Safety of a 2009 Fiat Panda

Barr

Hi All

I have a relative starting out and she is looking at one of these.

Looking at the NCAP results it says it only got a 3 star rating in 2004 for that particular version .

It might have got additional safety equipment by 2009 so I’m not sure if it could have got higher rating if it was tested later than 2004

For example the 04 NCAP panda had no passenger airbag whilst in 2009 it was standard.

Suppose my question is , all thing considered would this be a death trap in an accident or are most cars of this vintage/category along the same lines .


Thanks
Barr

colm_mcm

It’s not a death trap but there was a definite uplift in terms of safety around 08/09 for brand new models launched then or after. The test was a lot harder on side impacts in particular, and I think the likes of stability control would have to have been fitted to get good marks.

I reckon the Yaris has the most airbags (9 on Luna and Sol specs) for small money, plus it’s a strong structure.
Doesn’t have stability control though.

Barr

She might be better off looking elsewhere .

I just looked at the 2005 Yaris test and it gives 5 stars for adult occupant , big difference there.

AMKC

Lovely chevrolet Kalos,

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2013-chevrolet-aveo-1-2/27881718


They got very good reviews when they came out. Were a 4 star car. Not sure about safety but its bigger than the Panda with a much nicer dash so bound to be safer.
This one is a private sale but might be more out there online.

colm_mcm

Those newer ones got 5 stars. They’re an interesting car.

Barr

AMKC wrote: »

Lovely chevrolet Kalos,

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/2013-chevrolet-aveo-1-2/27881718


They got very good reviews when they came out. Were a 4 star car. Not sure about safety but its bigger than the Panda with a much nicer dash so bound to be safer.
This one is a private sale but might be more out there online.

That is quite a nice looking car . Good value as well .

User1998

Well if the Fiat Punto is anything to go by ..

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.autoexpress.co.uk/fiat/punto/102055/fiat-punto-scores-first-ever-zero-star-euro-ncap-safety-rating%3famp

colm_mcm

User1998 wrote: »

Well if the Fiat Punto is anything to go by ..

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.autoexpress.co.uk/fiat/punto/102055/fiat-punto-scores-first-ever-zero-star-euro-ncap-safety-rating%3famp

The thing to understand here is that the NCAP keeps changing. The Grande Punto was launched in 2005 and got 5 stars. This is the same car.

If you don’t have the right font on your warning labels, or things like collision avoidance, lane keep assist etc etc, they’ll go to town on you nowadays.

Also if you offer cut-price versions with less safety anywhere in Europe (pretty much all manufacturers do this outside of Europe) , that’s the version they’ll test.


That’s not to say that the Punto is really safe, but it also doesn’t make it any less safe than any other cars from 2005. In the context of buying an 11/12 year old car, that’s worth remembering.
If you retest any car from 15 years ago, the vast majority would get a really bad NCAP on today’s requirements.


The Aveo linked above would certainly be a lot safer than the Punto though.