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2017 Fiat Punto Gets World's First Zero Star NCAP Safety Rating

Zero. Nada. That's how many stars the 2017 Fiat Punto got from Europe's car safety organization.

That means the Punto is likely to kill passengers before they even buckle up, right? Well, no, actually. It's more complicated than that.

While the 2017 Punto is technically a brand new car, it hasn't been re-designed for several years. And while the car's safety features haven't been updated all those years, the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) has implemented more demanding tests and now requires more robust safety assist technology.

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Simply put, the test has gotten more difficult, while the Punto slacked off.

NCAP requires cars to get a minimum score in all of four categories. Fail one and you fail the whole test. Despite doing OK in Adult Occupant, Child Occupant, and Pedestrian Protection, the little five-door totally failed the Safety Assist category. Hence, zero stars awarded.

Does that mean the Punto is less safe than a 1973 Ford Pinto with a bent frame? No. It just means the Fiat isn't as safe as other 2017 cars on the market.

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