The safety push has coincided with stronger domestic sales for Indian brands.Indian automakers Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles have pulled ahead of Korean rivals Hyundai Motor India and Kia India, not only in domestic sales volumes but also in the number of five-star safety-rated models certified under the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
According to Moneycontrol, official data show that Tata Motors leads the tally with 10 models securing five-star ratings in both adult occupant protection (AOP) and child occupant protection (COP). Mahindra follows with five such models. In contrast, Kia has only one five-star-rated vehicle, while Hyundai currently has none in its active Indian line-up.
Mahindra’s top-rated internal combustion engine models include the Thar Roxx and XUV 3XO, while its electric vehicles—XUV400, BE 6 and XEV 9e—have also achieved the highest safety scores. Tata’s portfolio spans a wide range of ICE and EV offerings such as the Altroz, Punch, Nexon, Curvv, Harrier and Safari, along with their electric counterparts including Punch.ev, Nexon.ev, Curvv.ev and Harrier.ev.
Hyundai’s flagship Tucson had earlier secured a five-star Bharat NCAP rating but has since been discontinued in India. Kia’s newly launched Syros is the only model from the Korean group to receive the top rating. Both companies, however, provide six airbags and electronic stability control as standard across their ranges, with Hyundai being the first manufacturer in India to offer six airbags across all models.
The Korean automakers did not respond to queries on whether more of their vehicles would be submitted for Bharat NCAP assessment.
Bharat NCAP evaluates cars through controlled crash tests that simulate real-world accidents, assessing frontal, side and pole impacts at prescribed speeds. Sensors fitted on crash dummies measure potential injuries to adults and children, while the final star rating also factors in the availability of safety assist technologies.
Among other manufacturers, Maruti Suzuki has four five-star models—Dzire, Victoris, Invicto and e Vitara—while Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s Innova Hycross and Skoda Auto India’s Kylaq have one each.
Indians gain ground in market share
The safety push has coincided with stronger domestic sales for Indian brands. Mahindra and Tata together increased their share of the passenger vehicle market to 27.73 per cent in April–December FY26 from 26.17 per cent a year earlier. During the same period, Hyundai and Kia’s combined share fell to 18.73 per cent from 19.9 per cent. According to data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, the Indian duo sold 9,22,493 passenger vehicles in the period—Mahindra at 4,76,476 units and Tata at 4,46,017 units. The Korean firms together sold 6,23,038 units, with Hyundai accounting for 4,18,328 units and Kia 2,04,710 units.
Industry analysts say rising consumer preference for SUVs and greater emphasis on crash safety are helping domestic brands narrow the historical perception gap with global competitors.
