Top 5-Star Rated Cars Under Rs 15 Lakh: Safety Meets Affordability

In a country like India where road safety is often a concern. So, having a car with a solid crash test rating can be a blessing. But the question remains: Does buying a safe car mean crashing your finances? Well, not anymore. In this article, we've got you covered with the Top 5-star rated cars under Rs 15 lakh. However, before diving deep into the comparison, make sure to join the 91Wheels WhatsApp community to never miss out on any automotive updates.

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Tata Punch

Don't be fooled by its small size; Tata Punch is the safest micro SUV in the market. With a 5-star GNCAP rating and high-ground clearance, it stands out in the segment. For safety, it relies on six airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchors, central locking and engine start/stop tech. Mechanically, it is powered by a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder NA petrol engine which belts out 86 hp and 113 Nm of torque. The Tata Punch is priced at Rs 6.13 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 10.49 lakh (ex-showroom).

Tata Altroz

If you're a hatchback lover who wants safety, then Tata Altroz is for you. Built on ALFA architecture, this hatchback holds a 5-star safety rating in the GNCAP crash test. It comes loaded with plenty of safety features. Some of the key features include six airbags, ESP, 360-degree camera,  ABS with EBD, Isofix child seat mounts, and rear parking sensors. At the heart, it is powered by a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder NA petrol and a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. The petrol unit produces 86 hp and 113 Nm of torque while the diesel unit produces 90 hp and 200 Nm of torque. The Tata Altoz is priced at Rs 6.64 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom).

Maruti Suzuki Dzire

Dzire has been a household name for years with its phenomenal fuel efficiency and practicality. However, the Maruti Dzire has achieved a significant milestone this time by earning 5-star safety in the GNCAP crash tests. On the safety front, it relies on six airbags, ESP, hill hold assist, ABS with EBD, brake assist, three-point seat belts for all seats and ISOFIX mounts. The engine bay is equipped with a 1.2-litre three-cylinder Z12E petrol engine mated with a 5-speed manual or 5-speed AMT unit. This unit belts out 68 bhp and 101.8 Nm of torque. The Maruti Dzire is priced at Rs 6.79 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 10.14 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top spec.

Tata Nexon

The Tata Nexon was the Indian car to earn a 5-star safety rating in GNCAP, making it a game-changer in the compact SUV segment. In terms of safety, the Nexon boasts six airbags as standard across the range, ESC, three-point seat belts for all passengers, ISOFIX, as well as emergency and breakdown call assist. Under the hood, it is powered by a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. The petrol mill churns out 120 hp and 170 Nm of torque while the diesel mill generates 115 hp and 260 Nm of torque. The Tata Nexon is available at an introductory price of Rs 8.89 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 15.39 lakh (ex-showroom).

Skoda Kylaq

The Skoda Kylaq is the Skoda's entry-level SUV, which has earned five stars in the BNCAP crash test. The Skoda Kylaq boasts plenty of safety features. Some of the key features include six airbags, ABS with EBD, reverse parking camera with sensors and TPMS. At the heart, the Kylaq boasts a 1.0-litre TSI engine, which belts out 115 hp and 178 Nm of torque. This engine is paired with a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed tiptronic unit. When it comes to pricing, the Kylaq is priced at Rs 7.89 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up Rs 14.40 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top variant.

Mahindra XUV 3XO

Replacing the XUV 300, the all-new XUV 3XO continues the legacy of the previous version. The XUV 3XO has scored five stars in the BNCAP crash tests. In terms of safety, it gets six airbags, an electronic parking brake with auto-hold, hill-start and hill descent assist, a 360-degree camera, a blind spot monitor and Level 2 ADAS. At the heart, it is powered by a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine and a 1.5-litre diesel engine. These engines belt out 110 bhp and 200 Nm with petrol while 115 bhp and 300 Nm with a diesel unit. Moreover, it is priced at Rs 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 15.56 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top spec.

Skoda Kushaq

The Skoda Kushaq has also earned 5-star safety ratings in the GNCAP. For safety, it relies on six airbags, ABS with EBD, TCS, a rear-parking camera, a multi-collision braking system, a tyre pressure monitor, ESC and a hill start assist. The Skoda Kushaq gets a pair of turbo petrol engine options: a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder TSI unit and a 1.5-litre, four-cylinder TSI unit. These units churn out 114 bhp, 178 Nm and 148 bhp, 250 Nm of torque respectively. Both engines get a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard. Additionally, they also get the option of automatic gearboxes  a 6-speed torque converter for the 1.0 TSI and a 7-speed DSG for the 1.5 TSI. Meanwhile, the Skoda Kushaq is available at a price tag of Rs 10.89 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 18.89 lakh (ex-showroom).

Tata Punch EV

If you're looking for an electric car that doesn't compromise on safety, the Tata Punch EV is a bet for you. Punch EV is the electrified version of the Punch ICE and offers the same set of features and safety as well. This car has also earned a 5-star safety rating in the BNCAP. The only difference lies at the heart. The Punch EV is powered by a single motor but with two different battery pack options: 25 kWh and 35 kWh battery packs. These battery packs give out a claimed range of 315 km and 421 km, respectively. The Punch EV is priced at Rs 10.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 14.99 lakh (ex-showroom).

Volkswagen Virtus/ Skoda Slavia

The Volkswagen Virtus isn't just about style and performance; it's a fortress on the wheel, which is engineered to keep you safe while on the go. This German sedan proudly flaunts the 5-star crash test rating in the GNCAP. Regarding safety, it offers six airbags, ABS with EBD,  hill-hold control, ESC, a rear parking camera, and a tire pressure monitor. Meanwhile, mechanically, the Virtus offers two powertrains: a 1.5-litre engine and a 1.0-litre engine, both paired with a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DSG unit. While the 1.0-litre unit belts out 113.9 bhp and 178 Nm of torque and the 1.5-litre unit generates 147.5 bhp and 250 Nm of torque. The Volkswagen Virtus is available at a starting price of Rs 11.55 (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 19.39 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top spec.

The Skoda Slavia gets the same powertrains and features as the Volkswagen Virtus. However, the pricing remains to be different. The Skoda Slavia is available at a price tag of Rs 10.34 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 18.24 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top spec.

Volkswagen Taigun

The Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Kylaq share the same platform and hold a similar 5-star safety rating. Regarding safety, it boasts six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, hill-hold control, tyre pressure deflation warning, parking camera, and ISOFIX child seat mounts. Mechanically, the Taigun has the same engine options as the Kushaq, even with similar power figures. Both the engines are offered with 6-speed manual, 6-speed torque converter, and 7-speed DCT unit. The Volkswagen Taigun is available at a starting price of Rs 11.69 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 19.73 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top trim.

Tata Curvv

With their majority lineup proudly wearing 5-star safety ratings, the Curvv also upholds the legacy by scoring 5-star in the BNCAP. Built on the advanced Sigma architecture, the Curvv offers six airbags, Level 2 ADAS, ESC, disc brakes on all four wheels, TPMS, a 360-degree camera, an electronic parking brake with auto-hold, and more. It is powered by three engine options: a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol, a 1.2-liter direct-injection turbo-petrol Hyperion engine, and a 1.5-litre diesel unit. Meanwhile, the power figures remain at  120hp and 170Nm,  125hp and 225Nm,  118hp and 260 Nm, respectively. All three units come paired with a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DCA. The Tata Curvv is available at a price tag of Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 17.7 lakh (ex-showroom).

Mahindra Thar Roxx

A more affordable or lifestyle-oriented version of Thar, the Thar Roxx, scored five stars in the crash test. For safety, the Roxx relies on 6 airbags, electronic stability control (ESC), hill hold and descent control, and rear parking sensors. Moreover, it is powered by 2.0-litre mStallion turbo-petrol and  2.2-litre mHawk diesel unit. These engines are paired up with a 6-speed manual or 6-speed torque converter unit. The 2.2-litre diesel unit generates 172 bhp and 370 Nm while the petrol unit churns out 160 bhp and 330 Nm of torque. This SUV is priced at Rs 12.99 lakh and goes up to Rs 23.08 lakh (ex-showroom).

Mahindra Scorpio N

The Mahindra Scorpio N comes with a bold stance and rugged DNA. This SUV isn't just about the commanding road presence but also the uncompromised safety. The Scorpio N earned a 5-star safety rating in the GNCAP crash test. The key safety features include six airbags, ESP, traction control system, hill-hold control, hill-descent control, tire pressure monitoring system, driver drowsiness detection system, and more. Mechanically, it comes powered by the same units as Thar Roxx and XUV 700:  2.0 turbo-petrol and the 2.2 diesel unit. The petrol unit produces 200 bhp and 370 Nm with manual transmission while 380Nm with automatic transmission. The diesel unit, in the lower state of tune, produces 172 bhp and 370 Nm of torque with manual transmission while 400 Nm of torque with automatic unit. This SUV is available at a price tag of Rs 13.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 24.89 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top spec.

Mahindra XUV 700

The Mahindra XUV 700 is a feature-rich mid-size, priced between Rs 13.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and Rs 25.88 lakh (ex-showroom).  It achieved a 5-star safety rating for adult occupants and a 4-star safety rating for child occupants in GNCAP. For safety, it relies on seven airbags, ABS with EBD, TPMS, and a level 2 ADAS suite. Under the hood, it gets two engine options: a 2.0-litre turbo-charged petrol unit and a 2.2-litre diesel unit. The diesel powertrain comes with multiple output figures depending on the trim and transmission; in the lower trims with the manual transmission, the figures stand at 154 hp and 360 Nm of torque. These figures jump up to 184 hp and 420 Nm of torque in the higher trims with the 6-speed manual transmission, and finally the automatic producing 450Nm of torque.

Tata Harrier

The Tata Harrier is a very popular mid-size SUV that has scored five stars in the GNCAP crash test. However, for safety, it relies on seven airbags, ADAS, 360-degree camera, hill-hold control, ABS with EBD, three-point seat belts with reminders for all passengers, and more. Under the hood, it is powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine clubbed along with a 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox. This unit belts out 170 hp and 350 Nm of torque. The Base model of the Tata Harrier is priced at Rs 14.99 lakh (ex-showroom) and goes up to Rs 26.49 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top spec.

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