In recent years, Indian car buyers have been increasingly prioritising safety among their purchase considerations. This has encouraged manufacturers to build safer cars and have them tested by independent authorities like Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP, which perform crash tests and evaluate multiple parameters to assign a safety rating of one to five stars to each car.
However, price remains a crucial consideration for buyers too, with cars in the sub-Rs 10 lakh bracket continually dominating the sales charts. Keeping that in mind, we’ve put together a list of every car priced under Rs 10 lakh that has scored a 5-star rating in Bharat NCAP, Global NCAP, or both.
8. Tata Curvv
Starting price: Rs 10 lakh
The Curvv’s base Smart variant makes it onto this list by a very slim price margin, though the upcoming GST benefits on September 22 will push the coupe-SUV within the stipulated range. In Bharat NCAP’s testing, the Curvv achieved an Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) score of 29.50 out of 32 and a Child Occupant Protection (COP) score of 43.66 out of 49. As standard, the Curvv offers safety equipment like six airbags, hill-hold control, ABS with EBD, 3-point seatbelts with reminders for all passengers, reverse parking sensors, ESP, and more.
7. Tata Punch EV
Starting price: Rs 9.99 lakh
Tata’s entry-level electric SUV, the Punch EV, is also the only electric car here. Interestingly, the Punch EV’s Bharat NCAP results reflect the highest AOP rating in this list, with it racking up 31.46 out of 32 points. At 45 out of 49 points, the Punch EV’s COP score is also as good as it gets, though one other car here matches it. Tata equips the Punch EV with standard safety features like six airbags, ABS with EBD, hill-hold assist, a tyre-pressure monitoring system, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, impact-sensing auto door unlock, reverse parking sensors, ESP, and more.
6. Kia Syros
Starting price: Rs 9.50 lakh
The Syros is the first Kia model to have been tested by Bharat NCAP, and the scores show that it’s an excellent debut. The compact SUV received 30.21 out of 32 points in AOP and 44.42 out of 49 in COP. As far as the standard safety kit goes, the Syros gets six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, hill-hold control, vehicle stability management, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, front and rear parking sensors, a tyre pressure monitoring system, impact-sensing door locks, and 3-point seatbelts with reminders for all occupants.
5. Skoda Kylaq
Starting price: Rs 8.25 lakh
As Skoda's first compact SUV for India, the Kylaq upheld the Czech carmaker’s reputation of well-built cars with a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating earlier this year. The Kylaq scored 30.88 out of 32 points in AOP and 45 out of 49 in COP, with the latter matching the Punch EV as the highest in this list. Standard safety feature highlights for the Kylaq include six airbags, electronic differential lock, traction control, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, roll-over protection, brake disc wiping and ISOFIX child seat anchorages.
4. Mahindra XUV 3XO
Starting price: Rs 7.99 lakh
Though the XUV 3XO is Mahindra’s most affordable model, the compact SUV leaves no stone unturned in terms of safety. After going through the Bharat NCAP ringer, the XUV 3XO was granted an AOP score of 29.36 out of 32 and a COP score of 43 out of 49. Right from the base variant, the XUV 3XO’s safety kit includes six airbags, ESC, reverse parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat anchor points and 3-point seatbelts with reminders for all passengers.
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3. Tata Nexon
Starting price: Rs 7.99 lakh
Not only is the Nexon one of the most affordable compact SUVs here, but it’s also the only one to have been awarded a 5-star rating from both Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP. In the former, the Nexon achieved AOP and COP scores of 29.41/32 and 43.83/49, respectively, whereas the latter gave it a 32.22/34 AOP score and 44.52/49 COP score. This Tata SUV gets standard safety features like six airbags, ABS with EBD, 3-point seatbelts with reminders for all passengers, reverse parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, and more.
2. Maruti Suzuki Dzire
Starting price: Rs 6.84 lakh
Like the Nexon, the Dzire has attained 5 stars from Bharat NCAP and Global NCAP, and it’s also the only sedan currently on sale to have done so. AOP and COP scores for the Maruti compact sedan stand at 29.46/32 and 41.57/49, respectively, in Bharat NCAP testing. Meanwhile, Global NCAP awarded the Dzire 31.24/34 in AOP and 39.20/49 in COP. As standard, the Dzire’s safety kit includes six airbags, ESC, hill-hold assist, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchor points, 3-point seatbelts with reminders for all occupants, reverse parking sensors and overspeed alerts.
1. Nissan Magnite
Starting price: Rs 5.62 lakh
The Magnite takes the top spot in this list as the most affordable car in India with a 5-star safety rating, and that too from Global NCAP. In AOP, the Nissan compact SUV secured 26.51 points out of 34, while its COP score stood at 36 out of 49. The Magnite features a robust safety suite comprising six airbags, brake assist, traction control, vehicle dynamic control, ABS with EBD, hill-hold assist, ISOFIX child seat anchorages, overspeed alerts, 3-point seatbelts with reminders for all occupants and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
Uday Singh
Dipan Sur
Glenn Noronha
