The Linea without Boot+Comparisons of hatchbacks in its class

A user review on Fiat Grande Punto. Written by Anish Samuel on 18 June, 2009

Starts at Rs. 7,02,230
Grande Punto Details | On Road Price
Anish Samuel's Ratings
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Purchased As : Used
Familiarity :
Fuel Economy :
Good : Ride comfort, Features, Styling, Great Value for money
Bad : Back seat height, Reverse Light, Rear Fog Lamp

Full Review

 

I took a test drive today morning and i was so impressed that I gave the booking amount for the 1.3L multijet, emotion pack, the top end car, immediately. It is so amazing, that the car is really a great value for money. Airbag, Blue&me, auto climate control, alloys, superb interiors, excellent drive comfort, steering mounted audio controls and that too for 6.7 on the road. I was amazed when the car was going at 20km/hr in the 5th gear without any problem. The car doesn't require frequent gear shift. It offers a great driving comfort. The car offers a good pick up. It is very comfortable to sit inside. The engine is already proven and the showroom guy told me that it requires oil change only 30000km. Tried the blue and me. It is good. No cabin noise. AC is powerful. Music system is really good with the 6 speakers. I had test driven most of the cars in its class, except i20 and Honda Jazz. I was looking only for the diesel cars. Driving is effortless. Cannot compare with any other car in the class I have driven. It is a Linea without boot, as simple as that. I never expected this car to be so awesome.

The best part is that you won't get a car with these features at this price. Automatic climate control, Airbags, Alloy wheels, Blue&Me etc.. It's a car that provides maximum safety in its class. I don't think there are much cars available with the same features and options for the price. I have gone through the Petrol and Diesel Cars and I found out the following:

Petrol: It provides more features than the Honda Jazz, Ford Fusion Plus Petrol and Skoda Fabia Elegance 1.2 MPI for a lesser price. I compared the GrandePunto top version with the top most versions of other cars in its class. Grande Punto is the least priced car with more features. The car that catch up with it is the i20. i20 has more width. But I'm completely not aware of the riding comfort and other features. But I would go for the GrandePunto. The top model GrandePunto comes 5.77 ex-showroom. The price difference between top version Hyundai i20 and the GrandePunto is about 40,000 and i20 has comes with curtain airbags. The i20 that comes with the features of the GrandePunto EmotionPack come at around 10,000 more than the GrandePunto, but i20 has more interior space than the GrandePunto. What I could find is the i20 engine is less powerful than that of the GrandePunto. The GrandePunto 1.4 engine has a power of 90ps@6000. The i20 comes with an 80ps@5200 engine. The Honda Jazz also comes with 90ps@6200 engine. The Skoda Fabia comes with 70ps@5200 engine, which clearly underpowered and that too for that price. The Ford Fusion Petrol plus has better powered engine at 110ps@6500. The GrandePunto is more powerful and costs lesser than the competitors in its class, except the Ford Fusion Petrol Plus for the matter of engine power. But the ForFusion Petrol Plus doesn't have many of the GrandePunto features and is priced almost 1,00,000 above the GrandePunto. The Honda Jazz doesn't have auto climate control, alloys for the top model and you have to shell out more than 2,00,000(On the road) out of your pocket for less features and for the equally powered engine.   Don't ask me about the driving comfort. I haven't test driven a Jazz. Skoda Fabia is clearly overpriced like the Jazz. Forget about the Jazz and Fabia. Here is the comparison of top version Fiat GrandePunto  with other top version Petrol hatchbacks in its class: http://www.carwale.com/research/comparecars/carcomparison.aspx?car1=1565&car2=1550&car3=1320&car4=1300

Diesel: Punto clearly is the winner here. The top end diesel version comes for 6.11 exshowroom price Delhi. For me in Trivandrum comes at 6.18 lakhs. It's the car that I took the Test Drive. The cars that comes in the class are Ford Fusion Diesel Plus, Skoda Fabia Elegante 1.4 TDi. Here also I'm talking about the top version of these cars which comes fully loaded. For the Ford Fusion you have to give 1,00,000 more and less features.Why go for it??? Skoda Fabia has the features loaded in it, but the price factor comes into play and the interior space is better in GrandePunto as I felt. GrandePunto offers a car with high safety, comfort, convenience and fully loaded at 1,50,000 less than the Fabia. The GrandePunto engine is 76ps@4000 which is bit more than the Ford Fusion Diesel plus which comes at 68ps@4000 and more than the Skoda Fabia TDi engine which comes at about 69sp@4000. You pay less and you get better power. The Engine noice so quiet that you will not hear the noice even at high speed(I didnt drive at extreme high speeds, just talking about 80-100km/hr). The car has an amazing pickup. It's so smooth to Drive. The automatic climate control is too awesome. It cools the cabin quickly. The Getz engine far more powerful than the GrandePunto but it doesnt have any good features. Most of the features are absent in the Getz compared to the GrandePunto. Here is the comparison of top version Fiat GrandePunto  with other top version Diesel hatchbacks in its class: http://www.carwale.com/research/comparecars/compareFeatures.aspx?car1=1569&car2=1299&car3=1321&car4=1273

The interior space and the legroom is much lesser than Indica Vista but more than the Swift. Interior space is at par with Getz, Fabia and Fusion and for me it's bit more than the above said cars, except Indica Vista. The comfort and convenience level is simply awesome and the automatic climate control cools fast.

The only thing I was not much satisfied with is the height at the back seat. A six footer might find it difficult while going through the Indian roads The interior finish is really awesome. The reverse lamp is placed at the bottom

 

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Banwari Lal Sharma on 02 May, 2011 at 10:21 AM

This review has been edited by moderator

Mohanan on 06 Dec, 2009 at 10:55 AM

Punto is the italian car which is designed by the Ferrari Group.Fiat was the 6th largest carmaker.fiat has vehicles from cycle to aircraft.80% of ferrari group was controlled by the king,the fiat.Fiat was launching a hatch at 2010,which is abt 250000/-.which is the most priced hatch in the world.So the difference between punto and other compettitors was a differ between lion and a goat

Sachin Thakkar on 10 Nov, 2009 at 06:15 PM

I have a Grande Punto DI emotion....... was very happy to buy it but now am REGRETTING the decision of Opting for a FIAT vehicle the most ...... Hope you wont feel the same ....all the best..... and am going to sell my 4 month old Car anyone intrested to buy .... ?

Sabik on 06 Nov, 2009 at 04:09 PM

Hi Anish, A very helpful review. I am planning to buy a car in early 2010 and have a budget of 5.5L. I like Punto Emotion and Swift Zxi but not sure which I should opt for. But I got no information regardign the mileage *city) of Punto. Can you please help?

Betson on 02 Nov, 2009 at 08:13 PM

Hi Anish, Thanx for good review. I am Betson from Cochin. I am planning to by a car on December. And I had shortlisted GP 1.3 multijet Active, Indica Vista QJ Aqua and Suzuki Ritz Ldi. All these haches are using same engine and it made little confusion. GP is little expensive than others. But it is a nice car and I liked it very much. Vista is also a good car, but it's back side looks like a taxi. Ritz also a good car, high resale value with good mileage. But rear side ?. Can u advice....pleas

Opinder Singh on 02 Oct, 2009 at 04:43 PM

gr8 review it help,s me a lot and now i can confidently go for this car to buy...thnx anish

Vs on 22 Sep, 2009 at 09:56 AM

Between swift and punto , Swift is far better.FIAT many issues ask users of Palio and other models. If the choice is between two go for Swift you are putting more than 4L rupees. If value for money is your requirement check UVA 4L on road.

Harsha1223 on 10 Sep, 2009 at 10:30 PM

Dear Anish, Thanks a lot for the excellent review. I am planning to buy GP 1.3 Emotion. Could you please tell me which one is faster swift or GP. To my knowledge GP is a bit more heavy than swift,so please tell me as you already own a punto.

Nirav Shah on 09 Sep, 2009 at 12:42 AM

Dear Anish, Thanks for lots of input on Punto, i am about to finalised the Petrol car in this segment, i am looking for I20 Asta, GP Emotion PK and Skoda Fabia Ambient 1.2 MPI. If you or other can give merits / Demerits of the car can help me to take a decesion. I like all 3 car by features and Engine. Please Help me to take a right decesion. Nirav Shah - Ahmedabad

Nirav Shah on 09 Sep, 2009 at 12:37 AM

Dear Anish, Thanks for lots of input on Punto, i am about to finalised the Petrol car in this segment, i am looking for I20 Asta, GP Emotion PK and Skoda Fabia Ambient 1.2 MPI. If you or other can give merits / Demerits of the car can help me to take a decesion. I like all 3 car by features and Engine. Please Help me to take a right decesion. Nirav Shah - Ahmedabad

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