First Drive: Fiat Grande Punto 90 HP – More Horses, More Fun

If there is one segment in the Indian car market which has the buyers spoilt for choice, its the B+ hatchback segment.

The competition in this segment of the market is very intense which means you will be able to find a car that suits your requirement to a ‘T’ without even trying very hard. From the ultra value for money Ford Figo or the Tata Indica Vista to the play it safe Maruti Suzuki Swift and the first affordable German, Volkswagen Polo, there is one for everyone. And amongst all these cars there is one that separates itself from all the others in the way it makes you feel and the way it drives – its the Fiat Grande Punto.

Grande Punto has been a halo car for Fiat simply because it is one car which brought Fiat back from the brink of bankruptcy and catapulted it into profits. The much awaited Grande Punto was launched in India with much fanfare last year and since then has gone on to do decent numbers for the company but not quiet the numbers Fiat would have been hoping for. The chief reason being the slightly underwhelming choice of engines which when put in a chassis which is good enough to take more than 180 bhp in Abarth variants and the below par interiors quality.

Fiat has made amends and has launched the Grande Punto 90 HP for the enthusiasts who crave for more power and here’s Autoholiks first drive report for the same.

Jump over for the first drive of the new Grande Punto 90 HP

• Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Maserati inspired front, absolutely gorgeous rear end and the “arrow” shaped side profile make it the best looking hatchback on sale in India, guaranteed to turn heads wherever you go. Special mention has to be made of the alloy wheels which are one of the better OEM units.
• Build quality is fantastic and the door close with the typical Fiat ‘thud’. Sitting inside feels like sitting in a bank vault. No seriously!
• The faster Punto comes with discreet ‘90 HP’ badging and chrome outside door handles to differenciate itself from the regular variant. The changes to insides are restricted to red stitching for the front seats, better plastics and better NVH all around.
• The interiors now come with soft touch plastics and different texture on the dashboard which makes them a wee bit better. Few rough edges like the ill fitting steering wheel console remain. The tinny sounding stereo is a disappointment and the Blue&Me feature makes it difficult to upgrade.
• The leather covered steering is a delight to look at and even better to hold. Its razor sharp and provides plenty of feel making it one of the best in the business.
• The variable geometry turbocharged 1.3 liter common rail Multijet diesel engine is a delight and provides the much needed power boost. The engine feels and sounds better even at idle and it remains true the moment you put in the first gear and release the clutch. The engine is noisy at higher revs but is pretty refined and vibe free. The same engine also does duty under the hood of the Linea.
• Flat out performance is pretty impressive and the engine is eager throughout the rev-range, even when running with full load and aircon on at full blast. Performance is sprightly after 1500 rpm and the car pulls nicely until 4000 rpm making for a very wide power band. Overtaking is a breeze and a prod on the accelerator is all you need.
• Disappointingly though, the gearing remains just the same and 2500 rpm in 5th @ 100 kph is still a wee bit too high for comfort. Sixth gear Fiat???
• ABS + EBD assisted brakes are reassuringly strong and are amongst the best stoppers in the business. The brake pedal has good feel making it easier to modulate. Keep a watch on the traffic coming from behind when stopping hard because you CAN and he may not! The car track straight even under harsh braking from high speeds.
• Ride and Handling compromise is of the highest order transcending segments by besting even the bigger much more expensive cars. The suspension is astonishingly pliant over good, bad and even worst of roads. The body roll is minimal and there’s plenty of grip given the wide 195 section tyres. The car holds its line very well even under hard cornering with just a hint of understeer. Mid corner bumps fail to faze the Punto with the car tracking true and the high speed stability needs to be experienced to be believed.
• The A/C chilled the cabin within minutes but it has to be said that weather around Delhi is pretty pleasant now a days.
• The car comes with a long list of standard equipments which includes Microsoft developed Blue&Me bluetooth system with voice recognition, Automatic climate control, dash integrated MP3/CD FM player with USB port AUX IN and steering mounted control, printed radio antenna, electrically adjustable outside rear view mirrors, MY Car diagnostic system which among other things displays service reminder, over speed chime, instantaneous and average fuel consumption and twin trip meters, height adjustable driver seat, alloy wheels, ABS + EBD and driver and passenger Air Bags. The electrical system is supported by micro processor controlled CAN BUS architecture, very much like the Audi’s and the BMW’s of this world!

The new Grande Punto 90 HP is more complete car and is the model that Fiat should have launched at the first place. Its reasonably fast and very fuel efficient giving you the best of both worlds.  The ride and handling is not only the best in its class but even segments much higher.

There are still quite a few rough edges as far as the interiors are concerned and there are a few things which should have been better given the price. Putting minor blemishes aside, the Punto is one of the best driving car in the country today which is equally adept going round the turns as it is while negotiating crater filled Indian roads or cruising down the expressways. Its one of those rare cars which manages to look good and drive well while at the same time arouse passion which is the hallmark of cars from Italy.

The Grande Punto is priced at Rs 6.79 Lakhs, Ex-Showroom, New Delhi which puts in the company of the most expensive hatchback in the market but considering the overall package, its well worth the price.

Also look at: Hyundai i20 CRDi, Honda Jazz