With over 22,000 orders taken since its early summer launch, of which half are top-specification versions, Fiat Auto are delighted that the new Croma, has now been awarded a 5-star Euro NCAP rating, releasing the following statement earlier today:

"The Fiat Croma has been awarded the prestigious Euro NCAP 5-star rating, which puts the car at the top of its segment where safety is concerned. It is an important acknowledgement, which was recently also awarded to the Grande Punto, thus underlining the attention that Fiat Auto pays to every aspect of the protection of drivers and passengers.

"On the Fiat Croma, this attention has given excellent results. To achieve them, the designers took into consideration every possible type of accident: head-on and side-on collisions, overturning, rear collisions and fire. They also analysed the different speeds at which impact may occur, the different types of obstacle and the protection of occupants with very different physical features. This added up to 18,000 hours of calculations, 120 crash tests, 100 crash simulations on HyGe sleds, 200 tests on components and subsystems, 10 new types of performance specifications and test procedures, and 8 co-design suppliers of specific structures for passive safety (2 of which were involved exclusively in the planning and development of safety devices).

"Detailed analysis of all these parameters produced an array of technical solutions which make the Fiat Croma one of the safest cars on the market. The merit goes to the many sophisticated devices that are standard equipment on the Fiat Croma, starting with those dedicated to passive safety: 2 dual stage frontal airbags, 2 front sidebags, 2 window bags and a kneebag for the driver (rear sidebags are available on request). Front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters are also standard, as is the anti-whiplash device on the front head restraints.

"The new car also guarantees constant, entirely predictable road behaviour, even correcting mistakes by the driver and helping him to negotiate critical situations without difficulty. In fact, in addition to an excellent braking system, the Fiat Croma can also boast the most sophisticated electronic devices to monitor the car’s dynamic behaviour: from braking to drive.
 

"They include ABS with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), and above all ESP (Electronic Stability Program), the system that cuts in when conditions are close to the limit, and when the car’s stability is at risk, helping the driver to control the car. Depending on the version, the ESP system on the Fiat Croma also includes a number of additional systems: ASR (Anti Slip Regulation) which prevents drive wheels from slipping when surface grip is poor; MSR (Motor Schleppmoment Regelung) which acts if the driver changes abruptly to a lower gear, giving torque back to the engine to prevent excessive stress on the drive wheels; HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assistance), an electronic-hydraulic device that is activated during emergency braking; and finally, the Hill Holder that simplifies hill starts.

"In other words, the Fiat Croma is a car designed and built to achieve the highest levels of quality, interior reliability, technological innovation in the field of diesel engines, and safety, as the Euro NCAP rating now confirms. All-round protection which has contributed to the model’s success: since its launch, the car has conquered Europe, with over 22,000 orders. That is not all. The sales mix is particularly interesting, where both the outfits and the engines are concerned. First of all, 50% of customers have chosen the more lavishly equipped versions: the Croma Emotion accounts for 40% of orders, while 10% have chosen the Must range-topping specification, which includes 18” alloys, leather upholstery and the Sky Dome large glazed opening sunroof.

"In the engine field, customers’ choices have confirmed the validity and excellence of the engine range offered on the Fiat Croma. In particular, where the Multijet turbodiesel engine is concerned, 60% of orders have been for the 150 bhp 1.9 Multijet 16v, and 10% for the powerful 200 bhp 2.4 Multijet. This engine is the ideal solution for customers looking for excellent performance combined with outstanding value for money in terms of standard equipment, all at a really unbeatable price. And we must also underline that the 5 and 6-speed automatic transmissions account for 25% of orders for the Fiat Croma, whereas the average for this segment is about 10%."