Fiat Punto (2003) review
by Ross Finlay (23 July 2003)
Twenty-two individual models, seven engines, six trim levels and three transmission types - you can't say Fiat is failing to offer plenty of choice in the new Punto range, which goes on sale in the UK on August 9. And there are items on the options list that no other supermini comes close to providing.
We've been rapped over the knuckles for saying previously that the new car has been restyled, when really the only area which looks noticeably different is the front end. For myself, I never admired the current front-end look, which had certain rather eerie elements I don't feel like mentioning here. I do like the new design, though, which is much more definite, although it's a step back towards the conventional.
If those changes give the Punto a fresher appearance, the interior is smartened up too. The new fascia design, and the latest range of trim materials and textures, are all improvements.
Fiat likes to say that the Punto interior was "founded on the fundamental pre-requisite of class-leading space". Well, that may once have been the case, but the latest model, on the same platform and the same wheelbase as the car in the showrooms right now, doesn't do anything like lead the mid-2003 supermini class for passenger accommodation.
The Punto is one of those four-seaters which is better regarded as a comfortable three-seater. But is that a problem, considering how few cars of this size you see travelling four-up anyway?
Where the Punto is really special is in introducing the latest light and compact 1.3-litre Fiat MultiJet turbo diesel engine. We've extolled this power unit in the past, on the basis of the pre-launch design and specification details, and that optimistic preview of the smallest diesel engine on the market has turned out to be pretty accurate.
This is a little stormer. A swept volume of 1248cc and a power output of 70bhp may seem fairly meagre, but we're talking about very crisp throttle response, and peak torque of 133lb/ft as the revcounter needle sweeps past 1750rpm.
So there's considerable get-up-and-go, and the 0-62mph time of 13.4 seconds doesn't give an accurate indication of the kind of rolling acceleration that's available once the 1.3 is really under way. No miracles, of course, but strong performance, a top speed just over 100mph, the ability to keep up easily with motorway traffic, and three other figures which show exactly how efficient this little MultiJet job is: it has been tested to give 72.4mpg extra urban, 62.8mpg combined and a CO2 rating of 119g/km. It's also Euro 4 compatible and not subject to the 3% extra company car tax.
If small cars are likely to help get Fiat back on a level financial keel, this is one of the models which will do it.
In a range whose prices start at £6995 and rise to £11,995, the 1.3-litre MultiJet comes in from £8595 for the three-door Active version. The other trim and equipment levels are Active Plus, Active Sport, Dynamic, Dynamic Plus, Eleganza, Sporting and HGT, the latter available only with the two top engines, the 1.8-litre 16-valve petrol and the 100bhp 1.9-litre MultiJet turbo diesel JTD.
Other engines in the catalogue include the older 85bhp Unijet JTD, and three more petrol units: a new 16-valve 1.4-litre, a 16-valve 1.2-litre and, as the low engine on the Punto totem pole, an eight-valve 1.2. Who would want one of those, except for the fact that this is the entry-level engine, available in, among other variants, the three-door Active at £6995?
Well, I certainly wouldn't mind one. The important thing to remember about Fiat is that, although it may have larger and posher vehicles on its list, what it's really good at is the design and development of small cars. Italians just love dashing around in little cars which can run rings round more powerful, more expensive but less agile machinery, and that seems to apply to Fiat engineers as well as to their customers.
The 1.2 Active may be just 1242cc in size, with 59bhp on tap, but it now has sequential multipoint injection. Taking into account the old-stagers' opinion, that with any petrol engine a torque figure only just higher than the peak horsepower is a Very Good Thing, the torque peak of 75lb/ft at an unexpectedly low 2500rpm is quite an eye-opener.
A 0-62mph time of 14.3 seconds may suggest that you've time for a cough, a peppermint and a nose blow before getting to mile-a-minute speed, but the 1.2 doesn't feel at all sluggish on the road.
Because there's absolutely no problem about the chassis not being able to handle the modest power available, you can chuck the entry-level Punto enthusiastically around, in the way that's particularly enjoyable in a budget-priced car.
There are various manual transmissions, including a five-speed Getrag box for the HGT turbo diesel plus five-speed and six-speed Fiat boxes for other models. Some variants are available with the Speedgear CVT transmission or the Dualogic clutchless change.
All versions of the new Punto are fitted with Dualdrive electric power steering which, at the touch of a fascia button, adds extra assistance for city driving and parking.
Among the extra-cost options, no other manufacturer in the supermini sector offers anything like Fiat's CONNECT OBN. Rather than being an on-board navigation system, OBN is off-board. In other words, instead of being loaded with CD-ROM mapping, it lets the driver make a direct link to the CONNECT control centre in Italy, and ask an English-speaking operator for downloadable directions for some particular journey.
All the other CONNECT services are included: weather and traffic information, hotel and airline bookings, and advice about recommended restaurants.
Although Punto sales in the UK have been running at more than 50,000 per year, it's no secret that the retail network is in the middle of a shake-up. With its new engine range, transmission and telematics options, as well as its general liveliness on the road, the revised model certainly strikes me as a car which should attract more customer action than has been the case in the past.
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