[CarguyNish]

Originally Posted by punto_

I went to checkout i20 today and asked the sales rep about the safety ratings. He mentioned that Hyundai is going to send this car for testing this month.

Those words from the Sales Rep are more of a reactive words. But that's not the way it happens.

Hyundai will not send the car for tests. Instead, NCAP will purchase/procure it from Hyundai through Dealer. It might be just 1 car or several cars. After that, they'll inform Manufacturers about the VIN and the specifications are cross verified. Any changes between that batch and current one on production line is found, NCAP will ask for a Different Car or ask that missing parts to be fitted on that particular car. Then the Crash Test procedure will happen. And the rest of it follows.

I guess Hyundai is already aware of poor score of Seltos and will want to up the ratings by improving structure. Let's hope that their greedy nature will end soon with a valuable lesson learnt from Sister Brand Kia Motors India.

[AutoConsultant]

Originally Posted by CarguyNish

Hyundai will not send the car for tests. Instead, NCAP will purchase/procure it from Hyundai through Dealer. It might be just 1 car or several cars. After that, they'll inform Manufacturers about the VIN and the specifications are cross verified. Any changes between that batch and current one on production line is found, NCAP will ask for a Different Car or ask that missing parts to be fitted on that particular car. Then the Crash Test procedure will happen. And the rest of it follows.

Can you or anyone shed some light on the exact functioning of GLOBAL NCAP :-
1. Can they test a model without manufacturer's permission?
2. Can a manufacturer request them to test their model?
3. Is there a clearly defined selection criteria based on which they decide to test the cars?

In light of the current test results, I believe it is important to increase awareness on the process so that manufacturers like MS cannot get away by releasing press statements stating that they comply with all the safety measures laid down by the government.

[AZT]

Originally Posted by AutoConsultant

Can you or anyone shed some light on the exact functioning of GLOBAL NCAP :-
1. Can they test a model without manufacturer's permission?

For point 1 Maruti definitely wasn't happy with the S-Presso being tested so manufacturer permission is not needed.

[Nithesh_M]

Originally Posted by CarguyNish

Hyundai will not send the car for tests. Instead, NCAP will purchase/procure it from Hyundai through Dealer. It might be just 1 car or several cars. After that, they'll inform Manufacturers about the VIN and the specifications are cross verified. Any changes between that batch and current one on production line is found, NCAP will ask for a Different Car or ask that missing parts to be fitted on that particular car. Then the Crash Test procedure will happen.

Except that process wasn't followed for the Altroz. The cars hadn't reached dealership lots and Tata had sent top spec(not base spec as is Ncap test norms) directly from production line. Somehow the results came in just before customers recieved their cars and Tata had printed adverts highlighting the stars it received.

[docswarna26]

Originally Posted by AutoConsultant

Can you or anyone shed some light on the exact functioning of GLOBAL NCAP :-
1. Can they test a model without manufacturer's permission?
2. Can a manufacturer request them to test their model?
3. Is there a clearly defined selection criteria based on which they decide to test the cars?

Either the manufacturer can send their car for crash testing and bear the expense or else GNCAP can also purchase the car and test and publish the ratings. In the 2 nd case GNCAP will be bearing all the expenses of the car being tested.

Currently, they are testing cars at random, since most of the manufacturers except Mahindra & Tata are not sending their cars for testing. It's being done under "Safer cars for India Initiative".

Maruti & Hyundai are crying because they want their cars to be tested for frontal impact at 56 Km/hr in place of 64 Km/hr.

Currently, I don't know the status of BNVSAP ( BHARAT NEW VEHICLE SAFETY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM). They were supposed to do the testing & publish the results but that is not happening I guess.

[The Rationalist]

Originally Posted by AutoConsultant

Can you or anyone shed some light on the exact functioning of GLOBAL NCAP :-
1. Can they test a model without manufacturer's permission?
2. Can a manufacturer request them to test their model?
3. Is there a clearly defined selection criteria based on which they decide to test the cars?

I watched the interview with GNCAP officials on Car and Bike show hosted by Siddharth patankar.
1. Of course, they can. They buy the base variant from showroom and later communicate the same to manufacturers.

2. A manufacturer can voluntarily give their cars to GNCAP, like what Tata did for Nexon with changes, Altroz before launch and Mahindra with XUV 300.

3. As of now due to financial issues, only cars that are major sellers in each segment is being tested. All cars that are tested will be base model. Before publishing the results, the manufacturers will be informed and they can request for improving cars by making changes to get higher rating.

Having an unstable body shell reduces 1 point, having poor knee area protection reduces 1 point. So these can result in getting 15 points out of maximum 17, imagine what all deficiencies will there be for Seltos which got only 8 points

[jacob.thomas]

Originally Posted by Potenza

Got home this piece of gorgeousness on the 11th.

Firstly congratulations on your awesome purchase. I too am in the market for a premium hatchback and am leaning heavily towards the new i20. Please let us know what fuel efficiency you are getting from the Turbo Petrol+DCT combo after a few weeks of driving.

[Nicky]

I will be getting delivery of new i20 next week. I want to know if any bangalore alloy wheels dealer can import european i20 alloys to India or similar design in any brand?

[Striker]

Originally Posted by Potenza

Got home this piece of gorgeousness on the 11th.

Its the all singing all dancing 1.0 Turbo DCT Asta (O) in Titan Grey Colour.

Congratulations on your new wheels, let the good times roll! She looks absolutely gorgeous in this color. Do write a detailed initial ownership report.

I have booked the exact same variant but in polar white dual tone color, awaiting for delivery.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by Nithesh_M

Except that process wasn't followed for the Altroz. The cars hadn't reached dealership lots and Tata had sent top spec(not base spec as is Ncap test norms) directly from production line. Somehow the results came in just before customers recieved their cars and Tata had printed adverts highlighting the stars it received.

Manufacturers sending a car is like Indian IT companies getting SCI/CMM or ISO certifications by picking a project/team(which get coached) for auditing . How do we know if they had not tampered around with this 'test' car?

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by Nithesh_M

Except that process wasn't followed for the Altroz. The cars hadn't reached dealership lots and Tata had sent top spec(not base spec as is Ncap test norms) directly from production line. Somehow the results came in just before customers recieved their cars and Tata had printed adverts highlighting the stars it received.

Top Spec or not would have mattered in the past when airbags, ABS, pre-tensioners for seat belts, etc. were "premium" features, reserved for the top models of the respective car. The Altroz has no additional safety features, with those available all now being mandated by the government.

Originally Posted by Guna

Manufacturers sending a car is like Indian IT companies getting SCI/CMM or ISO certifications by picking a project/team(which get coached) for auditing . How do we know if they had not tampered around with this 'test' car?

Well, that has to be based on trust and the unlikelihood of them structurally modifying a specific model from their production line. I would grant the manufacturers that much faith. Them modifying the car for crash testing would be criminally dishonest, much worse than the VW dieselgate scandal.

[Dexter_]

Can anyone update on the real world fuel efficiency for Petrol Turbo DCT?

[Nithesh_M]

Originally Posted by VeluM

I would grant the manufacturers that much faith. Them modifying the car for crash testing would be criminally dishonest.

Its not a big of a deal to modify existing production line to "fix" potential issues or make some changes over time. So Ncap should have done what it does to other cars and bought the base variant from a dealership preferably after the cars are sold from dealerships. There are many variables they cannot control when manufacturers send them by themselves as Guna said.

There's no way to know if the tested model was the same spec as what the 10th batch customers get.

Originally Posted by Guna

Manufacturers sending a car is like Indian IT companies getting SCI/CMM or ISO certifications by picking a project/team(which get coached) for auditing . How do we know if they had not tampered around with this 'test' car?

My issue exactly. Why change your procurement mode and risk adding unknown variables to the test?

[Night Raven]

Originally Posted by Nithesh_M

Its not a big of a deal to modify existing production line to "fix" potential issues or make some changes over time. So Ncap should have done what it does to other cars and bought the base variant from a dealership preferably after the cars are sold from dealerships. There are many variables they cannot control when manufacturers send them by themselves as Guna said.

There's no way to know if the tested model was the same spec as what the 10th batch customers

Pardon my ignorance, but if it is so easy then what prevents behemoths like Maruti Suzuki doing the same? Wouldn't it be child's play for them to modify their cars for the crash test, send them to NCAPs and flaunt the stars they get? Wouldn't that completely shut everyone's mouth who calls their cars "coffins and tinboxes on wheels"?

[Nithesh_M]

I think Maruti's bread and butter customers give more preference to kitna deti hai than kitna stars hai. They openly acknowledge or rather dismiss Ncap tests in interviews. Why rejig the production line when you have waiting periods stretching into months?

They're pretty confident of their customer base or target customer base. They even ditched diesels and are still moving cars around in large quantities.