The European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) has announced that the Hyundai i20 has gained the maximum possible score and has been awarded the five star NCAP rating for safety. This is indeed a great achievement for a car the size of the i20 as compacts are not known to be high on safety. The i20 after its launch in India and globally has certainly raised the benchmark for compact cars (B segment) not only in terms of performance, build quality, ergonomics and aesthetics but also majorly in terms of occupant and pedestrian safety. And the confirmation of this is the NCAP, 5 star rating which is the first for any car produced in India.
The i20 five-door model scored exceptionally well on all four parameters of the NCAP safety test which assess newly launched cars on four main criteria of safety – adult occupancy, child protection, pedestrian protection and safety assist. The i20 achieved the highest possible score resulting in the highest overall rating.
Notably the i20 attained 88 per cent in the adult occupant protection tests, including the new whiplash assessment. The car’s active head-restraints, front seatbelt, pre-tensioner and six airbags – front, side and curtain – played a key role in achieving success in the tests for frontal, side barrier and car-to-pole impacts.
Equipped with high levels of standard safety equipment, the i20 scored an impressive six out of a maximum seven points in the safety assist category, receiving top marks for its seatbelt reminder and Electronic Stability Control (ESC). The computerized ESC system helps to minimize the risk of skidding by applying brakes to individual wheels to direct the car where the driver wishes to go.
The Hyundai i20 has an extensive list of active and passive safety equipment, including six airbags as standard, active head-restraints, front seat belt pre-tensioners, anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic Stability Control, and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD).
The i20 received an average score of 80.25 percent, the highest among the six models assessed under the new NCAP rating scheme. The average is based on scores from the four categories: Adult, 88, Child, 83, Pedestrian, 64, Safety Assist, 86. Further noteworthy is the fact that the 64% score for the pedestrian protection test is the highest among all models.
Commenting on the achievement, a delighted H. S Lheem MD, HMIL said “This is a proud moment for Hyundai. The i20’s five-star rating is recognition of our commitment to providing customers with class leading safety and performance. The i20’s equipment level which includes a set of six airbags is a benchmark for cars in not only this segment but one above. This and other safety features easily allow the i20 to meet the stringent European safety norms and without a doubt the i20 is one of the safest compacts on road today. As a company we are committed to not only meeting the norms but also bettering them through constant research and development. The NCAP rating will undoubtedly increase the appeal of the i20 for our customers.”
Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) is the country’s largest passenger car exporter and second largest car manufacturer. The i20 is manufactured at HMIL’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sreeperumbedur, 35 km outside Chennai. The i20 is only manufactured in India and exported to the European Union and other countries from India and also sold in the domestic market. The i20 was first revealed at the Paris Motor Show in October, 2008 and in November 2008 the first batch was shipped to the European market from HMIL’s Sriperumbedur plant. In India it was launched on December 29, 2009.
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