Tata Nexon Valentine’s Day ad is cheeky [Video]

Tata Motors has been painting the town red with the Nexon’s 5 star safey rating even since Global NCAP gave the  compact SUV this segment-leading ranking. The automaker has put out a new ad that once again highlights the Nexon’s safety rating. This ad revolves around a Valentine’s Day theme. Check it out.

The Tata Nexon is the only sub-4 meter compact SUV that has received a 5 star rating. The best seller of the segment – the Maruti Brezza – received a four star rating from the Global NCAP. Both the Tata Nexon and the Maruti Brezza were judged to have strong body shells that were capable of withstanding higher loading. This is a critcal  requirement for safety as even having airbags and other passive safety aids is useless if the body structure of the  vehicle itself is weak.

The Tata Nexon currently offers ABS+EBD and twin airbags as the key safety features. Higher variants also get reverse parking sensors and a parking camera. The Nexon is one of the most affordable sub-4 meter compact SUVs sold in India, with prices starting from just Rs. 6.31 lakhs. Tata Motors offers this SUV with two engine options – a 1.2 liter turbo petrol with 108 Bhp-170 Nm, and a 1.5 liter turbo diesel with 108 Bhp-260 Nm. These engines have class leading outputs. 6 speed manual and AMT options are on offer with both engines.

The other compact SUVs of the segment – the Mahindra TUV300 and the Ford EcoSport – are also likely to have strong body structures. The EcoSport, in particular, has been known for its tough build, and although Global NCAP is yet to put this SUV through a safety test, it’s likely that the EcoSport will pass the test with flying colours. Notably,  the EcoSport is the only compact SUV in the sub-4 meter segment to be offered with 6 airbags on the top-end variant. This is a number that will be bettered later today.

Mahindra is all set to launch the XUV300 compact SUV, with no less than 7 airbags on offer in the top-spec variant.  The XUV300 will be the most safety loaded SUV in the segment with 7 airbags, ABS+EBD, hill hold, traction control,  ESP, front parking sensors, and rear parking sensors and camera. Like the EcoSport and TUV300, the XUV300 is yet to  be put through a Global NCAP crash test. Meanwhile, all sub-4 meter SUVs on sale in India, with every other car in the country, will soon have to comply with the upcoming Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP).

Car makers and buyers are takig crash safety quite seriously, especially in Rs. 5 lakh+ segments. While it’s one  thing to have safety features such as airbags and ESP in a car, the primary safety feature remains the three point  seat belt. Without a seatbelt, even features like airbags are useless. So, it’s important that everyone in a car use seat belts at all times when the vehicle is moving.