Fiat Punto’s Euro NCAP Rating Downgraded From 5 To 0

The Fiat Punto, when it was first launched internationally in 2005, was one of the first cars to be awarded a 5-star safety rating by the Euro NCAP. The Giugiaro penned design, along with interior space, features and value made the Punto one of the most successful hatchbacks for the company in many European markets. The safety aspect of the Punto was a big talking point when the company launched it in India back in 2008.

Now, Euro NCAP has crash-tested the Fiat Punto again and given it a rating of 0 (Zero).

Also Read: Our review of the Fiat Punto Evo

The drastic change in crash test rating should not be surprising. While the Punto has been given a facelift in India (making it the Punto Evo) and abroad, the car is essentially 12 years old with a refreshed skin. Safety features, testing parameters and tests themselves have come a long way since 2005 and the 0-star rating of the Punto today shows that clearly. A ‘solid build’ isn’t synonymous with safety anymore. This is not to say that the car is unsafe, it’s just not as safe as modern cars like the Kia Stonic, Hyundai i30 and others.

Indian owners of the Fiat Punto should take this news even more seriously. To save money, Fiat used a modified chassis of the Fiat Palio to build the Punto for India and other developing markets like Brazil. This means that cars available in India may not be at par with European models and its safety rating may be even lower.

Also Read: The Fiat Abarth Punto is still the most powerful hatchback in its class

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The Fiat Punto’s new safety rating also highlights how the company is still selling a very old car to people worldwide. Fiat does have a replacement for the Punto in the form of the Argo which is currently on sale in Brazil. Fiat, in India, has not given any indication of when and if the new Argo will be launched here. The company is currently focussed on the Jeep brand - especially the hugely popular Jeep Compass.