Fiat Grande Punto

..."sporting" model in the new Fiat Grande Punto line up. Presumably Fiat added the title "Grande" in there to differentiate this from the last, rather less grand, Punto, the most basic model of which is still on sale.

Grande in fact is actually a reference to the somewhat increased size of Fiat's latest super-mini offering. As with all of its' rivals in this sector, this could no longer be regarded as a small car. ...
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The Fiat Grand Punto is very closely related to the new Vauxhall Corsa, they were co-developed by the same team and whilst having different bodies are almost identical under the skin.

WHICH SPECIFIC MODEL?

The Punto Grande range starts at £7989 for the basic 3 door, 1.2 Active model and tops out with the £12,695 1.9 Mjet 5 door Eleganza. There are currently a choice of two petrol engines, 1.2 and 1.4 ... more

WHAT IS IT?

The aptly named 130bhp - 130 Mjet Sporting is the top of the range, three door "sporting" model in the new Fiat Grande Punto line up. Presumably Fiat added the title "Grande" in there to differentiate this from the last, rather less grand, Punto, the most basic model of which is still on sale.

Grande in fact is actually a reference to the somewhat increased size of Fiat's latest super-mini offering. As with all of its' rivals in this sector, this could no longer be regarded as a small car. At 4030mm in length, the Grande Punto is precisely the same length as a new Peugeot 207 (probably its' closest competitor), and larger than a 1970 Austin Maxi, which in its day would have been regarded as a medium size car!

The Fiat Grand Punto is very closely related to the new Vauxhall Corsa, they were co-developed by the same team and whilst having different bodies are almost identical under the skin.

WHICH SPECIFIC MODEL?

The Punto Grande range starts at £7989 for the basic 3 door, 1.2 Active model and tops out with the £12,695 1.9 Mjet 5 door Eleganza. There are currently a choice of two petrol engines, 1.2 and 1.4 litres and 1.3 and 1.9 litre diesel units in no fewer than four states of tune.

The model that I am reviewing here (the 130 Mjet) is the most powerful Punto currently on sale. Surprisingly it also happens to be a diesel. The 130bhp, 1.9 diesel is only available in Sporting trim with a three door body, if you want a 1.9 diesel with a five door body you have no choice but to plump for the luxury Eleganza model which looses 10bhp.

IN WHAT CAPACITY AM I REVIEWING THIS CAR?

Once again, I am reviewing this car on the basis of a very thorough test drive carried out at the Millbrook Proving Ground as a participant at the Company Car in Action event back in the summer.

Fiat are very keen to promote this particular range into the fleet market, judging by the numbers of Grande Punto's that I am seeing on the roads in the south east of England, it looks as though they have been very successful at doing just that!

COSTS

Fiats have never been expensive to either purchase or to run. With a Co2 level of 154 and an insurance group of 6, bearing in mind this cars performance potential, the standing charges i.e. tax and insurance, are going to be affordable.

According to "What Car" the Fiat Grande Punto Sporting will cost you 38.4p per mile overall to run. By comparison a similarly priced, but less powerful, Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi Zetec would cost 33.8p per mile.

PURCHASE COST 8 / 10

The headline £12,295 price sticker looks very expensive for a Punto. However this is no Punto like any before, this is an altogether different car, much better looking, much better built and far more sophisticated. Comparing it to class rivals, all of which are similarly, or more, expensive - due to its desirability factor, I would say that this new Punto is actually priced at the right level.

That of course is before the Fiat dealer starts throwing the likely discounts at you. Certainly there are substantial savings to be made on one of these through internet broker sites such as broadspeed.com - I found a £1421 saving on a UK supplied Punto 130 Mjet without looking very hard at all. Many Fiat dealers would probably even match such an offer.

THE OPTIONS GAME: 8 / 10 or "How much do I need to spend to make it habitable?"

My advice here is to go VERY easy on the options. The Punto Grande is quite well equipped already, but Fiat are attempting the German "trick" of offering you a long list of optional extras, some of which appear quite tempting.

What you need to remember is that, with the sole exception of metallic paint, any options that you specify on a car like this will depreciate totally. A £600 leather interior (looks like a bargain actually!) is all very nice, but when you come to sell the Punto in three years time, it will not be worth a penny more than the quite adequately trimmed cloth version.

Personally I would go for metallic paint, although this car looks good in bright red anyway, and add the £20 side rubbing strips - useful protection from the supermarket door bangers of society. £245 worth of options is not too bad, especially when the dealer is almost sure to throw them in for free!

DEPRECIATION 7 / 10 - Always the biggest running cost.

Due to hefty discounting of late, Fiat have suffered from above average levels of depreciation. This has also been fuelled by the generation old reputation that Fiats had for fragility and unreliability.

Take no notice incidentally of anyone who, in 2006, tells you that these cars rust!

As with all manufacturers who launch a new massed produced car, Fiat will tell you that they are not going to "over-supply" the market, i.e. build more of them than can be sold. That may be the case during the first year of production, whilst demand is strong for this attractive new product, however over-supply will inevitably catch up with the Punto at which point second hand values will take a big hit as new cars are slashed in price.

Currently however second hand values are firm on the new Punto Grande - but so they should be, on a car so new, it will only be dealer demonstrators and ex-rental cars that are currently reaching the second hand forecourts.

Of all the new Grande Punto models, this, the top of the range one will under any circumstances take the biggest drop in value.

FUEL ECONOMY 8 / 10

A 1.9 litre engine is comparatively large in a car this size. However, at over 1200kg in weight, whatever engine drives a Grande Punto, it is never destined to win many fuel economy prizes. However, this 130bhp version of the General Motors (Vauxhall) diesel engine, shared with Alfa, Lancia, and Saab too, gives the Punto a good real world economy to performance ratio.

As far as I know this is the smallest car that this unit appears in, along with its sister car the new Vauxhall Corsa, it is therefore with an overall claimed average consumption of 48.7mpg, the most economical way of driving this very impressive engine.

SERVICE & MAINTENANCE COSTS 7 / 10: are you going to make the dealer rich?

As far as Fiat customers are concerned "dealer" has been a dirty word for many years. Regrettably that seems to continue to be the case. Whilst the cars have improved out of all recognition, by and large the dealer network has not. Assuming that you can find a dealer with whom you are happy, servicing this 1.9 diesel Grande Punto is going to be class competitive in terms of costs.

Let the "fun" begin! You want to know what this car is like to live with and to drive and be driven in…….

THE EXTERIOR:

STYLING 9 /10: A very subjective category here.

I, and presumably the many thousands of eager buyers, think that the new Punto is simply the best looking super-mini that there is. Whilst it avoids treading the "Star Trek" path of the new Honda Civic, the grafting on of a mini-Maserati front by Giugiaro, the designers, was a masterstroke.

This car has an extraordinarily strong road presence, attractive yet at the same time muscular, but avoiding the aggressiveness of the latest Peugeot models. In a sense it achieves what the original Mini did, by providing a shape that all classes are more than happy to be seen driving.

OVERALL BUILD QUALITY AND FINISH 8 / 10 Does it look as though it was slung together?

For me, actually touching, sitting in and then driving this particular car, this is the one area that left me more impressed than any other. Granted Fiat had a lot of catching up to do, but in terms of quality this car is a huge leap forward over the last generation Punto. It is now able to compete on level terms with Volkswagens and Skodas, both previously light years ahead in the fit and finish stakes.

In a "blindfolded quality test", no car expert would guess that this was an Italian car, let alone a humble Fiat!

SAFETY 9 /10 If it comes to the worst, how well are you and your family going to come out of it.

Both the Punto and Corsa were designed to embrace the latest and future safety regulations, not only for vehicle occupants, but also now the increasingly stringent pedestrian safety rules. The fact that the Punto looks the way it does, with that much admired softly rounded "Maserati" front, is actually largely thanks to the pedestrian friendly nature of this car.

In short, not only is this one of the very safest cars to travel in, with a 5 star Euro NCAP rating, - if you have the misfortune to be run over, just pray that it is a new Punto Grande that hits you!

From my point of view, as an experienced driver, safety actually has far more to do with dynamic factors. In my opinion, Fiat have always scored highly here, particularly with the smaller cars that traditionally they have been so good at designing. This latest Punto very much continues the tradition, feeling like a much larger and more expensive car in the way it stays rock solid on the road at speed (100mph). One also has a deep sense of confidence in the way it reacts to breaking and steering inputs too.

THE INTERIOR:

ERGONOMICS 8 / 10 Before I can start the engine and drive away I need to feel at home in the "working environment". The relationship between the controls and how I, the driver, am able to instinctively operate those controls is, all important. This for me is make or break, before I drive a car, if it does not instinctively "feel" right in this department then I will never like it or ultimately buy it.

More improvements have been made here, in line with the quality upgrades. This is still a noticeably "Italian" interior, in certain ways styled for the sake of it, but all the controls are where you expect to find them.

Importantly for those of us old enough to understand the term "Italian Ape" in relation to the driving position in Italian cars, the evolution of the species is such that it would now appear to be extinct! I was perfectly comfortable and at ease behind the wheel of the Punto Grande. Adding to this are the very comfortable seats, the drivers one even running to an electric lumbar adjustment.

VISIBILITY: 6 / 10

As a side effect of the excellent safety scoring, along with many other cars these days, the Punto does suffer from some blind spots. Not only are the rear pillars quite heavy in design, not helped by the rather narrow rear window, but the MPV like size and rake of the windscreen brings the typical front pillar blind spots too - large enough to hide whole cars behind. In truth this was probably the ONE factor that I found off-putting about this car.

SPACE: 8 / 10:

With a super-mini this big on the outside, you have a right to expect it to be spacious inside. In actual fact, the Punto is roomier than it looks, partly thanks to those heavy pillars and the dark fabric trim on "our" car. Up front, the sensation is of driving a much bigger car, there is lots of shoulder room, you have no feeling of sitting on top of your passenger.

There is plenty of space for two in the rear, although there are seat belts and headrests for three, I feel that would be a bit of a squash. A definite advantage of the new Punto's extra size is an increase in boot space, a usefully deep and square area, fold the seats down and you have a small van.

STYLE 8 / 10:

The interior style very much continues the theme from the outside. I was really taken with this, some may see it as over done. The orange stitching and detailing on the seat trim matches the orange on white instruments. The fact that you can also have a bright metallic orange Punto Sporting, co-ordinates the whole style somehow.

Mrs R and I were particularly enamoured with the very unusual orange material panel on the dashboard, where on other cars you may expect to find fake wood or aluminium look plastic. This novel addition to the interior lifted it out of the ordinary. Incidentally, if you choose the black leather option this material panel is finished in matt silver - very classy!

MATERIALS, FIT & FINISH 8 / 10: Aspreys or Ratners?

Compared to flimsy Fiat interiors of old, this one belongs in a different class altogether. Along with the appealing style, I could find little to fault in terms of material quality here. This was doubly impressive as on the day, this Fiat was a good £8000 less expensive than anything else driven, bar the Alfa 147, which actually had a lot of interior detailing in common with this much newer car.

AUDIO & CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEMS 8 / 10:

Our car was equipped with the (£220) optional dual zone climate control. As standard the Sporting Grande Punto comes with the simpler air conditioning system. Fiat have wisely, not overstyled these controls in the central console, they look classy, are intuitive to use and work efficiently.

ON THE ROAD……..

……Time to start it up and to offer you a driving assessment.

NOISE, VIBRATION & HARSHNESS 9 / 10 Silk purse or sow's ear?

My overriding impression is that, for a car of this size and type, it is incredibly refined. I have praised this particular diesel engine in every car that it has been mounted so far. Here in lower tune, I am used to driving it in 150bhp guise, it is even smoother and quieter than it is in the Saab 9-3, Alfa 147, or indeed the Astra Twin Top, all of which were driven on the same day.

There is no vibration or harshness, you really would not be aware that this engine is a diesel unless you knew about it, Fiat attaching a "Sporting" badge to this car is fully justified.

On the other hand, in some senses, it feels so 'grown up' and refined that the Sporting badge could be regarded as a bit of a misnomer.

PERFORMANCE 9 / 10 Sh*t off a shovel or a constipated tortoise?

The Punto Grande Sporting is one of those rare cars which simply does not feel as fast as it actually is. This is a side effect of the overall refinement, also of the fact that this really is a thoroughly well developed super-mini.

As with many diesels, the bald figures, maximum speed 124mph, 0-60mph in 9.5 seconds, do not tell the full story on the road. With over 200lbs ft of torque (that is twisting power, translating into flexibility) and a six speed gearbox to play with, this is an incredibly willing and flexible performer. You are not hacking through the gearbox all the time, this particular Punto is quick and effortless to drive.

RIDE & HANDLING 9 / 10

The good news continues. The term 'grown up' once more seems the most appropriate here, the refinement of the power plant is matched by the sophisticated chassis. This is a car that the driver can have fun in, throwing it rapidly down a country lane, whilst the passengers enjoy the smooth and quiet ride, in more ways than one, the Punto Grande Sporting proves a deceptive performer!

CONCLUSION - Would I buy one myself and would we want to drive it to Poland in a day?

If I were to buy a super-mini, having driven this one is such extreme conditions, I can think of no substantial reason why I would choose anything else. It is a thoroughly well developed and very likeable car.

Preferably I would take a larger car on that journey to Poland, for purely practical reasons. Having said that though, this version of the Punto is a thoroughly "long legged" little car - quiet and smooth to drive. There is absolutely no reason why it would not take us all the way across Europe with speed and economy matched by few others. I can think of no other car of this size and price that I would wish to do that journey in.

FINAL SCORE: 129 / 170 - 75.9%

Well who would have thought it as little as five years ago, a Fiat coming up with a really solid all round score like that? Not I, that is for sure!

Putting that score into perspective are the following cars based on identical scoring criteria:

ALFA ROMEO 147 1.9JTD Lusso (5 Dr) - 67.8%
FIAT PUNTO GRANDE SPORTING 130 Mjet - 75.9%
HONDA ACCORD i-CTDi Saloon - 80.0%
HONDA CIVIC 1.8i VTEC SE - 78.2%
HONDA JAZZ 1.4 SE CVT-7 (Automatic) - 74.7%
SAAB 9-3 TiD Vector - 68.2%
VAUXHALL ASTRA TWINTOP 1.9 CDTi DESIGN - 78.8%
VAUXHALL MONARO VXR - 71.1%
VOLVO S60 D5 SE - 70.6%

P.S. Just prior to publishing this review, I read in "Autocar" magazine, that they have awarded the Fiat Punto Grande their coveted Design of the Year award. Having driven this car and also admired them on the road, I can well understand why.
 

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