New Zealand LOWEST Safety Score Sparks Concern for Mahindra Scorpio SUV Sales in India

Being hit with the lowest safety score – in both crash protection and crash avoidance – ever awarded by the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP), the recently-launched Mahindra Scorpio SUV has received a zero-star safety rating. Despite this, the SUV will continue to be sold in India, according to the national distributor for Mahindra. The Scorpio, along with the MG5 sedan, has become only the second and third vehicles in the 30-year history of ANCAP to receive the lowest rating. ANCAP, an independent crash testing schedule funded by safety agencies including NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, criticized both brands for omitting fundamental safety features that have been common in new cars for many years. The Scorpio’s results in Safety Assist and Vulnerable Road User Protection earned it zero stars, while its Adult Occupant Protection and Child Occupant Protection scores were eligible for one and five stars, respectively. Despite the zero rating, Mahindra believes the model is safe and has achieved five stars in the domestic level test conducted by GNCAP. ANCAP hopes to see significant improvements made to models like the Scorpio to align them with the safety credentials of their competitors.