Three cars, the Fiat Bravo, the Toyota Corolla saloon and the Honda Legend, obtained five stars in the Euro NCAP tests, announced late last month.

Test results were also released from the Honda CR-V and the Mitsubishi Outlander. The ratings for all these cars can be seen in more detail at www.euroncap.com

Fiat said its Euro NCAP rating placed it at the top of its category for safety, with a total score of 33 points. "This is an important accolade which, together with the similar ratings given to the Grande Punto and Fiat Croma, is confirmation of the commitment of Fiat Automobiles SpA to all aspects of driver and passenger protection," the company said in a statement.

To achieve this result, Fiat's designers considered every possible type of accident: head-on and lateral collisions, rollovers, rear-end collisions and fire. Other factors taken into consideration included the different speeds at which accidents occur, obstacles and the protection of occupants with widely differing physical attributes.

In all, over 15,000 hours of computations were carried out, along with 60 crash tests, 150 simulations with the HyGe sled and a hundred tests on components and subsystems. "These figures are proof of the company's resolve to make the Bravo one of the safest cars on the road," Fiat said.

Among the safety systems available with the new Bravo (depending on specification) there are two front airbags (the driver has a two-stage bag), two front side bags, two window bags and a knee airbag for the driver.

On top of these are three-point seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters, five head restraints and the FPS (fire prevention system). Bodyshell elements such as the bonnet, door and dashboard cross member also contribute to protecting the occupants.

Lastly, a number of other components also play a part in passive safety, such as the seats and steering column, which have been designed bearing in mind their crash behaviour.

The latest generation electronic braking and traction control systems ensure safe dynamic performance. These include ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution) and, most importantly, ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), a system that steps in under near critical conditions, when the stability of the car is at risk, to help the driver maintain control of the vehicle.

The ESP system installed on the Fiat Bravo includes a number of additional functions, namely ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation), which limits wheelspin in the event of low grip road conditions; MSR (Engine Torque Regulation), which comes into play during rapid downshifts, reducing engine torque and preventing the drive wheels from locking up; HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assistance), an electronic-hydraulic system that acts in the event of emergency braking; and a Hill-hold function to facilitate uphill starts.

The tenth generation Corolla is the first C-segment sedan to be awarded five stars by Euro NCAP and also joins the class leaders for safety in the overall C-segment, with a total adult occupant safety score of 34 points.

The new Corolla is the sixth model from Toyota to gain five stars from Euro NCAP since the Avensis in June 2003. Other Toyota models with a maximum five-star rating for adult occupant safety are the Yaris, Corolla Verso, Prius and the recently launched Auris hatchback.

The Corolla is also among the class leaders in the C-segment with four stars for child occupant protection and three stars in the relatively new assessment for pedestrian safety.

Across the full range of Euro NCAP tests, Toyota is the best performing manufacturer in Europe with six models with five stars for occupant safety, six models with four stars for child occupant protection and three models with three stars for pedestrian protection.

Andrea Formica, senior vice-president Sales, Marketing and After Sales, Toyota Motor Europe, said: "This new safety award clearly demonstrates Toyota's commitment to providing its customers with the best possible safety protection for each new car launched in Europe.

"The six Toyota models which have been awarded the maximum five stars are expected to contribute close to 70 per cent of the total Toyota sales volume in Europe in 2007."

The all-new Corolla is built around a strong, rigid body structure with excellent passive safety systems. It is available with up to nine airbags, including a driver's knee airbag, which reduces the risk of injury to the driver's legs and lower body in the event of a collision.

Front seats feature second generation Whiplash Injury Lessening (WIL) system, with specially designed head restraints and seat frames. Seat belt reminders are standard equipment.

As with all Toyota core models, the new Corolla has standard Isofix child seat anchorages on the outer rear seats. Top-tether anchorages are available for child seats and the front passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward facing child restraint to be used.

This excellent standard passive safety package helped the Corolla achieve outstanding results for child occupant safety with four stars and 40 points.

Corolla scored three stars and 23 points for pedestrian protection with specific attention to the front and bonnet design to reduce the risk for pedestrians while the engine position has been lowered.

Alongside the passive safety systems, the new Corolla features a range of active safety items, which enhance driving pleasure and reduce the risk of being involved in a collision. The newly developed front and rear suspension ensures superior straight line stability while also contributing to outstanding handling and ride comfort.

The new Corolla has an all-new braking system with standard Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA). Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and traction control (TRC) are also available.

Summary of results

Small family

Fiat Bravo: occupant protection: 5 stars; child protection: 3 stars; pedestrian protection: 2 stars.
Toyota Corolla: occupant protection: 5 stars; child protection: 4 stars; pedestrian protection: 3 stars.

Small off-roader

Honda CR-V: occupant protection: 4 stars; child protection: 4 stars; pedestrian protection: 2 stars.
Mitsubishi Outlander: occupant protection: 4 stars; child protection: 3 stars; pedestrian protection: 2 stars.

Executive

Honda Legend: Occupant Protection: 5 stars; Child Protection: 4 stars; Pedestrian Protection: 3 stars.