Maruti Suzuki chairman R.C. Bhargava has reaffirmed in the last earnings call that all the company's cars will come equipped with 6 airbags as standard by the time 2025 comes to a close. "We will be having 6 airbags in almost all our cars this year," he stated. "So from the safety aspect, the government was extremely keen that 6 airbags should be in all cars.". We will implement this desire of the government, and that will help us,” Maruti’s chairman explained.
The Maruti Baleno and Fronx will only get 6 airbags on the higher variants, and Maruti Ertiga, XL6, Ignis, and S-Presso are likely to increase their prices with the 6 airbags update. The new 6 airbags announcement from Maruti indicates their increased focus on safety.
Cars without the 6 airbags standard
Maruti Suzuki has been equipping its line-up with 6 airbags, and the latest ones to receive the same were the Eeco, Wagon R, Alto K10, Brezza, and Celerio, which were all launched this year. There are currently 6 Maruti cars that do not receive 6 airbags as a standard across the range – Baleno, Fronx, Ignis, Ertiga, XL6, and S-Presso.
Since the Fronx and Baleno do receive side and curtain airbags on top trims, prices for those will not change, although the base trims will be more expensive than they are now; the Fronx lineup now begins at Rs 7.55 lakh, and Baleno prices begin at Rs 6.70 lakh.
Prices of the Ertiga, XL6, Ignis, and S-Presso will also rise with the update, as they did for the other Maruti cars; the Celerio witnessed the maximum jump of up to Rs 32,500.
Maruti’s increased focus on safety
Interestingly, the adoption of 6 airbags across its model lineup is a bit of a contradictory position for Maruti. When the Indian Government had been planning to make 6 airbags mandatory on all cars sold in the country, the brand was not too keen, owing to the cost hike.
Conclusion
Maruti Suzuki’s decision to make 6 airbags standard across its entire lineup marks a significant shift in its approach to vehicle safety. Despite initial concerns about cost implications, the company is now aligning with government safety initiatives, demonstrating a stronger commitment to passenger protection. While price increases across models such as the Ertiga, XL6, Ignis, and S-Presso are unavoidable, the shift is a good direction to raise India's road safety standards. Maruti has the target by 2025 that safety must not be a premium option but an absolute right for all of its customers and thereby reiterating its position as the leadership driver in India's transforming automobile landscape.
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