Toyota Glanza Does A Maruti Baleno: Get A BIG Safety Boost!
Toyota has updated its Glanza hatchback with a key safety feature that was, until recently, limited to higher trims: six airbags. This change, which mirrors a similar move by Maruti Suzuki for the Baleno, means that every Glanza variant now offers front, side and curtain airbags as standard.
It’s a simple but significant update that brings the Glanza in line with evolving expectations around basic safety equipment, especially in cars priced above the ₹7 lakh mark.
Safety First, But Quietly
There’s no visual change or major marketing campaign around the update. It’s a quiet rollout, and the car remains visually identical across trims. But under the skin, the inclusion of side and curtain airbags from the base ‘E’ variant upward makes a notable difference in terms of crash protection.
Toyota hasn’t altered variant names or created a new safety edition to promote the change, suggesting the brand wants to normalise six airbags as standard without turning it into a limited-edition gimmick.
This update follows the same pattern Maruti used with the Baleno just weeks earlier. In that sense, it’s not surprising. But it still stands out in a market where many rivals continue to restrict full airbag protection to top variants.
No Major Price Bump
Perhaps the most practical aspect of this upgrade is that it hasn’t come with a major price hike. That’s especially relevant because a fully loaded Glanza is already priced just below ₹10 lakh, and any further increase could have pushed it into a higher tax slab.
By keeping pricing stable, Toyota ensures the Glanza’s positioning in the premium hatchback space remains intact. Buyers comparing entry and mid-level variants will now get improved safety without having to spend more or switch to a higher trim.
How It Compares Now
The Glanza now edges past the Hyundai i20 on safety equipment at lower trims, where the i20 still limits six airbags to its higher variants. Tata’s Altroz offers strong crash safety credentials overall with six airbags across the range.
In terms of sheer equipment spread, the Glanza and Baleno now sit at the top of the premium hatchback segment when it comes to airbag count. Neither has been tested under the upcoming Bharat NCAP regime, but offering six airbags across variants puts them in a better position to deal with both regulatory shifts and public perception.
A Straightforward Move That Matters
This isn’t a segment redefinition. There’s no new engine, transmission, or digital gimmick. But this quiet safety upgrade does its job - it makes the Glanza more relevant for buyers who view six airbags as a baseline requirement rather than a luxury.
It also removes a dilemma many buyers face when choosing between mid-level trims and top-end variants. Safety, in this case, is no longer reserved for the fully loaded version. And that’s exactly how it should be. For a car that’s otherwise well-equipped and sensible, this update rounds off the Glanza’s appeal without adding noise or confusion.
No drama, no badge changes: just six airbags where there were once two. And sometimes, that’s enough.