Mahindra's XUV 3XO ZNG Gets Five Bharat NCAP Stars After a CNG Crash Test
The CNG car beat the 2024 frontal score, newer cars get a higher child score, and Bharat NCAP's records show the Tata Punch got five stars on CNG first.
Mahindra's XUV 3XO ZNG, the CNG model of its sub-four-metre SUV, now holds five Bharat NCAP stars for both adult and child protection. The government crash-test programme extended the XUV 3XO's 2024 rating to the CNG model this month after a fresh frontal test, and Mahindra announced the result on 6 November.
The ZNG scores 29.36 out of 32 for adult occupants and 45 out of 49 for children, according to Bharat NCAP's revised fact sheet. These are the XUV 3XO family's scores, built from one new crash and results carried over from 2024.
What Bharat NCAP Tested
Bharat NCAP ran an AX5 ZNG weighing 1,726 kg into the frontal offset barrier in November. It scored 13.91 out of 16, more than the 13.36 recorded in the original October 2024 test. The rating keeps the lower of the two frontal results, so the adult total stays at 29.36.
The side barrier and side pole results from 2024 were carried over to the CNG versions without a new crash. The fact sheet's reason is that the body structure and safety systems are unchanged. In that side barrier test, the XUV 3XO took the full 16 points.
Bharat NCAP adult occupant scores for the XUV 3XO, 2024 rating test and 2026 CNG test
| Test | 2024 rating test (AX7L, MX2) | 2026 CNG test (AX5 ZNG) | Score used in the rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontal offset barrier, out of 16 | 13.36 | 13.91 | 13.36 |
| Side barrier, out of 16 | 16.00 | Carried over | 16.00 |
| Side pole | OK | Carried over | OK |
| Crash test weight | 1,737 kg | 1,726 kg | N/A |
The child score has also changed. Bharat NCAP raised the vehicle assessment part from 7 to 9 points once the car met the protocol's marking requirements, taking the child total from 43 to 45. The higher figure covers cars built from a specific vehicle identification number (VIN) onwards, and earlier XUV 3XOs keep 43.
Which ZNG Versions It Covers
The rating extends to six CNG versions: MX1, MX2, MX Edge, REVX Edge (O), AX5 and REVX A. Mahindra's booking website lists four of them for sale, the MX Edge, REVX Edge (O), AX5 ZNG and REVX A, priced between ₹9.99 lakh and ₹12.27 lakh ex-showroom at their October launch.
Each one has six airbags, electronic stability control, ISOFIX mounts on the outer rear seats and belt reminders on all five seats as standard, the fact sheet shows. Mahindra adds that the ZNG detects a gas leak and switches itself to petrol when it finds one.
Under the bonnet is the XUV 3XO's 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol unit. Mahindra quotes 82 kW and 200 Nm whether it runs on CNG or petrol. A six-speed manual is the only gearbox. The certified figure is 24.7 km/kg, and the two CNG cylinders under the floor leave 270 litres of boot space.
Safety "guides every stage of vehicle development," said Dr Velusamy R, who heads Mahindra's automotive business.
The 'First' Claim
Mahindra calls the ZNG the first sub-compact SUV running on CNG in India to earn five Bharat NCAP stars. Bharat NCAP's own records list the Tata Punch, which it tested in CNG form, with five stars for adults and children in a rating that applies from January 2026.
The Punch scored 30.58 for adult protection and 45 for children. Mahindra's release does not say how it defines the segment.
The ratings for two other compact SUVs sold with factory CNG, the Tata Nexon and the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, do not cover their CNG versions. Bharat NCAP lists only petrol and diesel Nexons and petrol Brezzas among the rated variants.
Mahindra's release does not say whether every ZNG built so far falls after the VIN that carries the higher child score.