Fiat Punto Review | Quirk On a Budget
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- čas přidán 15. 07. 2015
- The supermini market is arguably one of the most populated sectors of the automotive industry - competition has risen steeply since the introduction of cars from asian markets, notably from Kia and Hyundai. What this means is that cars such as the Fiat Punto, a name long established in hatchbacks must be constantly raising their game in order to preserve market share.
The current Punto looks very similar to the 2006 Grande Punto, the styling is more evolutionary than revolutionary - the ‘EVO’ name may suggest Fiat admits this too. India gets different styling to European models which to my eyes, look uncannily like a cross between the Peugeot 208, and the Kia Cee’d. The relatively liberal use of chrome is a sure sign of Italian flamboyance, detracting it from other more conservative cars in this sector. Models higher up in the range are fitted with more visually impacting alloys. Black plastic trim does a decent job of making the car look interesting, without becoming too fussy.
The interior quality of the Punto reflects its cheap price, plastic on the doors is rough and scratchy and the dash is covered in a high gloss material which squeaks when pressed. Switchgear feels equally flimsy. To its credit, the cabin is well laid out and top of the range models come with metallic paint trim, leather stitched seats and steering wheel. Talking of trim levels, the Punto comes in 5 different levels starting off with the ‘Active’ topping out at the ‘Sporting’: standard equipment is generous throughout with all cars being offered with steering-mounted controls as well as Fiat’s BLUE&ME system developed in conjunction with Microsoft, giving bluetooth connectivity and voice recognition. Connectivity is further enhanced with a standard USB flash drive socket. The cabin will be suitable for drivers of all sizes with good adjustability; the seats are genuinely comfortable with good padding and bolstering. City driving is made easier thanks to excellent all-round visibility. The rear cabin space is not the best in this sector, despite this being one of the larger models available. When sat behind myself, I simply don’t have enough legroom to sit-down straight, headroom is however adequate - the advantage of not having a dramatically sloping roofline.
The Punto’s practicality is fairly average, the boot is smaller than many rivals at 275L allowing owners to fit only a few suitcases - the loading lip is relatively large meaning getting things in and out may be tricky. A rarity in the sector is the 60-40 seats, which fold down almost completely flat opening the volume to 1030L, which is actually very good. Interior cabin storage is extremely good with cubbies everywhere, as well as 4 cupholders. Parking the Punto is very easy thanks to the ‘City’ button which makes the steering ridiculously light - not that it needed to be any lighter to begin with.
Our test car is fitted with the 1.4L petrol producing 76 bhp and 83 lb/ft of torque, which is perfectly adequate for the Punto’s main intended use, the city. At higher speeds, the driving dynamics are quite far behind those of rivals such as the VW Polo or the Ford Fiesta. The steering is ridiculously light and completely devoid of any feel, meaning judging the angle of the front wheels is tricky - especially turning into high speed corners. Mechanical grip is however pretty good with limited body roll, the compromise is the temperamental ride which is too firm and becomes fidgety on uneven road surfaces. The Punto comes with plenty of choice regarding engines, starting off with the 77 BHP 1.4L naturally aspirated petrol topping out with the 1.4L MultiAir Turbo producing 135 bhp, propelling the car to 60 in a sprightly 8.5 seconds and is definitely the choice for extra-urban drivers. For buyers looking for economy, there is a choice of two 1.3L MulitJet - the more powerful state of tune producing 97 BHP and is capable of almost 70 MPG combined, partly thanks for the stop/start system which is fitted as standard across the range. Road tax is very cheap on diesel models thanks to the sub-100g/CO2 emission ratings.
The cheaper price of the Fiat Punto is reflected by its cabin quality. Nevertheless, the touch of Italian flair and flamboyance mean it represents a good choice for buyers looking for a supermini without going for the ubiquitous VW Polo or Ford Fiesta. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Punto's interior is far superior to what you can find in a Fiesta!
+Wojtek456890 I'm afraid I don't agree! The Punto's is a lot more flimsy.
Oh, It's a matter of opinion then. I've tested both Fiesta and Punto and went for the latter.
Anyway, good review, keep up the good work!
Cheers! How old was the Fiesta?
It was from 2014 so after the facelift.
But, I have to say, It wasn't in the highest trim level.
I went for the highly speced Fiat and I don't regret a penny!
Excellent. The seats are definitely better in the Punto!
wtf is he talking about??
the Interior is nice compared to other small cars.
Sorry man, I just wasn't a fan!
yeah i can hear that :( :D im a big fan of Fiat Punto
Fair enough - I clearly have an unpopular opinion then!
you have to compare the price with the car itself... im used to drive in a punto 176 since 1996... the same engine since 1996 in the same car... for me it doesnt matter the looks ( off course i like good quality stuff) but i prefer reliability and cheap repair costs and normaly fiat gives me that.. i will continue to drive him and cherish the car until i cant no more... that has been the car that i grew up with and its in fenomenal shape after 23 years... stll yet to appear rust. it has original paint from 1994 and i never had the car in the garage... i just change the car when its possible to a good location where is protected from the direct sun light
and i like that interior. btw
hmm. not sure if fiesta is any better when it comes to plastics used in the cabin. Personally I think the punto is overall a better looking car than fiesta and polo combined. Punto looks more mature and definitely doesn't look like a little car.
This is the cheapest version. The leather edition that I have its way better than any Fiesta. People in the UK always compare with Ford Fiesta. My neighbor have the 2015 Fiesta and it looks crap, cheap interior and small wheels.
+Harnis Mj Infinity™ . i have a punto t jet, never see many at all on uk roads, lucky if i see 1 actually in my area, see 100's of fiestas though, boring looking cars that are overpriced with subpar engines unless you get the brand new ecoboost models
chutchy107 i agree with you, very boring looking cars, especially the latest version with big open grill in front. In my opinion punto Evo or abarth edition is way nicer in every way. I have very rare 5 door edition with glass roof and abarth body kit and 180 hp.
+Harnis Mj Infinity™ Sounds nice!
We have two, a 2002 and a 2015 punto lounge, for 3 average weeks wages in NZ you can by a lounge model with 60k on it. Apart from cam belts tires and servicing , that's it, ours have never had a problem,long or short trips, the 2001 is approaching 200k.
Can't beat them for price V km travelled.
Not more than a few suitcases in the back? What are you talking about? It's not a minivan it's a damn city car. And two adults aren't going to sit one behind the other for long time. It's cheaper, so you can get a full spec model with even few optional extras for the price of entry level fiesta, corsa or polo. Can't beat it for the price.
Ma, dečko je dijabola, očigledno da nije čuo da postoje različiti segmenti u autoindustriji i da za svaki segment važe različiti kriterijumi.
1200 69 cv fire evo is a elastic and more durable and strong motor ....this motor reached 400.000 km without problem
Keep getting better and better!
Callum Brand Thank you very much!
i have a punto and i dont need more than basics, and A/C :)
In India people swear by Punto and Fiesta (old) for their dynamics, handling and exceptional steering (hydraulic) feedback. Even double the price and no car comes closer in these criteria. Here people using other cars feel steering a bit heavier on Fiats being hydraulic. I think your area the steering may be electronic.
This boy better test bicycles
wtf is he talking about
Great review! What are you going to do next??
+Fireisborn25 Hopefully a couple of BMWs!
@1:24 In the end it is rugged and durable material that doesn't look too bad.
you sound British but you drive on the right side ? or you have a right side car ?
Hey i had a question to the people that already own one of those , want to buy a 2008 1.4 120 ps punto is it reliable enough for first car?
I’m afraid I haven’t longterm tested one - most defensible advice I can give is to look at forums, Honest John and JD Power etc. Thanks for watching.
He clearly dislikes the punto! Looking for a unbiased view on a small hatchback but this fella has nothing but negativity. Will consider a punto, won’t consider watching this channel again
Joanne Richards Purely objective commentary, I have no brand-orientated bias! I encourage you to test drive a Punto, and then try a Fiesta or Hyundai i20 - I think the cars will speak for themselves. Thanks for watching, and I hope to retain you as a viewer! R
Spent time looking through similar reviews for the punto, Corsa and new micra. The positive and negative are weighed up honestly, this review came across very negative and biased
i have create a guide for insert aux with original car radio
which language he is talking?
i would lie if i said that brits always compares cars to the ford fiesta.
👁️👄👁️ in 2002 Punto. Ya’ll got a heat gauge or an rpm meter yet?
please!! more fiesta and polo??? again and again and again....
+Daniel M Perhaps a Ford Fiesta review soon!
What does Rob Booth automotive actually do?
Perhaps you're just a jealous pomm that will always criticize Italian good quality, performance and style.
This car is far better than any Ford or VW, in every way possible.
Get your facts up to date and correct, mate.
In every way possible?! Wow - sounds like a good deal to me! Thanks for watching.
yes i agree i like italian and fiats :D
you quite don't know whats evolutionary and revolutionary ;)
muzictherpy Fiat doesn’t either
I've got the 2011 evo 1.4 petrol 77 horsepower got the car very cheap is totally s*** totally underpowered a lot of Road noise coming into the cabin Bluetooth connectivity is quite interesting that all about the car is the Bluetooth better buy the Corsa or the Ford.
lmao have you actually seen other similar priced hatchback interiors?
Yes, I've owned three other hatchback. Cheers for watching, R
This cheap looking vehicle screams college kid who's just passed their test & is used to delving with bank of mum & dad
jeviam fuck off
Wow did your parents buy you a tata
i have a punto and i dont need more than basics, and A/C :)
It came with lots of standard kit, that was a very positive aspect!