The Maruti Dzire and the Honda Amaze are among the most trusted compact sedans in the sub-₹10 lakh segment. Both offer strong value for money, excellent fuel efficiency, high reliability and easy ownership—qualities that make them ideal first cars for most Indian buyers. More importantly, both models now come with full five-star Bharat NCAP ratings for Adult Occupant Protection (AOP), which raises the question: when the crash-test scores are so close, which of the two is actually safer?
To understand that, we need to go beyond the star rating and look closely at the breakdown of scores across various crash assessments for both cars.
The Maruti Dzire achieved an impressive 29.46 out of 32 points in AOP, earning a full five-star rating. It performed strongly in both major crash evaluations, scoring 14.17 out of 16 in the frontal offset deformable barrier test and 15.29 out of 16 in the side impact test. The car also secured “good” protection for all critical body regions in the more demanding side pole test. In Child Occupant Protection (COP), the Dzire again excelled with a five-star rating and a total of 41.57 out of 49 points. It posted strong dynamic test results, along with a perfect installation score thanks to standard ISOFIX mounts in the second row. With both 18-month-old and three-year-old dummies, the Dzire registered excellent impact readings using Britax Romer child restraint systems.
The Honda Amaze is not far behind, scoring 28.33 out of 32 in AOP—also a full five stars. In fact, the Amaze scored slightly higher than the Dzire in the frontal impact (14.33/16) but trailed the Maruti in the side impact test (14/16). Like the Dzire, it delivered a “good” rating for all body regions in the side pole impact evaluation. In child safety, however, the Amaze received four stars with a COP score of 40.81 out of 49. While its dynamic scores were exceptional and the CRS installation score was perfect, it fell behind the Dzire in the overall vehicle assessment component. Honda used its own Baby & Kids child restraint systems for testing, with the Amaze posting strong figures for both the 18-month-old and three-year-old dummies, but still scoring slightly lower overall.
When the numbers are placed side by side, the Dzire emerges as the safer of the two. Both sedans offer equally strong adult protection and robust structural integrity, but the Dzire’s advantage in Child Occupant Protection gives it the edge. Its full five-star COP rating and higher overall child safety score make it the more secure option for families.
If your priority is maximum safety—especially with children on board—the Maruti Dzire takes the lead. However, both sedans remain excellent choices in their segment and deliver safety levels that set new benchmarks for budget-friendly compact cars.