The next iteration of the Bharat New Car Assessment Program, BNCAP 2.0, will feature additional crash tests and more advanced dummies, say official sources. Under the current protocol, effective since October 2023, tests are conducted for front (partial), side, and side pole impacts. Child restraint system installation and safety-assist technologies are assessed as well, and individual star ratings out of 5 for adult and child occupant protection are then awarded.
- 24 cars have been assessed by Bharat NCAP so far
- BNCAP 2.0 infra is ready, as per the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT)
At the time of writing, 24 vehicles had been evaluated by the voluntary programme. Reportedly, the Bharat NCAP 2.0 rollout is expected towards the end of 2027.
Bharat NCAP 2.0 details so far
Full frontal and rear crash impact tests will be added
Representative image (source: ARAI).
ADAS features to also be analysed
Hyundai Venue with Level 1 ADAS pictured above.
Our February 2025 report on BNCAP 2.0 stated that testing capabilities will be expanded to Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), as these features are becoming more common in cars. “We are working towards creating this new version [of Bharat NCAP], with work already in progress… We don’t want these systems to exist merely for the sake of availability, only to be switched off when actually needed. Instead, they should be fine-tuned to suit Indian driving conditions and user expectations,” Ujjwala Karle, senior deputy director at the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), had said then.
24 cars crash tested by Bharat NCAP
Tata Safari and Harrier ICE are the first models tested by BNCAP
| Cars crash tested by Bharat NCAP (October 2023-September 2025) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Safety ratings (AOP | COP)* | Model | Safety ratings (AOP | COP)* |
| Tata Safari | 5 | 5 | Mahindra BE 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Tata Harrier ICE and EV | 5 | 5 | Mahindra XEV 9e | 5 | 5 |
| Tata Nexon ICE and EV | 5 | 5 | Kia Syros | 5 | 5 |
| Tata Punch EV | 5 | 5 | Maruti Baleno | 4 | 3 |
| Citroen Basalt | 4 | 4 | Maruti Dzire | 5 | 5 |
| Tata Curvv ICE and EV | 5 | 5 | Toyota Innova Hycross | 5 | 5 |
| Mahindra XUV 3XO | 5 | 5 | Maruti Victoris | 5 | 5 |
| Mahindra XUV 400 EV | 5 | 5 | Tata Altroz | 5 | 5 |
| Mahindra Thar Roxx | 5 | 5 | Maruti Invicto | 5 | 5 |
| Hyundai Tucson | 5 | 5 | Citroen C3 Aircorss (5 seater) | 5 | 4 |
| Skoda Kylaq | 5 | 5 | ||
*Adult and child occupant protection ratings scored out of 5, where 1 represents the lowest rating.
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