portfolio, is seen as a clear effort to signal change.

Until recently, most Maruti cars came with only two front airbags. Additional airbags, such as side and curtain units, were available only on top trims. Now, sixairbag protection is becoming standard, even on small cars. 

This significantly improves occupant safety in side impacts. “Side airbags protect the torso and pelvis in a collision, while curtain airbags help prevent head injuries,” an analyst explained. “It’s a meaningful upgrade.”

Safety vs. affordability dilemma

However, this push for safety has come with added costs. The Alto’s price went up by Rs 6,000Rs 16,000 depending on variant when it was updated with six airbags. While the increase seems modest, it can be significant in a segment where affordability is critical.

RC Bhargava, Maruti Suzuki’s chairman, has cautioned about this trend. He recently said that basic cars are becoming unaffordable for many, and while regulatory improvements are essential, their disproportionate impact on entrylevel car pricing is worrying. 

“Making small cars safer is necessary,” he said, “but the cost of doing so is making them less accessible to the people they’re meant for.”

Sales numbers reflect this tension. In the AprilJune quarter, combined sales of Alto and SPresso dropped 37% yearonyear, from 30,816 units to 19,522 units.