EuroNCAP: 5-Star Rating For Fiat 500, 4-Star For The Renault Twingo

Oh boy, its coming; the earth will turn upside down and all hell will freeze: Renault developed a new model that achieved a “mere” 4-star rating in adult occupancy protection with an overall score of 28 points. Though that’s pretty ok (and better than the Twingo I’s 3-star rating), we’re certain that we can hear some “French” at Renault’s headquarters… Especially now that they found out about the new Fiat 500 's five star rating in adult occupant protection with an overall score of 35 points.

In the other tests, both the Renault Twingo II and Fiat 500 were rated with 2-stars (out of four) for pedestrian protection. While the Twingo II was not tested for child-protection as there was not enough space to fit Renault’s recommended child restraints in the rear seats with the front seats set to Euro NCAP’s test position for adults (…) the Fiat 500 managed a so-and-so 3-star rating (out of five). -Continued after the jump

EuroNCAP Fiat 500

Front impact: The passenger compartment remained stable during the impact. The driver's knees were well protected by an airbag. Fiat showed that the airbag would also protect larger and smaller occupants and those sat in different seating positions. There were no structures in the dashboard that presented a risk of injury to the passenger's knees and femurs.

Child-protection: In the side impact, the head of the 3 year old dummy was not contained within the child restraint and it contacted the side of the 18 month child's restraint. In the same test, the head of the 18 month was contained but experienced a high head deceleration caused by contact with the side of the restraint. The passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward facing child restraint to be used in that seating position. However, information provided to the driver about the status of the airbag is not clear. The presence of ISOFIX anchorages in the rear outboard seats is not clearly marked.

Pedestrian protection: The front edge of the bonnet scored no points for the protection it offered to pedestrians' legs. The bonnet offered predominantly poor protection to pedestrians' heads.

EuroNCAP Renault Twingo II

Front impact: The passenger compartment remained stable during the impact. Structures in the dashboard presented a potential hazard to the knees and femurs of both of the driver's legs and to the passenger's inboard leg.

Child-protection: With the front seats set to the Euro NCAP test position (mid-position of fore-aft adjustment), the child restraints recommended by Renault could not be fitted in the rear seats. Therefore, it was not possible to establish the child protection rating of the Twingo.

Pedestrian protection: The bumper offered predominantly fair protection to pedestrians' legs. However, the front edge of the bonnet was rated as poor and scored no points. The bonnet surface was rated as predominantly poor for the protection offered to pedestrians' heads.