People are interested in various types of automobiles. So, there have been frequent discussions about social media about various vehicle brands. Some such discussions are misleading.
Social Media Posts
Social media posts say Maruti Suzuki Wagon R cars are the most unsafe cars in the world and if you love your family, should not buy those unsafe cars.
We decided to do a fact check on this.
Fact Check
Claim 1: Has the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R been officially rated as one of the most unsafe cars in India?
No official “most unsafe” label: Neither Global NCAP nor any government agency has called Wagon R the “most unsafe” car. Global NCAP only assigns star ratings. It gave the Wagon R a 1‑star adult occupant rating in 2023 but did not use any superlative label. The viral claim misrepresents this result. More details can be read here
Global NCAP results: As ET News reported, “Global NCAP said [Wagon R] scored one star in adult occupant protection and zero for child protection” . This reflects only that the crash performance was weak – it is not an official title or ranking.
Safety standards and regulations: Maruti Suzuki has pointed out that all its cars meet India’s crash safety regulations (which are similar to European norms) . Meeting the legal standard does not mean excelling in NCAP tests. In short, the “most unsafe” claim has no support in any official safety report.
Claim 2: What do Global NCAP or other safety test results actually say about the Wagon R’s crash performance and safety features?
2023 Global NCAP test: Under the latest, stricter NCAP protocols, the Wagon R scored just 19.69/34 for adult protection and only 3.40/49 for child protection. This yielded a 1‑star rating for adults and 0‑stars for children. The test car had dual front airbags, ABS (with EBD), seatbelt reminders, and belt pre-tensioners/load-limiters in front. Despite these, NCAP noted “weak” chest protection for the driver and a bodyshell rated “unstable”. In other words, the body structure could collapse under higher forces. Notably, the Wagon R lacks ESC (stability control), ISOFIX child anchors, knee airbags or side/head airbags – all of which hurt its score.
Crash test imagery: For example, a Global NCAP crash of the similarly‐sized Datsun RediGO shows a heavily crumpled front end under impact.
Likewise, the Wagon R’s crash test found the front occupant compartment deformed with poor leg/chest protection. The NCAP report explicitly called the Wagon R’s structure “unstable” and said its footwell area could not withstand another crash.
The latest NCAP results of Wagon R cars was done in 2023 and the related report can be downloaded from NCAP website here
Previous (2019) test: Under older NCAP rules in 2019, the base Wagon R (one airbag model) scored 2stars for adult AND 2 stars for child protection. That test noted similar issues (poor chest protection, unstable structure) on the single‐airbag variant. In both old and new tests, the Wagon R’s weaknesses stem mainly from minimal passive safety hardware, not a sudden new defect. More details can be read from NCAP website here
Claim 3: How does the Wagon R’s safety compare with other vehicles in its class?
Other low-rated hatchbacks: Many popular Indian city cars have similarly poor safety ratings. For instance, the Maruti Alto K10 scored 2 stars for adults and 0 stars for children in the same 2023 round. Hyundai’s Santro (another tall-boy hatch) got 2/2 stars (adult/child) in 2019 , and the Datsun RediGo managed only 1 star adult (2 stars child) . Maruti’s own S-Presso tall-hatch scored 1 star adult/0 child under new protocols , and the 2022 Swift and Ignis both scored 1 star (adults) with ratings very similar to Wagon R . In other words, Wagon R is not uniquely unsafe – its rating is comparable to many other budget hatchbacks of its era. More details can be found in NCAP global official website.
Safer models in class: By contrast, some newer compact cars are much safer. For example, the Tata Tiago achieved 4 stars (adult) and 3 stars (child) in NCAP tests . Even more impressively, the Tata Punch mini-SUV earned 5 stars adult and 4 stars child (tested in minimal spec). These higher scores come from sturdier structures and more airbags/ISOFIX by default. The wide gap shows that stronger safety design is possible in this price segment.
Conclusion
The viral post’s alarmist claim is not supported by evidence. Official crash tests do find the Wagon R subpar (just 1-star adult protection), but many other cheap hatches performed no better (and some models performed far better). No regulator or NCAP test has ever branded Wagon R as the “most unsafe” car. The misleading social media post simply misinterprets the NCAP star rating. Users should rely on the actual test results – which show the Wagon R has basic safety equipment, but only marginal crashworthiness – rather than sensationalist claims.
Title:Is Wagon R the most unsafe car type in the world?
Fact Check By: Rashmitha DiwyanjaleeResult:Missing Context
