All Maruti Cars in India to Feature 6 Airbags As Standard

Maruti is one of the major automobile manufacturers in India, with over 40% of the market share. A recent announcement to offer six airbags as standard in all models for sale has further strengthened its brand positioning and image to offer customers a better value proposition. Maruti Suzuki chairman R.C. Bhargava recently confirmed at a previous earnings call that all Maruti cars will now have six airbags as standard before the year ends. He added that from a safety point of view, the government has been strict in offering six airbags in all cars, and the brand has implemented this guideline of the government.

Maruti Cars Without Six Airbags As Standard

On its mission to offer six airbags as standard in all its models, Maruti Suzuki has been upgrading its lineup with six airbags, with the most recent models to receive this update being Eeco, WagonR, Alto K10, Brezza, and Celerio. Currently, six Maruti cars in India, including Beleno, Fronx, Ignis, Ertiga, XL6, and S-Presso, do not get six airbags as standard. 

As the all-new Fronx and Baleno get side and curtain airbags on higher spec variants, the prices for these variants will be unchanged, while the entry-level variants can see little price hike. The Maruti Suzuki Fronx range starts from Rs 7.55 lakh, and the Baleno price starts from Rs 6.70 lakh. With this update, the prices of Ertiga, XL6, Ignis, and S-Presso are also likely to increase as the other models, like Celerio, saw a price hike of up to Rs 32,500.

Maruti's Increasing Focus on Occupant Safety

While it might be challenging to maintain sales for entry-level models, the brand consistently focuses on adding six airbags as standard for better occupant safety and meeting the government's direction to offer them as standard. In an interview, Bhargava stated that the entry-level car segment volume has been declining over the years, and if the prices of these products rise, the sales figure will further drop. 

Maruti Suzuki witnessed a 9% sales drop for its small car lineup. The Maruti Suzuki chairman pointed to income distribution as a critical factor in limiting the growth of affordable cars in the Indian market. He mentioned that about 12% of Indian households earn over Rs 12 lakh a year and can consider buying a car priced at Rs 10 lakh or more. He further questioned the remaining 88% of consumers who earn up to Rs 12 lakh annually and can not afford midsize premium cars. 

Fourth-Gen Dzire First Maruti to Get 5-Star GNCAP Rating

Maruti cars are renowned for their fuel mileage and affordable pricing but not acknowledged for their safety features, given poor performance in safety crash tests. Maruti Suzuki's fourth-gen Dzire has become the first Maruti car to receive a 5-star GNCAP safety rating. However, other Maruti cars, like Alto K10, WagonR, S-Presso, and Ignis, received 2 stars, 1 star, 1 star, and 1 star, respectively. With the addition of 6 airbags as standard, these models might perform better in future crash tests.