FIAT’S new small MPV, the Idea, has been awarded four stars for adult occupant protection in the latest round of Euro NCAP crash tests.

However, it was noted that the car does not have as standard a side body airbag or Isofix child seat mountings, and its pedestrian test scores were disappointing with just one star.

Also tested was Nissan’s Pathfinder off-roader, which scored four stars and was just a fraction away from five due to ‘some structures in the dashboard that presented a potential hazard to the knees and demurs of both front seat passengers’.

Euro NCAP chairman Claes Tingvall said: ‘Wherever possible consumers should insist that their car is fitted with the most complete safety options available, even when manufacturers are not supplying these options as standard. Consumers should continue to remain vigilant in prioritising safety to encourage manufacturers to provide the optimum level of equipment available.’