OK here is the reworked points system for "
SAFETY" - hopefully this one is more logical than before.
To begin with - a very interesting ranking of small cars braking distance. Nobody gives too much attention to this, but in my opinion, a short braking distance is an excellent "active safety" parameter. This data is from
Overdrive magazine.
The ranking of braking distance from 100 kmph to zero kmph in metres -
Maruti A-Star 1.0 Petrol ------------- 40.8 m
Hyundai i20 1.2 Petrol --------------- 43.02 m
Chevrolet U-VA 1.2 Petrol ----------- 45.5 m
Ford Figo `1.4 Diesel ---------------- 47.9 m
Fiat Punto 1.4 Petrol --------------- 48.2 m
Fiat Palio 1.1 Petro -----------------l 48.2 m
Honda Jazz 1.2 Petrol --------------- 48.25 m
Maruti Ritz 1.2 Petrol ---------------- 48.8 m
Fiat Punto 1.3 Diesel ----------------- 49.6 m
Skoda Fabia 1.2 Petrol --------------- 49.66 m
Hyundai i10 1.1 Petrol ---------------- 49.8 m
Hyundai i10 1.2 Petrol --------------- 49.8 m
Fiat Palio 1.6 Petrol ----------------- 50.1 m
Skoda Fabia 1.4 Diesel -------------- 51 m
Maruti Swift 1.2 Petrol -------------- 51.5 m
Maruti Estilo 1.0 Petrol -------------- 52.3 m
Fiat Palio 1.3 Diesel ----------------- 53.09 m
Fiat Punto 1.2 Petrol ---------------- 53.65 m
Maruti Ritz 1.3 Diesel ---------------- 54 m
VW Polo 1.2 Petrol ----------------- 56.4 m
Maruti Swift 1.3 Diesel --------------- 56.6 m
Chevrolet Spark 1.0 Petrol ----------- 58.1 m
Hyundai Getz 1.1 Petrol -------------- 60 m
Hyundai Getz 1.3 Petrol -------------- 60 m
Tata Nano 0.6 Petrol ----------------- 60.17 m
Tata Indica 1.4 Diesel ---------------- 62.1 m
Hyundai i20 1.4 Diesel ---------------- 65.36 m
Tata Vista 1.3 Diesel ----------------- 68.7 m
Analysis:
- Maruti A-star owners better watch the rear view mirror once before stomping on the brakes. 40 metres from 100-0 kmph is seriously impressive - this is Audi/BMW territory.
- Tata Vista 1.3 diesel has a truly disappointing braking distance. The difference between Vista 1.3 Diesel and its close competitor Figo 1.4 diesel is a whopping 20 metres!
- Hyundai i20 1.4 diesel too is terribly disappointing - no wonder Hyundai is packing it with airbags. However, i20 1.2 petrol stops within 43 metres. I think i20's diesel engine alone weighs a ton!
Unfortunately, we won't be assigning any points to
braking distance. Because we don't have braking distance data on the following cars -
Chevrolet Beat 1.2 Petrol
Tata Vista 1.2 Petrol
Tata Indica 1.2 Petrol
Maruti WagonR 1.1 Petrol
Hyundai Santro 1.1 Petrol
Maruti 800 0.8 Petrol
Maruti Alto 0.8 Petrol
Ford Figo 1.2 Petrol
Coming back to Safety features of the small cars, I'm attaching this image for easy reference.
A little bit of glossary:
EBD: EBD is Electronic Brake Force distribution - where brakes are applied with different force on each wheel, based on load on the wheel. The user will have better control over the vehicle under panic braking conditions.
Seatbelt Pretensioner: Seatbelt tightens and holds the passengers in place on impact.
Dual Stage Airbags: Airbags are deployed at variable force, depending on the severity of impact. These are "smarter" airbags.
ISOFIX mounting points: Do a wikipedia search for ISOFIX
I will be assigning 16 pts for dual airbags, 8 pts for side airbags, 6 pts for ABS, 2 pts for EBD and 1 pt each for the other four safety features mentioned above.
Ranking of small cars based on SAFETY:
Hyundai i20 1.2 Petrol ------------- 33 pts
Hyundai i20 1.4 Diesel ------------- 33 pts
Fiat Punto 1.4 Petrol -------------- 26 pts
Fiat Punto 1.3 Diesel -------------- 26 pts
Honda Jazz 1.2 Petrol ------------- 25 pts
Maruti Swift 1.2 Petrol -------------25 pts
Tata Vista 1.2 Petrol--------------- 25 pts
Tata Vista 1.3 Diesel -------------- 25 pts
Ford Figo 1.2 Petrol --------------- 24 pts
Ford Figo `1.4 Diesel -------------- 24 pts
Maruti Ritz 1.2 Petrol -------------- 24 pts
Skoda Fabia 1.4 Diesel ------------- 24 pts
Skoda Fabia 1.2 Petrol-------------- 24 pts
Hyundai i10 1.2 Petrol -------------- 23 pts
Chevrolet Beat 1.2 Petrol ----------- 22 pts
Maruti A-Star 1.0 Petrol ------------ 22 pts
Maruti Estilo 1.0 Petrol ------------- 22 pts
VW Polo 1.2 Petrol ----------------- 22 pts
Chevrolet Spark 1.0 Petrol ---------- 14 pts
Chevrolet U-VA 1.2 Petrol ----------- 14 pts
Fiat Punto 1.2 Petrol ---------------- 8 pts
Maruti Ritz 1.3 Diesel ---------------- 8 pts
Maruti Swift 1.3 Diesel--------------- 8 pts
The following cars get no points for safety -
Fiat Palio 1.1 Petrol
Fiat Palio 1.6 Petrol
Fiat Palio 1.3 Diesel
Hyundai i10 1.1 Petrol
Hyundai Getz 1.1 Petrol
Hyundai Getz 1.3 Petrol
Hyundai Santro 1.1 Petrol
Maruti 800 0.8 Petrol
Maruti Alto 0.8 Petrol
Maruti WagonR 1.1 Petrol
Tata Nano 0.6 Petrol
Tata Indica 1.2 Petrol
Tata Indica 1.4 Diesel
My View: Although Hyundai i20 diesel wins the SAFETY contest, I cannot digest the fact that it takes 68.7 metres to stop from 100-0 kmph. Especially when Ford Figo diesel does it in 47.9 metres.
Assigning equal weightage to performance, driveability, running costs, on road price & safety, the ranking of small cars would be -
1) Hyundai i20 1.4 Diesel ------------ 125 pts
2) Maruti Swift 1.3 Diesel ----------- 120 pts
3) Maruti A-Star 1.0 Petrol ---------- 119 pts
4) Maruti Ritz 1.3 Diesel ------------- 117 pts
5) Ford Figo `1.4 Diesel ------------- 115 pts
6) Tata Vista 1.3 Diesel ------------- 115 pts
7) Skoda Fabia 1.4 Diesel ------------110 pts
8) Maruti Swift 1.2 Petrol ------------ 108 pts
9) Honda Jazz 1.2 Petrol ------------- 107 pts
10) Maruti Ritz 1.2 Petrol ------------- 106 pts
11) Maruti Estilo 1.0 Petrol ----------- 106 pts
12) Hyundai Santro 1.1 Petrol ---------105 pts
13) Fiat Punto 1.3 Diesel ------------- 103 pts
14) Fiat Palio 1.3 Diesel -------------- 100 pts
15) Chevrolet Spark 1.0 Petrol -------- 98 pts
16) Hyundai i10 1.2 Petrol ------------ 94 pts
17) Chevrolet Beat 1.2 Petrol --------- 94 pts
18) Fiat Palio 1.6 Petrol --------------- 92 pts
19) Hyundai i10 1.1 Petrol ------------ 90 pts
20) Hyundai i20 1.2 Petrol ------------ 87 pts
21) Ford Figo 1.2 Petrol ---------------79 pts
22) Fiat Punto 1.4 Petrol -------------- 77 pts
23) Maruti Alto 0.8 Petrol ------------- 76 pts
24) Skoda Fabia 1.2 Petrol ------------ 75 pts
25) Maruti WagonR 1.1 Petrol ---------- 75 pts
26) Hyundai Getz 1.3 Petrol ----------- 72 pts
27) Maruti 800 0.8 Petrol -------------- 71 pts
28) Tata Vista 1.2 Petrol -------------- 69 pts
29) Tata Indica 1.4 Diesel ------------- 67 pts
30) Chevrolet U-VA 1.2 Petrol ---------- 66 pts
31) VW Polo 1.2 Petrol ---------------- 65 pts
32) Tata Nano 0.6 Petrol -------------- 65 pts
33) Tata Indica 1.2 Petrol ------------- 63 pts
34) Fiat Punto 1.2 Petrol -------------- 53 pts
35) Hyundai Getz 1.1 Petrol ------------ 46 pts
36) Fiat Palio 1.1 Petrol --------------- 42 pts
Analysis:
Say Hello! to Maruti A-star - a consistent Rahul Dravid type performer in each match, but just doesn't draw too much attention to himself.