Crash ratings, number of airbags top priorities for car buyers in India: Survey

PUNE: Safety features, crash ratings and number of airbags in the car is driving Indian buyers to make their purchase decision, a survey finding has revealed.

Interestingly, fuel-efficiency was the third consideration before buying a car.

The survey commissioned by Skoda Auto India and conducted by NIQ BASES on 1,000 respondents, comprising between 18 and 54 age group, across 10 states in India, revealed that 9 out of 10 customers said all cars in India should have a safety rating.

“Crash-ratings and number of airbags were the top two features driving the consumer car purchase decision and fuel-efficiency, one of the popular features, occupied third place,” the survey results showed.

About 67 per cent of the respondents consisted of current car owners who owned a car above Rs 5 lakh. Some 33 per cent did not own a car, but intended to purchase one above Rs 5 lakh within a year.

The car’s crash rating was the top driver of car purchase decision with an importance score of 22.3 per cent followed by number of airbags with an importance score of 21.6 per cent. Fuel efficiency emerged as the third most important driver with a score of 15 per cent when purchasing a car.

A 5-star crash rating was the most preferred crash rating for car purchase, the survey pointed out.

“For us safety is part of our DNA and it is our philosophy to build safe cars,” said Petr Solc, Brand Director at Skoda Auto India.

“We have an over 50-year legacy with crash-tests and safety. And since 2008, every Skoda car has been crash-tested globally, and in India, with a 5-star safety rating,” he said.

Solc said the survey revealed Skoda to be perceived as among the top-3 brands having models with high safety ratings.

“With India’s rapidly growing infrastructure, and the upcoming proposals for India’s own crash-testing standards, it is heartening to see consumers being aware of and demanding safety,” he said.