Rides : 2012 Fiat 500 earns the IIHS Top Safety Pick

The Italian based automaker Fiat has just been awarded, for its 2012 500 model, with the IIHS Top Safety Pick, after earning good marks in front, side, rollover and rear impact tests, along with receiving positive marks for offering ESC (Electronic Stability Control) as standard.

The 2012 Fiat 500 is the best example that “size doesn’t matter”, especially after the small vehicle took J-Lo out for a ride after the Italian automaker “convinced” the star that promoting the 500 is the best thing that’s ever happened to her.

The 2012 IIHS Top Safety Pick only applies for Fiat 500s made after July 2011, because the sporty Italian compacts built before that date had a front seat structure that didn’t properly protect the occupants. This changed only in August this year when Fiat began using a new front seat structure which is now offering better protection for the driver and passengers.

The 2012 Fiat 500 scored “good” in the side and rollover tests and just a “marginal” rating for the front and rear impact tests, but the new front seat structure we talked about above managed to get the IIHS Top Safety Pick to the small compact vehicle.