Fiat Grande Punto review

 The Punto is an old project and was built to a cost, so it may not be proximately appealing – but don’t be too dismissive. While it’s no rank or order director, you get a in fashion supermini with a surprisingly ample hut and rational kit if you be shy of entrance-horizontal models. It’s also quite a lot of fun to impel, especially in Abarth spec. So if you’re after a low-priced runabout or a first car, a Punto could be a evil bargain for, as drawn out as you make sure it’s not replete of faults.

As soon as Order unveiled its Fiat Grande Punto specs in 2006, every competitor looked a bit stupid. Arguably the most in fashion supermini of the decade, it proved a hit with Brits defective a comely puny car at a covenant cost.

Fiat Grande Punto wasn’t just a comely external part, though; it was also profitable to impel and unhurt for its duration, achieving a five-heavenly body ripened Euro NCAP occupier rating. But the ensuing years haven’t been humane, with the security material part downgrading it to zero stars overall when the Punto was retested in 2017, in some measure because of a be destitute of of security patronize features.

Fiat’s forté has always been puny cars, but many Puntos have proven brittle, frustrating owners and damaging remaining values. Despite this, the breed can be a rational second-palm and fingers buy if you do your homework.

Chronicle

The Grande Punto arrived in January 2006, with 1.2 or 1.4-litre petrol engines, plus 1.3 or 1.9-litre diesels; a 120bhp 1.4 turbo petrol T-Jet 120 Sporting was added in Stately 2007. In July 2008 a give fresh vigor to brought a revised grille and an updated inward with supplemental kit, plus GP compact was replaced by In action Diversion. Another reconstruct in January 2010 saw Mercedes Gla renamed the Punto Evo, and get ensign close up/shrink.

Entrance-horizontal models (badged In action) have a multifunction steering roll, heated entrance mirrors, charged with electricity brow windows and distant central locking; Dynamic compact adds air-con and cleave-double background seats. Toyota Yaris  lineament 16-twelfth part of a foot alloys and racier compact, while the Sporting has 17-twelfth part of a foot wheels, rove over the sea dominion government and sports seats. Later cars were badged Pop, Light, GBT and Recline instead.

Inward

The Fiat’s hut offers becoming extent for four and it’s well laid out, but too much of the compact feels thin. Given the age of its most important project, it should be no wonder that Fiat Punto specs feels dated inside, too. Only top-spec cars have three background seat of the brain restraints; others get just two. Advantage extent is rational, at 275 litres when the background are seats up and 1,030 litres with them down, but they don’t pen horizontal.

Prices

Diesels need impediment-ups every two years or 21,000 miles. For petrols built up to 2014, it’s every two years or 18,000 miles; for later ones it’s every 12 months or 9,000 miles.

Labor packages can overspread a car until it’s five, but these can alter between dealers. Most tread in the steps of a three-series a whole at £150, £280 and £350, but some are £129, £155 and £225. The timing zone needs replacing every 72,000 miles or eight years on petrol Puntos, while it’s every 210,000 miles or 10 years on the diesels; await to pay £300.