Alfa Romeo Giulietta safest compact car in Euro NCAP history

By Tim Beissmann | June 04th, 2010

The latest round of Euro NCAP results has determined the all-new Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatch is the safest compact car ever tested.

The Giulietta achieved an overall score of 87/100 and a five-star rating with solid performances across the four areas of testing.

It performed best in the adult occupant testing component where it scored 97 percent, including scoring maximum points in the side barrier impact.

“Alfa Romeo were able to show that similar protection would be offered to occupants of different sizes and to those sat in different positions,” said the Euro NCAP report.

“A reactive head restraint (one which moves forward in response to the rearward movement of the occupant) provided good protection against whiplash injuries in the event of a rear impact.”

An 85 percent was achieved in the child occupant component, as both dummies (18-month-old and three-year-old) were properly contained by their restraints and did not move excessively in frontal impact testing.

“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 regarding the status of the airbag is not sufficiently clear,” the report said.

Its worst performance was in the pedestrian testing component where it achieved 63 percent. Euro NCAP awarded it maximum points for protection offered by the bumper to pedestrian’s legs, and found that the bonnet offered good protection in the areas most likely to be struck by the head of a child.

Protection at the front edge of the bonnet was deemed marginal however, and poor protection was offered to a struck adult’s head in most areas of the bonnet.

In the newest testing component, safety assist, the Giulietta scored 86 percent thanks to standard stability control and front and rear seatbelt reminders on all variants.

In other testing, the Mazda CX-7 was rated four stars overall: 76 percent for adult occupant, 79 percent for child occupant, 43 percent for pedestrian and 71 percent for safety assist.

The CX-7 also scored maximum points in the side barrier test but offered poor protection against whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions.

Like the Guilietta, the bumper provided maximum protection to pedestrian’s legs but the bonnet provided predominantly poor protection in the areas likely to be struck by an adult’s head.

The CX-7 achieved a lower safety assist score as it does not feature a seatbelt reminder system for back-seat passengers.

CarAdvice has already detailed the results of the BMW 5 Series, which was rated five stars, scoring 95 percent for adult occupant, 83 percent for child occupant, 78 percent for pedestrian and 100 percent for safety assist, as it features a driver-set speed limitation device.

Johnno

Well doen Alfa. “safest compact car ever tested”. The reviews on the Giuletta just keep getting better and better. Alfa now has a car on its hands with genuine cuttting edge technology coupled with genuine cutting edge safety. If this car doesnt convince the buying public that Alfa are the real deal, I dont know what will!

James Cortez

Jonno,

cutting edge and safety are not enough to attract buying public. It should be accompanied by good reliability record for the next few years or so. Alfas in the past, even up to 147, 156 had bad reliability record (read top gear).

Shane

Yeah, but how reliable will it be??

Darth Siddious

You can’t judge its reliability without living with it for a few months at least. So, why don’t you buy one and tell us how it goes? Don’t just assume it’ll fall apart because it’s an Alfa.

NasalExplorer

I don’t think Shane’s assuming anything, just asking a question. Possibly due to past experience.
Shane

Mate, I wouldn’t take the chance. It may have improved reliability for an Alfa but compared to the other options out there I still don’t think it would stack up. Also, it will be overpriced, with poor resale and expensive to maintain. All typical Alfa stuff

I agree it will be a nice car I wont buy one because I am more than happy with my Golf Mk6 gti. Thanks for the recommendation anyway

Channel7

idiot

http://thethrillofdriving.blogspot.com MaK

Bravo Alfa!

Now please bring back some rear-drive transaxle cars that you used to produce!
Johnno

Shane – I can see you like German cars given you are driving the awesome Golf GTI Mk6. In the GERMAN JD power survery, alfa was the second most reliable car (after Lexus and along side Mercedez), beating Volkswagon for reliability. In terms of resale here in OZ, using the ALFA 159 as an example, you are looking at 1 to 2% less at resale time than its competitors (motor and wheels magazine). Yet, most of the standard equipment comes as options with other German competitors. In terms of servicing, yes Alfas are more expensive the Holdens and Fords, but no more expensive than other european marques like Volkswagon.
Devil’s Advocate

Compact car? The Giuletta is a MkVI Golf sized rival and I have never heard the current Golf being called a “compact” car…
Elitist

I never understood ppl bringing up reliability with new Alfas, man get over it the 70s was bad for many car companies….Even Japan.

Giulietta gets better and better.
ang

I have owned a v6 156 for ten years and have never experienced a problem,i have traveled 185k and still goes like new,the main problem with alfa pre 2005 was the expensive timing belt change,and the terrible selespeed, apart from that if you look after them they are very reliable cars and sound awesome.
will

Strange you are all talking about reliability where we have Toyota recalling millions of vehicles, the new commodore being one of the most recalled local vehicles in Australia, Porsche recalling, and friends with new volkswagens having their auto transmissions “die” on motorways. Yet I have owned probably 6 Alfas, 1 Citroen, 1 commodore, 1 mitsubishi… as you can see i keep returning to Alfa, with the biggest issue I have ever had is the 147 badge when bought new, wasnt attached correctly, and in the weekend my 159Ti of 12 months had a faulty battery – replaced for free of course.

So how about re-educating out of the late 70′s & 80′s viewpoint of italian car reliability, and introduce yourself to some of the most unique looking vehicles around, and not get lost in the bland crowd.

Johnno

Well said Will! I had a 3 litre GTV and now have a 7 year old 156 (which will be replaced this year with another Alfa becuase they have been both RELIABLE and fun). Just had a window switch go on me in the 156 and cost me $150 (including labour). Oh, I forgot the German battery died on me once………My Mitsubishi on the other hand cost me $3k to replace the gear box……….

nickdl

Good to see that under the Euro NCAP scoring system there’s room for improvement. Ultimately, cars will be safer in the future and the scoring system shows this with 87/100 being awarded to the safest small car.

Under the Australian system it’s likely that the Giulietta will get a perfect score meaning that in five years time cars will still be as safe on paper.

However my prediction could be wrong if this $5million helps improve the ANCAP system.