Fiat Bravo 1.4

...This is one thing that Fiat (in general) drivers need to keep an eye on. They are notorious for engine trouble after a certain amount of years and/or mileage.
BUT, this car has NEVER let me down. Not once have I ever broken down, not once has my engine failed to start. Even though my car is having all these mechanical issues, it is not a constant thing by any means. It is something that pops up often enough that I feel obliged to tell prospective ...
...for, but it rarely compromises my journey, and like a cramp, she can stretch it out when on a long journey.
The main thing that she rebells against is the stopping and starting in long traffic.

So, while I would reccomend this car to speed junkies and family people alike, i would say to get a full service history ( i know this sounds standard but you would not believe how many people deglect this), get a full service regulary, ... more

I've seen a lot of people give bad reviews for this car and I thought that I had to jump in and rescue the Bravos reputation, if I possibly could.

First off lets have a look at the main sellers for this car:
It has Power Steering-I don't need to explain why this is a good thing.
It look great with its streamlined bonnet, coloured bumpers, low grille and narrow headlamps, giving it a sporty and aggressive look.
For such a small litre, the engine is huge!
Electric front windows.
An engine that has more sensors that you can shake a stick at.
Airbags.
Central locking.

All in all, this car looks great on paper and to drive it's even better.

I first got this car the very day that I had my accident in my previous car, a 15yr old Nissan Sunny 1.4, (which I've also reviewd so if you're interested, go look that up) my mum picked me up from the hospital in the Fiat.
I was impressed from the minute we drove out of the carpark, obviously this car is miles ahead of my old Sunny so that goes without saying.

I have been driving this car for over a year now and I feel like I know it like the back of my hand, which I say gives me more than enough experience to write a defensive review on it.

I first started driving this car on an island where the speed limit was 40mph and the roads are short and bendy, which suits the Bravo just fine. You could quite happily drive around all day in 4rth, changing gears every other second and the Bravo wouldn't bat an eyelid.
The clutch on this car is so smooth you hardly feel you're changing gear at all, except for the very satisfying growl made you accelerate.
One thing that i feel deserves particular notice is the gearstick. I wouldn't usually draw attention to something like this, but the Bravos gearstick, although standard in some people's opion, is a thing of beauty. It is shaped in such a way that you barely need to touch it to be able to slide it into gear, which makes for a very satisfactory experience.

The handling of this car is absolutely brilliant. I take a great deal of delight in zooming around bends because this car feels so brilliant when you do. It is utterly balanced and grips the road with confidence.
The steering is as responsive as anyone would want it to be, meaning that you don't have to yank the wheel around when circling car parks, or manoevering around traffic.

One of the best things (in my opinion) about this car is the way it feels to drive! This car is all about confidence. It looks confident, it feels confident and as a driver it is fantastic.
Driving fast along a long motorway is an absolute joy.
I have read people complaining about the acceleration speed for this car and all I can say to that is that they can't have been driving properly, or that their particular car wasn't up to spec, because I can assure you, there is nothing wrong with this cars acceleration. In fact, when I first got this car, i had to keep an eye on my speedo because if i blinked, i'd miss it scooting up to 50 when I thought I was doing 30!

Considering the age of this car, the acceleration is surprisingly good. It takes absolutely no time at all to get to 60 and getting there is fun!
I feel i may be coming across somewhat as a driving rookie. I'm not. I have driven a great many cars in my time, but this car is by far my favourite.
Not only does it accelerate fast, but it has a brilliant top speed. I have had my car up to 120 before, so cast aside any worries that you won't be able to go fast, because trust me, you will!
Whats more, this car will quite happily cruise along at 80+ and not give you any agro for it. It feels like this car was meant to go fast and more than that, it likes it! It growls in a magnificent way that, as i have said above, exhudes confidence. Like the car is challenging you to push it!

We're all familiar with those speedy know-it-alls on the motorway fast lanes that think that just because they have a merc you should get out of thier way. Well what I have to say to that is that those aggressive idiots look at this car and underestimate it. One second their up your bumper, the next their looking confused as you put your foot down and laugh.
This car is so much fun to drive! It never fails to deliver the adrenilin rush that some people look for in a car.

But, and theres always a but, this car does have a big flaw to it. The onboard computer is very impressive for the age and lets you know exactly what is going on and when, but sometimes it's sould destroying to know. I'm referring to a fault in the computer which i hear is fairly common in this model. Now, i wish I could tell you here what this fault is, but to date, after 7 months of looking for it, no mechanic can yet tell me.
The problem relates to idle speed, loss of power during driving, stalling in neutral, misfires and 'hiccups'. All of these have plagued me for so many months that I barely notice them anymore. The red injection light comes up on the dash and the ECU registers more faults than is plausible.
This is one thing that Fiat (in general) drivers need to keep an eye on. They are notorious for engine trouble after a certain amount of years and/or mileage.
BUT, this car has NEVER let me down. Not once have I ever broken down, not once has my engine failed to start. Even though my car is having all these mechanical issues, it is not a constant thing by any means. It is something that pops up often enough that I feel obliged to tell prospective drivers that it is something to be on the lookout for, but it rarely compromises my journey, and like a cramp, she can stretch it out when on a long journey.
The main thing that she rebells against is the stopping and starting in long traffic.

So, while I would reccomend this car to speed junkies and family people alike, i would say to get a full service history ( i know this sounds standard but you would not believe how many people deglect this), get a full service regulary, keep an eye and ear on what your engine is doing and sounding like, and report the issue as soon as humany possible.

As to the other things, i cann't help but roll my eyes when I hear people complain about the amount of room this car doesn't have. I'm sorry, are you transporting the entire cast of 'The Sound of Music' or something? This car has MORE than enough room. I once took 7 people in my car (including myself) and granted that myself and my front passenger were the only comfortable people in the car, it goes to show that this car is actually huge. The rear seating comfortably seats three as standard, and granted that the car is a 3 door, so leg room is naturally limited, this was never a problem! Boot space isn't that huge, given the car's shape, but is more than big enough to fit in a full load of shopping. I'm a student who travels across the ocean to get home every holiday, so i literally take pretty much everything i own (which is more than i can believe every time i have to pack up) and I never fail to fit it in as well as using the back seat. So lord knows what those people who complained were trying to transport. Bodies, maybe? In which case yes, you're going to have a problem.

The driver has an airbag, but the passengers do not, which is a downside.
Also, this cars fuel consumption is very good for the age. I often drive cross country to visit family and I can usually get about 300 miles out of a full tank, and i could be wong, but i reckon thats pretty good.

Despite what people like to say, this car does NOT rust easy. I can testify to this because last year a stolen car went into my rear left and took off the paint, leaving a lovely stretch of metal, and it has yet to rust. So don't believe the critics.

This car is consistent. It lets you know what its doing in sound and feel. It packs a whallop in no small degree. It is reliable and it is fun.
If you've got your eye on one, heed my advice but get it. You will not regret it.
I still have this car, despite the problems because the benefits far outweigh the issues. I love this car. 

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