A great car, full stop. (Fiat Bravo in general)

Member Name: bri77_uk

Product:	Fiat Bravo in general
Date:	07/08/02 (526 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: the 1.6 engine, the colour, the handling

Disadvantages: stereo not great, insurance expensive, eats tyres

Having run a 1999 Bravo 100 (1.6) HLX since the end of January 2002, and having covered over 10,000 miles in it, I feel I am qualified to say that it is the best car I've owned to date.

Firstly, I have to get the colour out of the way - Broom Yellow. I fell in love the second I saw it - that fantastic design, and the sledgehammer colour really go well together. Mine also has the optional headlamp washers, which give the car an insect like appearance.

As for reliability - the hydraulic clutch's slave cylinder went to lunch a couple of months ago. This was repaired under warranty swiftly and efficiently by the independent Fiat dealer which sold me the car in the first place. Other than that, the immobiliser transponder in the key isn't always read first time (though the car always starts in the end), and the rear wash-wipe motor has burned out. Neither are big issues.

The performance is easily the match of it's class competitors - it is, in fact, faster than the Stilo 1.6 which replaced it. Fuel economy seems to sit around 35mpg, which is par for the course for a 1.6 of this size. It has returned more than 45mpg on a couple of occasions.

The handling of the car was the cause of concern when I first got it - I presumed that it just didn't handle as well as the little Seicento I had before, purely because of it's size and weight. Turned out that the previous owner had scrimped on tyres, and fitted some obscure make to the front wheels. Having now fitted it with 4 Pirelli P6000's the car is in a different class. It now has fractionally more grip that the Seicento - I car I found VERY hard to get unstuck in.

Having driven golfs and astras of a similar age, I can honestly say, that this car has the measure of them in looks, performance and handling.

Summary: