I don't think so (Fiat Punto 1.2 3dr)

Member Name: Bridgend boy

Product:	Fiat Punto 1.2 3dr
Date:	30/10/01 (946 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Comfortable drive

Disadvantages: Too plasticy

I’ve recently had the dubious pleasure of renting a Fiat Punto 1.2, 3 door for a week. My own car went into the garage so I was lumped with the Punto for the duration.

It’s a fairly comfortable car, although the seats are quite upright and feel very stiff while driving. The dash board is quite well laid out and everything can be seen quite easily. The steering wheel can be adjusted and there’s a nifty, though pointless given that it’s already got power steering, function for city driving. Just flick a button and the steering becomes so light, you’d think you were driving a go-kart. I almost crashed the car going round a roundabout when I was experimenting with it.
The radio is just too far out of reach to be comfortable and the volume control doesn’t respond with the ease that you want when driving.

There’s hardly any space in the back so don’t buy it if you want to fit the kids and the mother-in-law in there. The boot is a fair size, although I haven’t applied the golf club test to it yet. I think they’d just about fit in there.

The car itself is not much to look at. In fact, it’s very average. But then again I don’t suppose it’s meant to compete with Lotus or Jaguar.

The build quality is supposedly rubbish on these cars. The one I’ve got doesn’t seem too bad, although I couldn’t open the bonnet the other day as the catch had snapped in the car. Not very good if you own it and need to refill your screen wash and certainly not very good considering the car had only 18 miles on when I had it delivered.

The car does around 35mpg and has a top speed of around 100mph. (It does 90 down the motorway very comfortably, or so I’ve been told). They cost between £7k and £11k and you will spend between 26p and 33p a mile running them.

It’s not that bad a car I suppose. Not one that I’d go for if I was buy
ing one, but still better than my battered old fiesta!

Summary: