Bajaj Is Putting out Misleading Safety Report on Polo: Volkswagen

Bajaj had earlier said that it’s quadricycle Qute is safer than Volkswagen’s Polo.

Photo: Altered by The Quint)

German automaker Volkswagen has hit out at Bajaj Auto for putting out “misleading” information regarding Global NCAP safety rating for its premium hatchback Polo.

The information issued by Bajaj Auto Ltd. with reference to Volkswagen Polo NCAP rating is misleading, incorrect and without ‎merit. 

Statement, Volkswagen

Volkswagen’s statement comes a day after Global NCAP had hit out at Bajaj Auto for making ‘misleading’ claims of better safety standards of the company’s quadricycle called ‘Qute’, than some popular compact cars sold in India based on crash test results done by the UK-based vehicle safety group.

...in a recent Euro NCAP report, the Bajaj Qute was accorded a one star rating, superior to the zero star rating of popular cars including the Volkswagen Polo, Ford Figo, Hyundai i10, Maruti Alto, and Tata Nano.

Statement, Bajaj Auto which Volkswagen has called ‘misleading’

Volkswagen added that contrary to the claim made by Bajaj Auto, the Global NCAP has given a 4-star rating for its Polo hatchback in India.

Global NCAP said that although it has given a one-star rating for Bajaj Qute, the vehicle does not perform well and there is a “likelihood of severe or fatal head and chest injuries”.

It is also very disappointing to read that Bajaj was also reported to be making comparisons between Global NCAP’s tests of Indian passenger cars suggesting that the Qute had performed better than cars with a zero-star result. To make such a comparison is misleading and wrong. The Euro NCAP quadricycle test uses a full frontal impact at 50 km/h whereas Global NCAP’s passenger car tests use a 40 per cent overlap impact at 64 km/h. The latter is a much tougher test and should not be used as a relevant comparison.

Global NCAP Secretary General David Ward’s letter to Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Auto. 

Later on Bajaj Auto clarified that it had inferred on the basis of results that it has seen that while the Qute has achieved a ‘1 star’ rating in its category of quadricycles, several popular small cars have “achieved a zero star rating in their category”.

The company’s MD Rajiv Bajaj retorted to Global NCAP statement saying, “We would equally respectfully suggest that in the future Global NCAP reflect a little longer and exhibit greater maturity in drawing conclusions before venturing to cast unwarranted aspersion upon an organisation that has a track record for integrity and performance as does Bajaj Auto.”