Skoda Kushaq safety rating EXPLAINED!
They say time is money. We say, safety is money. Traditionally, safety in cars has been side-lined in India for numerous reasons. Fuel efficiency is one and a lower price point is another. In fact, features like sunroof, mood-lighting, fancy touch screens take moreprecedence than crashworthiness. Of late though, safety has surely become a talking point, even if not a make-or-break buying decision.The government is also doing its bit by enforcing rules on seatbelt use and the number of airbags.In all of this,Skoda has set a benchmark in safety with the crash test results of the Kushaq. The Kushaq scored a 5-star rating at the Global New Car Assessment Programme. It is the first car to be tested under GNCAP’s new crash test protocols. What is even more astounding about this achievement is that it scored 5-stars in both adult and child safety. No other made in India car has ever done that. Here’s how it all unfolded.
Skoda Kushaq safety – Updated Protocols
The Skoda Kushaq became the first car to be tested under the updated protocols of GNCAP. Under these new protocols, cars should be equipped with electronic stability control, pedestrian protection, side pole impact and seat belt reminder points to even be eligible for a 5-star rating.
Crash test results
As aforementioned, the Skoda Kushaq is the first car to be tested under these new protocols and it came out with flying colours. The Kushaq got a 5-star adult protection rating with a score of 29.64 out of 34. In child occupant protection it scored an impressive 42 points out of 49.The Kushaq is the first car to achieve a five-star rating in child occupancy among cars manufactured in India. Also, the body structure of the Kushaq was rated as ‘stable’, and it can handle further loadings.
Skoda Kushaq safety – The ratings
According to the tests, the Kushaq offered ‘Good’ protection to the driver’s and co-passenger’s head. The chest protection was ‘Adequate’ for the driver and ‘Good’ for the co-passenger. In the side-impact test, the head, abdomen and pelvis protection were ‘Good’, while the chest protection was marginal. The side pole test was done on a 6-airbag variant showcasinging ‘Good’ protection to the head and pelvis.
Skoda Kushaq safety features
The Kushaq also comes with several active and passive safety features. It comes with features like electronic stability control, Anti Lock Brakes + Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Multi-Collision Brake, electronic differential lock with XDS (an extension of the electronic differential system)+, traction control and dual airbags as standard and 6 airbags on higher variants. What’s commendable is apart from the side-pole test, all other tests were conducted on the base model Kushaq.
The India 2.0 factor
You see, the Kushaq was not part of Skoda’s international offerings. It is a car Skoda specifically developed for India. It sits on the MQB-A0-IN platform that was developed and honed by teams in India and the Czech Republic. It was developed with an eye on low cost of ownership and keeping in mind the Indian customer. So there were question marks if Skoda had cut any costs or may not be built like other Skodas. People had initially questioned the build quality of these cars and with this test – it’s proven that no corners were cut.
Truly Glocal
Bringing global standards to local markets is something we have seen brands like Skoda do. While the MQB-A0-IN has been developed specifically for India, safety has not been compromised. Moreover, Skoda’s India 2.0 cars based on the MQB-A0-IN platform like the Kushaq and Slavia have already started being exported to left-hand drive markets from India. And it is these 2 cars that Skoda is debuting in Vietnam, an all-new market for the company.
The complete car
All of this makes the Skoda Kushaq not only the safest car in its segment, but also sees it occupy the top spot in terms of points among all Made-in-India cars tested by GNCAP. We have heard it being said that one can never be too safe. But with Skoda, safety seems the core of what they do.
Brand’s statement!
Reflecting on this achievement, Mr.Petr Šolc, Brand Director, ŠKODA AUTO India said “At ŠKODA, safety is not just a feature. It is an essential part of our brand DNA. Today, I am extremely proud to share that the KUSHAQ has received a 5-star safety rating by Global NCAP for both adult and child occupants, making it the first car made in India to do so. It is a proud moment for all of us at ŠKODA to have India’s safest family car leading our growth story in India. The KUSHAQ, along with the SLAVIA, drives the success of ŠKODA’s INDIA 2.0 project. In a very short time, it has created a space for itself among SUV enthusiasts across the country. The intelligent, Simply Clever solutions and advanced safety features have been appreciated by experts as well as our valuable customers.”
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