Unmatched safety: Škoda Kylaq secures a 5-star rating in Bharat NCAP crash test

Becomes Safest car in its segment

• The Kylaq is the first Škoda vehicle to participate in Bharat NCAP testing
• Received a prestigious 5-star safety rating for adult and child occupant protection
• Secures 30.88 in the Adult Occupant Protection, and 45.00 child Occupant Protection making it the safest car in its segment*
• Comes equipped with six airbags and over 25 active and passive safety features as standard right from the base variant
• Continues Škoda’s legacy of safety excellence set by the Global NCAP 5-star rated Kushaq and Slavia

Mumbai, January 15, 2025 – Škoda Auto India’s Kylaq, its first sub-4m SUV, has achieved the prestigious 5-star safety rating in the Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme). This makes the Kylaq the first Škoda vehicle to participate in Bharat NCAP testing, continuing the brand’s legacy of safety excellence established by the Kushaq and Slavia. Both Škoda Auto India’s 2.0 cars have achieved 5-star safety ratings in their respective Global NCAP crash tests for both Adult and Child Occupant protection.

Petr Janeba, Brand Director, Škoda Auto India said, “Safety is intrinsic to the Škoda DNA and since 2008, every Škoda car has been crash-tested globally, and in India, with a 5-star safety rating. Škoda Auto has been leading the campaign on car safety in India, with a fleet of 5-star safety-rated cars. We were the first brand to score a full 5-stars for adults and children under the Global NCAP tests. And now Kylaq, our all-new sub-4-metre SUV, has topped the charts in its segment, in the Bharat NCAP testing. Kylaq comes with comprehensive safety systems which include a wide range of active and passive safety features as standard, including six airbags. The use of hot-stamped steel, with a redone crash management system ensures the best possible safety in the Kylaq. This rating is a further testament to our commitment of democratizing European technology on Indian roads, which includes one of the foundations on which a car should be built, which is safety.”

The Škoda Kylaq exemplifies the brand’s commitment to passenger safety, featuring over 25 active and passive safety technologies as standard across all variants. Built on the robust MQB-A0-IN platform, the Kylaq combines advanced engineering and innovative features tailored to Indian roads and driving conditions. With six airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Roll Over Protection, Hill Hold Control, Multi-Collision Braking, and XDS+ included as standard from the base variant, the Kylaq sets a benchmark for safety. The hot-stamped steel construction and redesigned crash management system further enhance cabin protection and crash resilience, reinforcing its safety-first approach.

Key Highlights:

• The Kylaq secured 30.88 points in Adult Occupant Protection out of 32.00 (97%) and 45.00 points in Child Occupant Protection out of 49.00 (92%), making it the best performing vehicle in the ICE sub-4-metre compact SUV segment
• In the frontal offset barrier test for adult occupant protection, the Kylaq scored 15.035 points out of 16 (94%), with both the occupant compartment and footwell rated as stable
• In the side-moving deformable barrier test for adult occupant protection, the Kylaq achieved 15.840 points out of 16 (99%)
• For child occupant protection, the Kylaq earned the maximum possible score of 16 points (100%) in the frontal offset barrier test and full 8 points (100%) in the side-moving deformable barrier test for 1.5 and 3-year-old children
• The Kylaq also secured maximum points in the recommended child seat assessment, and an impressive 9 points out of 13 (69%) in the vehicle-based assessment

The engineering development, testing, and project steering for the all-new Škoda Kylaq were led from the Technology Center in Pune, India, focusing on achieving best-in-class performance across all attributes.

In October 2022, the Škoda Kushaq redefined safety benchmarks by becoming the first car manufactured in India to achieve a 5-star rating under Global NCAP’s new and more stringent crash test protocols. This milestone was particularly significant as the Kushaq was also the first vehicle to secure 5 stars for both adult and child occupant protection, establishing Škoda Auto India as a leader in automotive safety.

Continuing this legacy, the Škoda Slavia followed in April 2023 with another stellar 5-star Global NCAP safety rating, reaffirming the robustness of the MQB-A0-IN platform developed specifically for India by teams in India and the Czech Republic. The Kylaq now carries this tradition forward, showcasing Škoda’s dedication to delivering world-class safety standards tailored specifically for the Indian market.

Further Information

Škoda Auto

• is successfully steering through the new decade with the Next Level Škoda Strategy
• aims to become one of the top three best-selling brands in Europe by the end of the decade by offering its customers the best of both worlds through a range of attractive BEV, hybrid & ICE products
• effectively exploits the potential in important growth markets such as India, Vietnam and the ASEAN region
• currently offers customers 12 passenger car model ranges: Fabia, Scala, Octavia, Superb, Kamiq, Karoq, Kodiaq, Elroq, Enyaq, Slavia, Kylaq and Kushaq
• delivered more than 926,000 vehicles to customers worldwide in 2024
• has been part of the Volkswagen Group, one of the world’s most successful car manufacturers, for more than 30 years
• is part of Brand Group CORE, an organisational merger of the Volkswagen Group’s volume brands, with the aim of achieving joint growth and significantly increasing the overall efficiency of all five volume brands
• independently develops and produces components such as MEB battery systems, engines and transmissions for other Volkswagen Group brands
• operates three production plants in the Czech Republic; has production capacities in China, Slovakia and India, mostly through group partnerships, as well as in Vietnam and Ukraine in cooperation with a local partner
• employs around 40,000 people worldwide and is active in almost 100 markets

Škoda Auto India 

• fascinating customers in India since 2001
• offers 4 models in India – Kylaq, Slavia, Kushaq, and Kodiaq
• over 315 customer touchpoints in more than 179 cities across the country 

Škoda Auto India website – www.skoda-auto.co.in