Indiacar.com -Fiat Grande Punto

The gorgeous new Grande Punto, Fiat’s third large hatchback for India, has rolled out. But is it good enough to shake up the leaders in this now-overcrowded class? AutoCar (July ’09) takes a leisurely drive to find out…

The Grande Punto is the car that saved Fiat’s hide. It took the European car market by storm as soon as it was launched in 2005 and gave Fiat a platform from which to launch its recovery. Now available in India, in four trim levels (Active, Dynamic, Emotion, and Emotion Pack) and a choice of three engines (1.2 Petrol, 1.4 Petrol and 1.3 Diesel); it’s all set to storm the Indian hatchback market.

From The Outside
Designed by master designer Giugiaro, this car looks good from every angle. The long nose would not be out of place on a Maserati and the compact rear with those angled, high-mounted lights give the hatch a sporty look. With a 2510mm wheelbase, its longer than the Fabia or Honda Jazz and the bumpers have been shortened to keep it below four meters (for excise savings). Also the suspension has been raised and re-tuned to suit Indian roads.

To see if the Grande Punto drives as well as it looks, AutoCar testers (July ’09) take a test drive and immediately the Fiat hatch impresses. The doors shut with a weighty thud you only get in European cars and one feels nicely cocooned from the outside world.

The superbly weighted and accurate hydraulic steering gives one an almost rally-car like feel and nothing seems to faze the Fiat as it effortlessly skips and splashes over potholed tarmac. Key to the Grande Punto’s terrific poise, especially over rough roads, are the large 195/60 R15 tyres, stiff chassis and absorbent suspension with a perfect spring and damper set-up. What’s also special is the flat and consistent manner in which the suspension works. There’s none of the nose-heaviness or heaving that plagues most front-wheel-drive hatchbacks. Quite simply, at highway speeds nothing comes close to the Punto say AutoCar testers (July ’09), however it lacks the low-speed suppleness of the Fabia, its only true rival in the ride and handling department.

Inside Information
Jump inside and the interiors are not as roomy as one would expect from a four-meter long car. It’s clear that space has been sacrificed at the altar of style. The long nose and distinct two-box silhouette look great but it does take up a lot of useable space. There’s no real issue for front seat passengers. The seats are large, there’s plenty of headroom, seat travel is good and the cabin feels wide and airy. Get into the back and legroom is in short supply but otherwise the high seating position, decent headroom, good under-thigh support and a perfectly angled backrest make for a supremely comfortable seat.

Unfortunately the Punto is short on storage space as well. It has shallow cupholders and small door pockets. Also the quality of certain plastics is quite disappointing. The finish is a bit rough, many of the joints are unsightly and even the rubber beadings are a bit sloppy. The car, however, does have a largish boot that measures 280 litres – plenty of space for a car in this class.

Like the Linea, the Grande Punto is well equipped. The Emotion variant tested by AutoCar (July ’09), came with

an iPod dock, voice-activated Bluetooth pairing for phones, climate control, 15-inch alloys, ABS and twin airbags. The information display also carried over from the Linea provides information such as cabin temperature and fuel consumption etc. Also the dash design is similar to the Linea and has the same classy flair and feel.

Engine Wise
Fiat has chosen to launch the Grande Punto with three motors. Two petrol’s (1.2 and 1.4) and the 1.3 Multijet diesel of Swift fame. On paper, the 1.3 Multijet also powers the Palio, Ritz and Indica Vista.

In traffic and on part-throttle, the diesel Punto with its relatively short gearing and light clutch is quite a breeze to drive but however the instant one wants to make instant progress, the diesel Punto lacks sparkle. In fact, the motor feels strained when revved and 0-100kph takes a leisurely 17.8 seconds with another 16 sec needed to get to 130kph. Not only is the Swift diesel quicker but its more refined as well. Otherwise in-gear timing is pretty good, especially the 40-100kph slog in fourth gear and the Grande Punto matches the lighter Swift.

The 1.4 petrol, identical to the Linea, is more enthusiastic and smoother running. This twin-cam 16-valve motor makes 89bhp, decent for its 1368cc capacity but lacks outright punch and low speed torque. But again like the diesel, this car is decent for normal city driving and is quite responsive on a part-throttle taking a modest 16.5sec to hit 100kph. The 1.2 Fabia in comparison takes 16.26sec and that says a lot.

Fuel Efficiency

The diesel Punto gives a terrific 13.7kpl in the city and 17.5kpl on the highway. The 1.4 returned 10.2kpl in the city and 14.6kpl on the highway.

Verdict
So can the Grande Punto ace the hatchback market in India? Just like the Linea, it looks superb, is solidly built and comes with class-topping ride and handling. But it does not take the game forward in the hatchback segment as the Linea has done in the saloon class. Performance, fuel efficiency and refinement are not the class best and even the interiors need to be polished up a bit. The Punto makes up with the value it offers. With the base 1.4 version starting at around Rs. 5 lakh and the fully loaded diesel not exceeding Rs. 6 lakh, it may not be the cheapest hatch around but is a lot of car per car and pretty value for money signs off AutoCar (July ’09).

At a Glance

Price: Rs. 4.5-6.0 Lakh (est.), On Sale: Now , Engine Variants: Petrol 1.2 and 1.4-litre petrol, Diesel 1.3-litre Multijet diesel, Power: 89bhp @ 6000rpm, 75bhp@4000rpm (diesel), Torque: 11.7kgm@4500rpm, 20.08kgm@2000rpm (diesel), Acceleration: 0-60kph: 6.28sec, 6.79sec (D), 0-100kph: 16.58sec, 17.84sec (D), Fuel Efficiency: City: 10.2kpl, 13.7kpl (D), Highway: 14.6kpl, 17.5kpl (D)
For: Ride and handling, Solid build and Styling, Against: Weight blunts performance, Interior fit and finish, Rear legroom