Fiat Grande Punto 1.3 Multijet

When it comes to ride and handling, it’s the Punto that wins hands down

Published on Dec 09, 2009 08:00:00 AM

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The Grande Punto uses the similar 1.3 multijet engine that is doing duty in the Ritz, Swift, Vista and Stile. But the Punto weighs a substantial 115kg more than the Marutis. Punto also has shorter gearing and this has sacrificed the top-end performance for better drivability.

In traffic, there’s adequate power and the Grande Punto feels quite eager in town. The shorter gearing also makes the engine work harder at higher speeds. It’ll hit 100kph in 17.84sec, which is mainly because of its 1190kg weight and ECU tuning.

The gearshift is quite light too but nowhere near as slick as the Fabia’s. However, the instant you want to make urgent progress, the diesel Grande Punto lacks sparkle. The initial turbo-lag is very much there but even after the turbo starts spinning, the strong tug or spike in the powerband, is missing. In fact, the motor feels strained when revved hard.
The in-gear timing is pretty good; especially the 40-100kph slog in fourth gear and the Grande Punto matches the lighter Swift.

Fiat has understood the importance of fuel economy the hard way after the first Palios, and the latest Fiats have all proved to be pretty frugal; the Grande Puntos are no exception. The diesel Punto gives a terrific 13.7kpl in the city and 17.5kpl on the highway.