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New Delhi: Safety ratings don’t usually make the front page, but this one deserves a mention. Tata Altroz has just secured a 5-star rating under Bharat NCAP, making it India’s only CNG-powered car to achieve that score.
For years, CNG cars were mostly treated as budget-friendly workhorses, often accused of compromising on features and safety. That perception might change after this.
According to Bharat NCAP’s published report, the Altroz scored 29.65 out of 32 points in Adult Occupant Protection. The frontal offset test gave it 15.55 out of 16, with both driver and passenger well shielded. In the side impact test, the car managed 14.11 out of 16, again showing solid crashworthiness.
For Child Occupant Protection, the hatchback scored 44.9 out of 49. The test used dummies of 18-month and three-year-old children placed in rear-facing child seats secured with ISOFIX mounts. The results showed near-perfect protection with a dynamic score of 23.9 out of 24, 9 points for vehicle assessment, and a clean 12 out of 12 for CRS installation.
What makes this result important is that the rating applies across the Altroz lineup. Whether it’s the Smart, Pure, Creative or the higher Accomplished trims, petrol, diesel or iCNG, all share the same crash protection performance. It’s not just the top-end variant that gets the safety bragging rights.
The Altroz has six airbags fitted as standard. Add to that ABS with EBD, ESC, tyre pressure monitoring, hill hold assist, rear parking sensors and a 360-degree camera. For many buyers, this is a comfort because these are features often reserved for pricier sedans or SUVs.
Tata offers three powertrains on the Altroz:
Prices range from ₹6.89 lakh (around USD 8,100) to ₹11.29 lakh (USD 13,300) ex-showroom. For a hatchback segment that usually sees buyers hunting for value, this mix of affordability and safety is hard to ignore.
Plenty of cars have bagged 5-star ratings, including the Tata Punch, Harrier and Nexon. But what makes the Altroz stand out is the CNG option. CNG cars were always thought of as city runners with compromises, not segment leaders in safety. Now, the Altroz sets a new benchmark.
The premium hatchback space in India is dominated by Maruti Baleno, Hyundai i20 and Toyota Glanza. None of them carry Bharat NCAP’s top rating yet. For families weighing price, mileage and safety, the Altroz suddenly has an edge. And if this pushes other manufacturers to chase higher crash test scores, buyers across the board will be the real winners.
