What Is the Skoda Kushaq NCAP Rating? What Does a 5-Star Global NCAP Mean?
A star rating is easy to quote and harder to read. The Skoda Kushaq NCAP rating is five stars from Global NCAP, but the scores behind the stars, and the car that was actually tested, say more than the headline. This guide reads Global NCAP's own fact sheet for the Kushaq, explains what each number means, and sets out what the rating does not tell you, so you can use it properly before you visit the Skoda showroom in Kochi.
Quick Answer
The Skoda Kushaq has a 5-star Global NCAP rating, published in 2022 for the Volkswagen Taigun / Skoda Kushaq, with 29.64 out of 34 points for adult protection and 42 out of 49 for child protection, according to Global NCAP. It is a laboratory result for the car as tested, not a guarantee in every crash.
Note: Scores come from Global NCAP's published fact sheet (2022) and an Autocar India report, and a rating reflects the car as tested then. Skoda India's current equipment may differ. For updates, visit www.skodakochi.com.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
What Is the Skoda Kushaq NCAP Rating?
What Were the Test Scores?
What Does 5-Star Global NCAP Mean?
What Did the Tests Say About Each Body Region?
Which Kushaq Was Tested?
Why the Rating Matters for Kerala Buyers
Who Should Look Closely at the Results?
What the Rating Does Not Tell You
Can You Compare the Kushaq With the Kylaq?
How to Use the Rating When You Buy
Pros and Cons of the Results
FAQs
Conclusion
Key Takeaways
Global NCAP's fact sheet for the Volkswagen Taigun / Skoda Kushaq scores 29.64 out of 34 for adults, and 42 out of 49 for children, and Autocar India reports five stars for both.
The result was published in 2022, and the test is valid for the Indian market.
Most tests used a 2-airbag version, and a 6-airbag version was used for the side pole test, according to Autocar India.
Skoda India now lists six airbags as standard on every Kushaq variant and 25 active and passive safety features across the range.
Global NCAP and Bharat NCAP scores are not directly comparable, so do not set the Kushaq's result against the Kylaq's.
What Is the Skoda Kushaq NCAP Rating?
The Skoda Kushaq NCAP rating is a 5-star Global NCAP result, published in 2022 for the Volkswagen Taigun / Skoda Kushaq, with 29.64 of 34 points for adult occupant protection and 42 of 49 for child occupant protection.
Global NCAP published one fact sheet for the two cars, which share a platform. Autocar India (17 September 2025) reports that the Kushaq and Taigun received identical scores and were the first models tested under Global NCAP's new protocol, which came into effect in July 2022. The tested car had a crash test weight of 1,451 kg and was made in India.
What Were the Test Scores?
According to Global NCAP's published fact sheet:
Adult occupant protection: 29.64 out of 34
Frontal offset deformable barrier test: 14.1 points
Side movable deformable barrier test: 14.5 points
Side pole impact test: marked OK
Child occupant protection: 42 out of 49
Dynamic score: 24 out of 24
Child restraint installation score: 12 out of 12
Vehicle assessment score: 6 out of 13
Skoda Kushaq Global NCAP scores: adult 29.64 out of 34, child 42 out of 49, child dynamic 24 out of 24, installation 12 out of 12, vehicle assessment 6 out of 13
An 18-month-old and a 3-year-old child dummy were tested in rearward-facing child seats fitted with ISOFIX.
Tip: Look at the sub-scores, not only the stars. The one child section well below full marks is the vehicle assessment, at 6 out of 13.
What Does 5-Star Global NCAP Mean?
Global NCAP is an independent programme that crash tests cars and awards stars for adult and child occupant protection from the points a car scores. A five-star result means the car scored high enough in both areas under the protocol in force when it was tested.
The stars do not describe every kind of crash. They reflect the specific tests carried out: a frontal offset test, a side impact test, a side pole test, plus child restraint and vehicle assessments.
What Did the Tests Say About Each Body Region?
Global NCAP's comments on the fact sheet say:
Frontal impact: head and neck protection was good for both driver and passenger. The driver's chest was adequate and the passenger's chest good. Knees were good; the driver's tibias were marginal and adequate, and the passenger's tibias good. The footwell and bodyshell were stable.
Side impact: head, abdomen, and pelvis protection were good, while chest protection was marginal.
Side pole impact: done on a version with side head protection airbags, with good head and pelvis protection, adequate abdomen protection and marginal chest protection.
Stability control: it met the fitment requirements, and its performance was acceptable.
Which Kushaq Was Tested?
This detail matters. Autocar India reports that Global NCAP used a 2-airbag version for most tests and a 6-airbag version for the side pole test. Global NCAP's fact sheet lists frontal airbags, belt pretensioners and load limiters as standard on the tested car, with side head curtain and side chest airbags marked optional, and ISOFIX on the outboard rear seats.
Skoda India now lists six airbags as standard on every Kushaq variant and 25 active and passive safety features as standard across the range. So the car on sale today carries more standard airbags than the base version tested in 2022. Global NCAP's fact sheet is dated 2022, and we could not confirm from the sources reviewed whether it has been updated for the current model.
Why the Rating Matters for Kerala Buyers
A crash test is an independent, repeatable way to compare how cars protect occupants in specific collisions. That makes it a useful starting point for families who share a car with children and older relatives.
Real-world safety also depends on how the car is driven and maintained. Seat belts worn by every passenger, correct child seats, good tyres, and sensible speeds on Kerala's wet roads all matter alongside the rating.
Who Should Look Closely at the Results?
Families with young children: the child score, the full marks for the dynamic test and seat installation, and the ISOFIX anchorages on the outboard rear seats.
Buyers choosing a variant: confirm the airbags and safety features on your exact variant.
Buyers comparing cars: compare only ratings from the same programme.
Want to see the safety features in person? Visit www.skodakochi.com to book a test drive.
What the Rating Does Not Tell You
It is not a guarantee. It reflects performance in specific lab tests.
It is dated. The result was published in 2022 and reflects the car as tested then.
It reflects the tested configuration, which used a 2-airbag version for most tests.
It is programme-specific. A Global NCAP score is not interchangeable with a score from another programme.
Can You Compare the Kushaq With the Kylaq?
Not directly. The Kylaq's published result is from Bharat NCAP, a different programme with a different protocol. You can read the details in our guide to the Skoda Kylaq NCAP rating.
A separate April 2026 report concerns the updated Volkswagen Taigun's Global NCAP result. The sources we reviewed do not say whether that test is applied to the Kushaq, so check Global NCAP's results page for any newer Kushaq entry.
How to Use the Rating When You Buy
Read Global NCAP's fact sheet for the Volkswagen Taigun / Skoda Kushaq.
Check the airbags and features on the exact variant you plan to buy.
Look at the sub-scores, not only the stars.
Test the child-seat fit using the ISOFIX anchorages if you carry young children.
Pros and Cons of the Results
Pros:
Five stars for both adult and child occupant protection
Full marks on the child dynamic test and child seat installation
ESC standard and ISOFIX on the outboard rear seats
Cons:
Child vehicle assessment scored 6 out of 13, well below full marks
Chest protection was marginal in the side impact and side pole tests
Most tests used a 2-airbag version, so the 2022 result does not describe today's standard six airbags
The result dates from 2022
FAQs
What is the Skoda Kushaq NCAP rating?
The Kushaq has a 5-star Global NCAP rating, published in 2022 for the Volkswagen Taigun / Skoda Kushaq, according to Global NCAP and Autocar India.
What did the Skoda Kushaq score in adult protection?
Global NCAP's fact sheet gives 29.64 out of 34 points, with 14.1 points in the frontal test, 14.5 in the side barrier test, and an OK in the side pole test.
What did the Skoda Kushaq score in child protection?
It scored 42 out of 49, with 24 out of 24 in the dynamic test, 12 out of 12 in child seat installation, and 6 out of 13 in the vehicle assessment.
Is the Skoda Kushaq NCAP rating from Global NCAP or Bharat NCAP?
The published rating is from Global NCAP. The Kylaq's rating is from Bharat NCAP, and the two programmes are not directly comparable.
How many airbags does the Skoda Kushaq have?
Skoda India lists six airbags as standard on every variant. Global NCAP tested a 2-airbag version for most of its tests and a 6-airbag version for the side pole test.
Does the Skoda Kushaq have ISOFIX?
Global NCAP's fact sheet lists ISOFIX as standard on the outboard rear seats, and it was used to fit the child seats in the test.
Is the Skoda Kushaq safe?
It earned five stars for adult and child protection in Global NCAP's tests. A rating is a laboratory result and not a guarantee, so check your variant's equipment and how the car is driven.
Where can I read the official Kushaq crash-test result?
Global NCAP publishes a fact sheet for the Volkswagen Taigun / Skoda Kushaq on its results page.
Conclusion
The Skoda Kushaq earned five stars from Global NCAP, with 29.64 of 34 points for adults and 42 of 49 for children, but the 2022 test used a different configuration from today's six-airbag car. Read the sub-scores, check your variant's equipment, and treat the stars as one part of your decision. These results are from Global NCAP's published 2022 fact sheet and an Autocar India report, and a rating reflects the car as tested. For updates, visit www.skodakochi.com.
Book a free test drive of the Skoda Kushaq at EVM Skoda Kochi and see its safety features in person.
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