The Fiat 500 collected just three stars safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The side-impact test was particularly cruel to the Italian compact, with NHTSA awarding the vehicle two stars in that category – a somewhat surprising result considering that Fiat went to the trouble of redesigning the 500 for U.S. crash test compatibility. The 500 finds itself in the company of the Dodge Caliber and outgoing Ford Escape as the only models tested so far to receive the three-star designation.

- The Fiat 500 has 2 cross members in the front to provide a large surface area for impact.
- The Audi Q7 corner impact only hits a small part of the cross members, not enough to reduce all the kinetic energy from the Audi Q7.
- As the Fiat 500 and Audi’s corners compressed, the Fiat side members compressed deforming the structure and creating a hole under the driver’s seat.
- The majority of the red on the driver is caused by the deformation of the side member, impacting the driver.

Essentially, only part of the crumple zone was used causing the side impact beams to bend and hit the driver.