2012 Fiat 500 earns IIHS Top Safety Pick in US

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By Brett Davis | October 19th, 2011

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the US has awarded the 2012 Fiat 500 a Top Safety Pick in its latest round of testing. It received good results for the front-end crash test, as well as for the rollover and side impact tests conducted by the Vehicle Research Center.

This is the eighth model Fiat/Chrysler Group has in the 2011 Top Safety Pick selections so far, and the 500 joins the only other small car in the 2011 Top Safety Pick, the Ford Fiesta.

The Fiat 500 didn’t previously make the IIHS’s Top Safety Pick category however. Fiat only recently revised the front seating for improved safety, which helped it nudge ahead this time around. Fiat recently said,

“Introduced earlier this year, the Fiat 500 has seven standard airbags for enhanced passenger protection. Reactive head restraints that deploy in the event of a rear collision to minimise the space between the driver and passenger’s head and the front head restraints also are standard. High strength steel door beams offer additional protection in the event of a side impact.”

Fiat is hoping the Fiat 500 will really lift sales and brand awareness in the US, and at the same time bolster Chrysler’s presence in the market by providing the brand with a small, fuel-efficient hatch, as opposed to its otherwise large vehicle line-up.

Atul

I couldnt see the driver is he safe ?
RSI

It’s truly laudable that a car as small as the 500 can be as safe as it is… however, who agrees that crash testing regimes should also incorporate a few tests where they test how well a new car does against other cars it might encounter on the road? So we can fully understand what happens say, when a larger vehicle crashes into a smaller one, even if that smaller one has a bazillion airbags and whatnot?

http://wmcaprice.com/ Troutman

I agree fully, the results are commonly misinterpreted to mean that a 5 star micro car is safer than a 4 star larger car which is simply not true. The results are only suitable for comparing cars in the same category.

There is a German video on Youtube crashing a Fiat 500 into an Audi Q7 which illustrates the point well.

That said, great result for Fiat and I have no doubt that the engineering is the best that is humanly possible in such a small and light vehicle.

FrugalOne

@@”There is a German video on Youtube crashing a Fiat 500 into an Audi Q7 which illustrates the point well.”

Yes, thats true, talk about GERMan arrogance.

What Fiat Group should do is return the favour and run a Audi Q7 into a 60 Tonne IVECO Turbo Star semi-truck

Lars

Obviously Newton laws tell us that lighter car is a loser but this arms race towards the bigger is safer is irrational… If we all start driving 2-3 ton cars we will not be any safer and if you hit the bus….?

RSI

Agreed – and I don’t like the arms race either. But it would be nice to know how a car the size of a 500 does against a bigger, but still reasonable car like a Focus or Commodore or Camry.
http://www.wmcapriceforum.com/index.php?/topic/42-special-feature-10-facts-of-automotive-safety/ Troutman

To RSI, I don’t think I’d be allowed to post links here but there were tests done in the US crashing a Camry into a Yaris sedan, and another with a Mercedes C Class and a Smart car from memory. Again, all on Youtube. You may wish to click the link in my user name above where I’ve compiled a few favourites.

After reviewing many videos, I would say the Smart car holds together even in the most extreme collisions, but the same would not be true of anybody inside the car. In fact, the Smart tends to sort of bounce off like a tennis ball in a collision with a larger vehicle. Amusing in the context of test videos, but absolutely horrific in real life.

The arms race issue is a very valid point, and a debate that has raged since 4WD wagons became popular city transport in the ’90s. In my personal opinion, the rule of thumb for minimal road toll (overlooking the most obvious driver education issues) is NO light cars and NO 4WDs. Your Corolla/Camry/Falcon/Accord etc type cars are in my opinion the safest in terms of accident avoidance, low aggressivity and reasonable protection if you do hit a bus. Please note this is not intended to be offensive to owners/fans of light cars or 4WD vehicles, just a personal opinion.

Henry

Look it up on Youtube THE DRIVERS DOR OPENS!!!
Jacob

Stupid how they sell the tiny Fiat 500 in USA, but not the decent Suzuki Swift.

SEATSam

Why would Fiat sell the Suzuki Swift?

Jacob

Suzuki sells the Kizashi there.

Fiat doesnt sell the Punto there.

FrugalOne

Sister car company Alfa-Romeo [NOT truck!] has recieved the HIGHEST safety rating ever in the new Guiletta during crash testing.

For mine car companies are just designing/engineering cars [excl.China] so that it will easily pass the test witha high score, which they all do [excl. China]

They need to raise the impact speed to 85kmh, that will make the car companies accountable and give us a real rating level
Cx

Crash test organizations already indicate frontal crash simulates one car crashing into a same car. any one don’t know that should check ancap site. I do agree this should be made clearer in advertising, not just hiding in ancap website.