The questionable safety standards of the Cinquecento were marginally improved on the follow-up Seicento, but not by much. The Cinquecento feels flimsy, even though it is fitted with side-impact protection beams. However, the brakes are reassuringly firm it has an optional driver’s airbag. The VIN security etched-glass feature and immobiliser adds a little extra confidence and theft deterrence to the vehicle, but the protection aspect really lets the Cinquecento down.

Unlike most modern rivals, which are small on the outside and deceivingly spacious within, the Cinquecento is small on the outside and the inside. Practical as a runabout car, for weekly shopping and the school run, but it’s let down at high speeds and long journeys by its underpowered engine and limited load space.