Safety first: Maruti takes the lead in six-airbag car sales

WITH SAFETY NOW playing an increasingly important role in purchase decisions, Maruti Suzuki India is emerging as the country's top seller of vehicles equipped with six airbags.

- VIKRAM CHAUDHARY

Following the launch of the six-airbag-equipped Alto in early March, the company now sells nearly 97% of its vehicles with six airbags as standard.

In the April-June quarter, Maruti Suzuki sold 393,572 cars, of which nearly 380,000 units were equipped with six airbags. This figure puts it far ahead of rivals Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors. Mahindra sold close to 93,000 such cars during the same period, accounting for 61% of its total sales of 152,067 units. Tata Motors sold around 65,000 six-airbag-equipped vehicles, which comprised 51% of its 129,369 units sold in the quarter.