Fiat Grande Punto. Viva Grande
Admit it, a car must catch the eye — inconspicuous models usually quickly leave the scene. If this rule works, then the current Grande Punto is destined for a long life. In terms of design, this hatchback, in my opinion, can confidently claim to be one of the best in its class. Daring, swift, stylish — the exterior deserves only compliments. And this is not surprising: the exterior was worked on by none other than Giorgetto Giugiaro, the master of Italian design. It seems he came up with the idea of styling the car in the spirit of the Maserati Spider, from which the Grande Punto inherited teardrop headlights, a sloping hood, and sporty proportions. For such a masterpiece, the master deserves long applause.
The front panel seems to float above the floor, graphic deflectors, a three-spoke steering wheel, neat rows of climate control and stereo buttons on the center console... Inside, everything looks decent, but the interior is far from the exterior splendor. However, given the conservative tastes of Europeans (remember how coolly they received the futuristic interior of the Nissan Primera), there is nothing strange about this. But ergonomics are not all smooth for Fiat. The lateral support of the front seats is somewhat weak. The seats themselves seem designed for a fragile person — they are too short for a tall driver. Legs and back will be tense, and after a couple of hours they will start to ache. For long trips, it is better to choose another car. But the "Italian" was not created for transcontinental routes — in the city, such trifles do not cause trouble. Moreover, cars of this class have never been known for perfect ergonomics (the Mini Cooper is just an exception). But something else is surprising: despite its modest dimensions, the Grande Punto is not cramped inside, at least in the front. A person of any height and build will fit behind the wheel. There will be plenty of room in the shoulders and above the head — not every C-class can boast of that.
In the back, there is noticeably less space. Four people can travel, but only if the passengers are not tall. Taller people will be uncomfortable in any configuration, and if a basketball-height driver is behind the wheel, then only a child can fit in the back — an adult can only fit their legs into the ten-centimeter gap between the seats with acrobatic skills... However, I digress. The three-door Grande Punto is a car for an egoist, so rear passengers will be rare. The same applies to the trunk: five or six bags from the supermarket will fit without problems, but you won't be able to take seedlings to the dacha. And this car is not made for the highway, especially with the base 1.2-liter engine. In the younger Panda, this engine feels fine, but for the heavier Grande Punto, it is clearly not enough — there is a lack of traction, and attempts to rev it to the top result in an unpleasant howl. But the alternative 1.4-liter unit with 77 hp allows you to drive more briskly and sounds nicer. By the way, only with this engine is the robotic MTA Dualogic gearbox available — the standard five-speed "manual" comes as standard. Due to the lack of diesels, the most powerful option for the compact Fiat is the 1.4-liter 16-valve with 95 hp. It was this one that ended up under the hood of my test car. True, such three-door cars are sold only in the Sport version and are not cheap. But we will talk about finances later.
On the move, such a Punto turned out to be nimble and lively — the engine revs cheerfully and brakes well on lower gears. The car easily picks up speed, but it makes quite a bit of noise. There are no complaints about the 6-speed manual. Although it seemed that the transmission was developed for another, larger engine. But an ordinary driver will most likely not notice such nuances.
In terms of dynamics, the Fiat looks excellent. It holds the road confidently, body roll is minimal, and it handles bumps elastically and collectedly. But you should not provoke it — on serious potholes it starts to shake, and the suspension can suffer. The sharp steering with electric power assist in the city is just what you need, but there is a lack of feedback. At speed, it becomes more informative but remains just as light — it allows you to hooligan, but does not let you relax. By the way, the Grande Punto (like the Panda) has a two-stage electric power steering. In normal mode, the steering behaves like that of competitors. But after switching to "City" mode, it becomes almost weightless. Men are unlikely to need this, but girls will surely appreciate such care.
Now about money. Alas, in the conversation about the Grande Punto (and about Fiat in general), the financial topic is that very fly in the ointment. Judge for yourself: the test three-door without additional options cost 625,000 rubles. Yes, for this money you get ABS, EBD, ESP, a couple of airbags, the FPS fire prevention system, a full power package, climate control, and much more, but for $24,000 you can get a larger C-class hatchback that is no less equipped. I won't even mention the Ford Focus. The only good news is the price reduction announced last week. On average, price tags for the Grande Punto have "lost weight" by $2,000, so hope for the revival of the brand remains. Although it is unlikely that its descendants will be able to repeat the triumphant march of the Fiat-124 across our country.
Dimensions (mm) 4030x1687x1490 Wheelbase (mm) 2510 Weight (kg) 1075 Trunk volume (l) 275/1030 Engine displacement (cm3) 1368 Max. power (hp) 95 at 6000 rpm Max. torque (Nm) 127 at 4500 rpm Max. speed (km/h) 177 Acceleration 0—100 km/h (s) 10.5 Average fuel consumption (l) 5.9
Price (rub.) 367,000-519,000
Source – www.automania.ru