1999 Fiat Punto SX 60 - the mid-range Punto of the time.
1.2 Fuel Injection Engine
Alloy Wheels
Front and rear foglights
Power Steering
Power Brakes
Electric Windows
Casette/Radio built-in
Body coloured bumpers
Immobiliser
In 1999 I purchased a car - a Fiat Punto 60Sx - from my ... Read review
Advantages: Well designed, Fuel economy, reliability Disadvantages: Underpowered with a load, airbags optional
1999 Fiat Punto SX 60 - the mid-range Punto of the time.
1.2 Fuel Injection Engine
Alloy Wheels
Front and rear foglights
Power Steering
Power Brakes
Electric Windows
Casette/Radio built-in
Body coloured bumpers
Immobiliser
In 1999 I purchased a car - a Fiat Punto 60Sx - from my local dealer. For the past few weeks I had tried several other cars, Saxos, 106s, 206s, ... ...a whim, I visited the Fiat garage.
At first, I wasn't that keen on the Punto - I didn't like the body shell in particular - but I sat in and had a look around the interior.
Interior:
The driver's seat instantly took to my favour because it could be raised as well as slid backwards and forwards, easily accomodating my frame. The steering wheel was adjustable too and within a moment I had a comfortable more
1999 Fiat Punto SX 60 - the mid-range Punto of the time.
1.2 Fuel Injection Engine Alloy Wheels Front and rear foglights Power Steering Power Brakes Electric Windows Casette/Radio built-in Body coloured bumpers Immobiliser
In 1999 I purchased a car - a Fiat Punto 60Sx - from my local dealer. For the past few weeks I had tried several other cars, Saxos, 106s, 206s, VW Polo, and I had been driving a Ford Fiesta for a year. None of them seemed right, confortable or able to accomodate my tall, long-legged body type.
Then, on a whim, I visited the Fiat garage.
At first, I wasn't that keen on the Punto - I didn't like the body shell in particular - but I sat in and had a look around the interior.
Interior:
The driver's seat instantly took to my favour because it could be raised as well as slid backwards and forwards, easily accomodating my frame. The steering wheel was adjustable too and within a moment I had a comfortable driving position. Remember, this was in 1999, when most small cars in the 6000-8000 price range didn't offer such comforts.
I was very impressed with the layout of the controls - everything is in easy reach, and the dials and stalks are nicely chunky and feel pretty solid in use. The steering wheel has volume and radio controls built in, the dash had a rev counter and oil temperature, and there was a digital clock built into the overhead light which is a nice touch.
The seats are comfortable, support your lower back, and hold you in place, and there is a lot of room in the back for passengers too. The high roof line of the Punto allows far more head room for all occupants than most other cars in its class.
What really strikes you though, is that the car has obviously been very well thought out and designed. Cubby holes are all over the interior, and you'll find that they are just the right size and shape for your driving sunglasses, your mobile phone, your travel maps etc. Very impressive.
The quality of the dashboard plastic is pretty good. Not up with the best, but what do you expect? Its certainly not flimsy like on other cars, and is easy to keep clean.
My car is metalic blue, with a red fabric interior which looks great and is a nice contrast.
The rear seats fold down as one (the mk2 and mk3 Puntos now have split rear seats, which is better) to give a massive amount of boot space in the back, easily the biggest capacity in a car of this size. I've moved house three times in this car, and the loading capactity of this vehicle is a godsend.
External:
Its grown on me a lot over the years. A sexy little car with alloys and front fogs. The rear high tail-lights are defining and pioneering, not to mention much more visible to other drivers. Its taller than other small cars, so not as sleek maybe, but definately smooth!
The large doors open extra wide, and the passenger seat slides extra-forward on runners to give very easy access to the rear seats.
Driving:
The 1.2 engine is nippy around town. This car loves high revs and if you give them to it you'll get a fun sporty drive. On low revs its smooth, quiet and pulls away nicely. Dropping down a gear or two gives a nice burst of power suitable for overtaking. The car rides very nicely, even when heavily loaded, although it can struggle a bit on long inclines with four people on board. But any small car with a 1.2 will struggle like that, so its a moot point. On the motorway it can hold its own, and cruises nicely at 75-80 mph.
Power tapers off a little between 50 and 70mph, but picks up in the 70-85mph region.
Cornering feels good. The car will lean a bit when cornering at speed, but the wheels hold the road and I have always felt in control. Steering feels responsive, although the power steering will pull slightly to the left when centered. No "City Mode" on the mk 1 Punto, but the steering is not at all heavy. No problems at all with tyre wear - if you're wearing your front tyres out with power steering, like turning the wheel while stationary, then you are not driving properly! A nice solid drive.
Fuel economy is extremly good. On a full tank (approx £30 at the moment) I can get 400 miles or more. I used to drive 200 miles to Leeds every week and the fuel gauge was just above the halfway line, so just over 400 miles is a good bet.
Driving long distance in any small car isn't going to be great, but the Punto did very well, and got me to Leeds and back every week for two years with no major aches or pains. In the city, the higher driving position compared to other cars gives great visibility, as does the huge side windows. It has a comfortable footrest which is a nice touch.
It does get a little noisy at speed, but its not too bad compared to other cars.
Realibility:
In the five years I have had the car I have had no problems with it at all. Serviced every 10,000 miles (the recommended interval for the mk1), it runs fine. Service costs are about £100 - £130 which is probably slightly more expensive than other small cars.
Minor problems are that the power steering fluid tends to dissipate after a few years, so a mild hissing noise can be heard. But this is easily fixed when serviced, so shouldn't be a problem. The rear washer nozel has become clogged with a grain in the past few months, but again, this could happen to any car.
The car has never failed to start, even after being left outside in some of the coldest weather up north. It has always been reliable for me and has always got me where I need to be!
My local Fiat garage has always been very helpful and friendly - no complaints there.
Conclusion:
A great car to own. Fun to drive, reliable, excellently designed inside and has a huge amount of boot space, especially with the rear seats down.
Good level of interior and exterior kit (for the time), good build quality. It feels nice and solid. No air-bags (optional extra at the time), so safety isn't as good as other cars maybe, and the slight struggle if heavily loaded are cons though.
Fiat Punto 60 SX
We have had our little Fiat Punto 60 SX for over a year now and seeing as I am so happy with it I thought it a good idea to write down a little review for you all to let you in on the secret that is this great little car.
We bought this car at the beginning of March last year from a local independent dealer and it cost us a mere £1,100. It is a wonderfully weird shade of burnt orange and although at first this colour was a bit ... ...coming loose.
This Fiat is a 1.2 litre car and it takes roughly around £35 to £40 to fill the tank right up to bursting. Filling the car up to the brim the petrol usually lasts me around 2 to 3 weeks although as we live on a small island we really don’t drive for long distances and never really do a great deal of mileage. The power of the car is pretty good compared to the old banger of a ford escort that I had before and because of the light weight ...
newby2 30.05.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Fiat Punto 60
Advantages: Fuel economy, Running costs, Used purchase price Disadvantages: No major ones
...A few years ago, Fiat realised that the brake pipes were corroding quite badly on the mk1's. This had previously caused some brakes to fail.
All mk1 Puntos have been recalled and if your Punto brake pipes have not been treated/replaced, please call your local dealership who will check if the car has been done and book you an appointment if needed.
This is free..and my local dealership will even wash and hoover the car before returning it.
When ... ...GT (aka the pocket rocket) These are the very top of the range in the mk1 puntos and come with everything as standard. I have no regrets on buying my Fiat Punto's and will be an owner of one for as long as possible :) ...
virmin 06.11.2006
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Fiat Punto 60
Advantages: Cheap, economical spacious runaround Disadvantages: built quality lacking a little
I actually owned one of these a few years. It was my second car, which I bought after my first was damaged in an accident. The car I purchased was a 1998 Punto 60s 1.2, 5-door in metallic blue. When I bought it I thought it was fantastic, especially compared to the 1992 Renault Clio I had previously. It was more powerful (slightly), had 5 doors, was roomier and better equipped (it came with a sunroof - the height of luxury for me… )
The engine was ... ...it could feel a little sluggish when carrying a load (but then you can't really expect much from a 1.2 with 60 bhp). The interior was very spacious, plenty of headroom (I'm 6ft), and lots of leg-room in the back. However, this did mean that the boot was a bit small compared to other in its class. This was much better with the rear seats folded down. One downside to the interior was the fact that I thought the interior looked little bland and sparce ...
mickcave 23.02.2006
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Fiat Punto 60
Advantages: Robust, Spacious, Practical, Easy to Drive Disadvantages: Gutless up hills (compared to a Volvo S60 D5 ofcourse)
...do I pick.... a 1999 Fiat Punto 60SX. This car struck me the moment I saw it, the red metallic paint, and the blue interior was the perfect mix. And now its sitting outside happily in my drive. Up until this point, I had never (I repeat never) driven a car in my life, I was a devoted bike rider. But this car is such a good first time car, power steering does help alot and the engine isnt bad at all. I mean this car hasnt got that much of a service ... ...is amazing how much space fiat created with this car, its like a tardis! Im not the shortest person in the world, at 6ft 1. and i can sit comfortably in the front driver seat with my legs comfortable, with my father in the back at 5ft 9 with plenty of leg room left to spare for him. The boot is reasonable and the rear seat folding arrangement is suitable for the type of car it is. It also does not look out of place on the roads these days. Cars such ...
tubster011 11.04.2008
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Fiat Punto 60
Advantages: Good cabin size, reasonable fuel economy Disadvantages: Flimsy finishes, several areas very rust prone
...I’ve now been driving my Fiat Punto for 2 years. I bought a 1999 60SX model second hand from a (reasonably!) reputable dealer. I absolutely love that the car fits me like a glove. I am well over 6 ft and many small cars are just not suitable for my height. Not the Punto. In its range, it’s the most spacious front cabin I have came across. The driving position is far superior than the likes of the Corsa or Clio.
I like the fuel economy. I compare ... ...I have enough extra cash every month for a couple of pints. Earned by my car.
I am moderately fond of the handling of the car about town. I rarely drive motorways or with full loads where the cars lack of grunt would be exposed. Instead I have a reasonably well rounded car for an urbanite; reasonable manoeuvrability but with adequate acceleration.
I am slightly peeved that the finishes to the car are so flimsy. See my list of repairs to date. Apart ...
luleaexile 06.10.2004 (20.10.2004)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Fiat Punto 60
Road Handling
Comfort
Features
Looks
Similar reviews »
Reviews which might be of interest for "Fiat Punto 60"
Advantages: Fuel economy and cheap to insure Disadvantages: Several
You know the saying that a dogs bark is often worse than its bite, well the same can be said for trees. Following a car accident in April which resulted in my car being written off after an altercation with sycamore tree, I was in search of some new wheels.
After much deliberation I opted for a FiatPunto S60 which was on a P (1997) plate, with just over 51,000 miles on the clock and was priced at £1,600 from a car dealer. This was around £200 less than the price suggested by Parkers Car Price Guide, so I considered it a bit of a bargain.
EXTERNALLY
Punto's are probably not the best looking cars on the road, but I've seen worse. This model is quite angular in shape with some very straight edges and very little evidence of curves which seem to be the 'in thing' with contemporary smaller cars. It's a 3-door hatchback model ...
scampi1 08.06.2004 (26.08.2004)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this car review on average: very helpful Review of Fiat Punto 1.2
Advantages: Economical, Dual Power Steering, Roomy, Good at town driving Disadvantages: Lacks pull at speed, Dodgy Head Restraint
have to literally "rev-the-guts" out of it, by dropping it to fourth, to get past your average granny mobile.
However, once she gets going, WHATCAR!'s review on it's top speed is correct at 96 mph. Not quite teble figures but good for a 1.2 60bhp in my opinion.
To conclude, I'd highly recommend a FiatPunto as it is a capable, cheap to run "A to B" car. Do not buy for a performance car as it will ultimately disappoint. But for those law-abiding ones of you, please enjoy the FiatPunto. ...
hatters_mad_fan 25.10.2006
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this car review on average: helpful Review of Fiat Punto 1.2
Advantages: Spacious, quick, and good looks Disadvantages: Poor customer service, smallish boot space
I currently have the 1.9 sport version of the Fiat Grande Punto. it has 130bhp which means that it reaches 60mph from 0mph
in just 9.5 secs. I chose the black half leather seats which have a convenient and effective cupped shape which holds you effectively when doing fast turns. It will reach 130mph eventhough it says 127mph on the manual. You should definitely invest in a Blue&Me software which means you can talk wirelessely and effortlessly. You can call out a name or number and it automatically calls it. If you want a silent and smooth ride then do not purchase this car as it has very stiff suspension to help execute those fast turns neatly and the exhaust makes a rumbling noise that is appealing for young drivers but maybe not for others! The sound system is excellent aswell you can put the volume up very high and there will still ...
pmariani 11.03.2007
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this car review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Fiat Grande Punto
![Nostalgias Del Origen [Digipak] - Punto Omega](http://imagesa.ciao.com/iuk/images/icons/no_pic_generic_S.gif){kind=icon}
