Germany - The 2017 Fiat Punto has relieved a 'zero-star' safety rating during crash test by the Euro NCAP.
Euro NCAP’s rating scheme requires cars to score a minimum number of points in all four areas of assessment to qualify for even one star.
In areas such as adult and child occupant safety and pedestrian protection, the Punto still performs well enough to qualify for at least two stars. It is let down in driver assistance and crash avoidance; with only a seatbelt reminder system for the driver as standard, no points were scored in this part of the assessment.
'Past its best-before date'
Euro NCAP secretary general, Michiel van Ratingen, said: "This is perhaps the strongest example of a manufacturer continuing to sell a product that is well past its best-before date, at the expense of the unsuspecting car buyer.
"We would urge consumers to check our website for the latest ratings and to choose cars with the most up-to-date five-star ratings, many examples of which we have seen in 2017."
EuroNCAP testing: 2017 Fiat Punto by sergio davids on Scribd