NF500 / superminis

The Fiat 500 seats offer only a “marginal” level of safety, according to results published by research institute Thatcham this week.

In fact, superminis in general did not come out of the latest study, focusing on whiplash protection, with much to be proud about. Only the Smart ForTwo and Renault Twingo achieved an “acceptable” rating among this category of vehicle.

You can see the detailed results of tests on the Fiat 500 seating at the Tatcham website. It has to be said they don’t make comfortable reading for those concerned about occupant safety, and may come as a surprise to many considering the five star Euro NCAP rating the Fiat 500 has been awarded for overall safety.

When Fiat revealed that the new 500 will cost from £7900 when it goes on sale in the UK in January, What Car? decided to conduct a survey of readers to ask which of three superminis they would chose to buy. The MINI, which they state costs from £13,025 (although their buyers guide says £11,625), the Twingo from £8375, or the Fiat 500 at £7900.

The Fiat 500 proved the overwhelming winner, attracting 55% of the vote, compared to the Mini’s 37% and Twingo’s 8%. Read the full report on the WhatCar.com website.

The pricing of the new 500 has certainly been a pleasant surprise for many potential customers, and could certainly help boost the sales of the car, especially when compared to the pricier MINI range.