Fiat Punto Evo, presentation and first impressions (part II)

The Fiat Punto Evo has not changed much in shape and design, but it has undergone some changes typical of advances in technology and cheaper materials, although the price barely changes while the equipment changes a lot.

The engine range is well stocked, with four petrol engines ranging from 65 to 135 CV and three diesel engines from 75 to 120 CV. In addition, a 70 CV methane engine is also included. We have been able to verify that the equipment and the effort the Italian maker has put into winning more market share with this compact are remarkable, offering more quality at a better price than its rivals. Let’s go into detail to check it.

The new 105 and 135 CV MultiAir engines are used, with a displacement of 1.4 litres, along with the basic 65 and 77 CV units and the 75, 90 and 120 CV 1.3 MultiJet diesels. A new engine is expected in the second half of this year: the 2nd generation 95 CV unit, which will replace the current 90 CV one.

Petrol

• 1.2 65 CV
• 1.4 77 CV
• 1.4 MultiAir 105 CV
• 1.4 MultiAir 135 CV

Diesel

• 1.3 MultiJet 75 CV
• 1.3 MultiJet 90 CV. In the second half of 2010 it will be the 1.3 MultiJet II 95 CV
• 1.3 MultiJet 120 CV

Methane

• 1.4 70 CV

Eco technology: more for less

Over the last 2-3 years we have been seeing a technological revolution that manufacturers are applying to their vehicles, increasing R&D budgets to offer better products at a lower price. Fiat I would dare to say it is at the top of the list of manufacturers, fighting for the first positions. We saw it with the MultiAir engines, a real revolution, and now we are seeing it with the Start&Stop.

Granted, it is not a new concept, and correct me if I am wrong, but the first to introduce it as standard was BMW with its 1 Series, yet you do not have to be the first, I think, but the best. I have not been able to test this system much on other brands, but I have on some, and I can say that the one in the Fiat Group is among the best. The restart after the engine stops goes almost unnoticed; it is very smooth. And this is the second car from the group I have tried, so coincidences are few. The downside is that not the whole range has it; for now we will have to make do with the 105 and 135 CV MultiAir engines and the two most powerful MultiJets (120 and 95 CV) that include it.

The GSI (Gear Shift Indicator) system is standard too, a small indicator on the dashboard (similar to the one on the Renault Mégane) suggesting a gear change up or down, to get the maximum performance from the engine with the lowest consumption. If you climb a hill in fifth gear and press the accelerator to the floor at 60 km/h, it will indicate that you should downshift, since a lot of fuel is being injected and very little power is obtained. It is not new, we already saw it on the Abarth 500, but it is new for the Punto range.

The novelty I find most interesting is the Blue&Me system, standard. But if we pay 290 euros more, we get a TomTom navigator completely integrated which we can also use in another vehicle (without the mount). “Integrated” is a bit of a stretch, since it protrudes quite a lot from the dashboard, but it is also true that there is no better option. The screen is connected to the computer and shows average and instantaneous consumption, distance, etc. It also incorporates EcoDrive, very useful although I must say not very practical, at least with the values it gives. I have not managed to understand it in the three cars I have tried.

Prices and range for every need

Just as the Punto remained on sale when the Grande Punto was introduced, this time too we are repeating the strategy. The previous model stays for the basic range, while the new model replaces it at the higher trims. There will be 3 different trim levels: Dynamic, Emotion and Sport.

The number of doors is also tied to trim and engine, with a choice of 3 or 5 doors, but the Emotion will always be 5-door and the Sport 3-door. Combining engines, trims and doors gives up to 10 choices in petrol, 8 in diesel and 1 in methane. 19 in total, which is not bad at all; for tastes, there are 13 different colours to choose from. I still prefer the black, although the white is convincing.

The prices are really very interesting. For 9,290 euros you can have your Fiat Punto Evo, specifically the 3-door petrol Dynamic with 65 CV, taking advantage of the 2,400 launch discount (it is not known until when) and an additional 1,000 euros from the Plan 2000E. Of course, this is a real juggling act.

Petrol prices without discounts range from 12,700 euros up to 18,900 euros for the top of the range (MultiAir 135 CV Emotion), and diesel from 14,300 for the 3-door 75 CV Dynamic up to 18,900 for the Emotion with 120 CV. An important detail is that the prices of the two most powerful engines in both fuels are exactly the same. These come with Start&Stop.

Driving impressions

Throughout the presentation we have been commenting on what we thought in each case about what we had tested, but at some points we have not. The engine is one such case. We tried the 1.4 MultiAir 105 CV in Sport trim, the least powerful of the new technology, and it left me with a bittersweet impression.

The engine felt very tight, especially considering that the roads in Biscay have many climbs and descents, although we were also able to test it much better than on a simple motorway: there are more tight bends. It is fine for the city, but when setting off on a trip we may need a bit more power if we are the type who puts their foot down cheerfully. It seemed to me to have more punch than the 1.6 in the Renault Mégane with the same power.

The technical data of the engine are nothing out of this world: maximum power is reached at 6,500 rpm and maximum torque is 130 Nm at 4,000 rpm. It reaches 100 km/h from a standstill in 10.8 seconds with a top speed of 185 km/h. The advantage is that we will not end up in jail if the foot slips. The official extra-urban consumption is 4.7 and the combined 5.7 l/100 km. We did not carry out consumption tests and they are not relevant; on the road it used close to 6 litres per 100 km, measured with the computer.

The stability is mediocre although I come from a pure competition car, and it seemed to me that in corners the axles and mounting points creaked when put to the test. The suspension, however, was properly set up, not too hard but necessary for a car with a sporty trim.

I think the Fiat Group is heading in the right direction, offering what people ask for, keeping the spirit and design that characterise the Italians without neglecting the technology and safety that were very scarce in previous years. Their goal is to sell almost 30,000 units of this model this year, 2010; we will see if they achieve it. Desire, enthusiasm and equipment certainly are not lacking.

Photos | Javi Vicente