Cars with 6 airbags: How much you have to pay up for it

We profile sub-15 lakh rupee budget cars and SUVs that offer 6 airbags as standard.

Airbags are passive safety devices that come into play in the event of an accident or a collision. Airbags cushion the car occupants’ bodies and prevent serious injuries caused due to human beings hitting the car’s interior parts at killing force. Airbags are now standard on luxury cars and are available as optional equipment on most budget cars. While twin airbags are now common across the budget segment, a full complement of six airbags remained confined to a handful of budget cars.

Ford Figo Aspire: Get 6 airbags at Rs 9 lakh (estimated)

The Ford Figo Aspire sub-4 meter compact sedan will soon be launched in India, and will be the first car in its class to offer a full complement of six airbags on the top-spec variant. In that sense, the Figo Aspire will be the most aspirational car in its class, even as the top end variant’s ex-showroom price is likely to be pegged under 9 lakh rupees. Apart from the airbags, ABS+EBD, hill hold assist and ESP will be offered on the 1.5 TI-VCT petrol engined variant equipped with the 6 speed twin clutch automatic gearbox. It remains to be seen whether 6 airbags will be offered on the 1.2 liter petrol and 1.5 liter turbo diesel variants.

Ford Ecosport: Get 6 airbags at Rs 9.77 lakhs

 

The Ford Ecosport is easily the best equipped compact SUVs that money can buy within 10 lakh rupees. The sub-4 meter crossover offers six airbags and ABS+EBD on the turbo petrol, naturally aspirated petrol automatic and turbo diesel engined variants, giving its buyer plenty of options to pick and choose from. The top-end Ecoboost engined Ecosport in Titanium(O) trim is also the most powerful petrol powered compact SUV in its segment, and is priced at 9.7 lakh rupees. The Ecosport 1.5 TDCI Diesel in Titanium(O) trim is priced at 10.2 lakh rupees while the petrol automatic variant with top-of-the-line safety features retails for 9.77 lakh rupees.

Hyundai Verna Fluidic: Get 6 airbags at Rs 10.12 and 11.52 lakhs

The Hyundai Verna Fluidic sedan is the least priced car from the South Korean automaker to offer a full complement of six airbags. Both petrol and turbo diesel variants of the car get this feature. The 1.6 liter petrol engined Verna in SX(O) trim is priced at 10.12 lakh rupees, and offers six airbags and ABS+EBD as standard safety features. The 1.6 liter turbo diesel engined model sells at 11.52 lakh rupees for the same level of safety equipment. Notably, the Hyundai Verna is the only car in the C-Segment sedan pack to offer six airbags, making it a class leader in terms of safety equipment.

Hyundai Creta: Get 6 airbags at Rs 13.6 lakh

Yesterday, we wondered whether the Hyundai Creta was overpriced for the kind of equipment it offers buyers. A closer look at the SUV reaffirms the overpriced SUV theory, at least on the higher variants. For instance, a buyer wanting 6 airbags on the Creta needs to opt for the top-end variant that is priced at a hefty 13.6 lakh rupees, ex-showroom Delhi. What’s more, the 6 airbags and traction control are offered only on the 1.6 liter diesel engined variant, in SX (O) trim. The petrol powered Creta can’t be specified with 6 airbags or traction control. At 13.6 lakh rupees, the Creta comes perilously close to XUV territory.

Mahindra XUV500: Get 6 airbags at Rs 14.31 lakh

Talking of the XUV500, the flagship crossover from the Indian utility vehicle makes Mahindra, offers 6 airbags on the W8 trim of the SUV. The W8 trim also offers ABS+EBD, hill hold assist and ESP as the other major safety features, making the XUV500 a superb value for money proposition. Talking about value, 14.31 lakh rupees is what Mahindra asks for the XUV500 in W8 trim. The 7 seat XUV500 is sold with a solitary turbo diesel engine, and a 6 speed manual gearbox that drives the front wheels. The crossover, which was facelifted recently, is also available with an optional, all wheel drive layout on the W8 and W10 trims.