2012 Fiat 500 gets a three-star safety rating at the NHTSA crash tests
By Andrew, 10 Dec, 2011. 0 Comments
2012 Fiat 500
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given the 2012 Fiat 500 a three-star safety rating, the lowest score of any new model ever tested. This is unfortunate as the sales of the two-door subcompact have been sluggish so far. On safercar.gov (the NHTSA’s Web site), the model got four stars for frontal crash and rollover accidents but got only two stars for side-impact crash safety. This meant that the car gets a combined overall safety rating of three stars.
The only other 2012 vehicles with three-star ratings are the outgoing Dodge Caliber and Ford Escape SUV. The NHTSA hasn’t released yet what the crash test results and star ratings are for the 500’s main rival, the Mini Cooper. The ratings for the other 2012 subcompacts -- Honda Fit, Chevy Sonic and Toyota Yaris – have also not been released yet. The agency has divulged that a four-star rating was given to the Ford Fiesta subcompact.
The agency’s side-impact crash tests consist of an impact with a side barrier and a stationary pole in a 38.5 mph simulated intersection-type crash. In the side-barrier crash test, the rear-seat passenger position was rated at only two of five possible stars for safety even if the tested vehicles were fitted with curtain airbags and torso/pelvis airbags. But in the same crash test, the driver's seat position earned a five-star safety rating.
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