This is the year with the most tests ever at Euro NCAP, and after the excellent results achieved in the last rounds, with countless models achieving the increasingly demanding five stars, the organization closes the year 2017 with the first attribution of zero stars for the first time in its history . The car distinguished with such undesirable honor? The Fiat Punto.
From five to zero stars in 12 years
will be the Fiat Punto a rolling catastrophe, unable to protect its occupants? No, the Fiat Punto is simply old. The current generation of Punto began their career back in 2005, then as Grande Punto — 12 years ago.In terms of automobiles, it corresponds to roughly two generations of models. In other words, at this point we would already be speculating not about the current Punto's successor, but about the successor's successor. And 12 years in automobile terms is really a long time.
Since 2005, the requirement for Euro NCAP tests has continued to rise. More tests have been introduced to verify structural integrity and ability to protect occupants, pedestrian protection has been strengthened, active safety related equipment is now considered, and finally driving assistance equipment, which helps to prevent accidents, they have more and more weight to obtain the desired stars.
The Fiat Punto would never stand a chance. Despite the updates it has received during its long career, none of them has seen the introduction of new safety equipment or driving assistance. The reasons for this are related to the costs they could incur — it would be more worthwhile, perhaps, to launch a new model. When it was launched in 2005, the Grande Punto was a five-star car. Now, tested again, 12 years later, it's zero stars.
Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary GeneralThis is perhaps the strongest example of a builder continuing to sell a product that has long passed its validity, at the expense of the confident buyer. Consumers must be required to consult our website for the latest results and choose cars with the latest five-star ratings […]
The other veterans of the group
The Fiat Punto and its age wasn't the only victim of the most demanding Euro NCAP tests — the organization decided to re-test models that underwent updates (restylings) revealing how the rules have advanced. Alfa Romeo Giulietta, DS 3, Ford C-Max and Grand C-Max , all five-star models when released in 2010 (DS 3 in 2009), now only get three stars.
also the Opel Karl it's the Toyota Aygo they got three stars, whereas before they had four. Aygo regains the fourth star when equipped with the safety pack, which includes the AEB system or autonomous emergency braking.
The only exception to this rule is the Toyota Yaris . Launched in 2011, and extensively remodeled this year, it managed to retain its five stars, due to the inclusion of new safety equipment such as the AEB already mentioned in Aygo.
Duster and Stonic disappoint
New models on the market, the Dacia Duster (2nd generation) and Kia Stonic , despite deriving from existing models — Duster first generation and Rio, respectively — also showed only fair performance in tests, both achieving three stars.
In order to understand the weight of the new driving assistance equipment in the evaluation, the Stonic case is paradigmatic. When equipped with the safety equipment package — optional on all versions — it goes from three to five stars.
THE MG ZS , a small Chinese crossover, not sold in Portugal, also did not go beyond the three stars.
The five star models
Best news for the remaining tested models. Hyundai Kauai, Kia Stinger, BMW 6 Series GT and Jaguar F-PACE managed to achieve the five stars.
