Punto Comeback

The Punto was the bestselling car in Ireland and Europe for about three years in a row a few years ago. And in a remarkable comeback, the Punto was the best-selling car in its class, and overall, in Europe in January.

So why did we all buy the Punto? Value, looks and Italian small-car ingenuity appealed to all types of drivers from the learners to the retirees. It's both classless and classy at the same time. As the market moved on, the Punto was sadly left behind.

Well that's all changed with the new Grande Punto – Grande being the Italian word for great. A proud boast, eh, and it'd better be! Fiat is well and truly back with this car. Its beautiful front pays homage to Maserati with its distinctive front lights. The rear looks like how the new Focus should have looked. Side view lets you in on its secret. It's big at over 4m long, confirming the French version of Grande, meaning big, which it certainly is.

Inside it is refreshingly different. You get into some cars from some manufacturers and the sameness across the range/brand is a bit depressing. I don't see the need for all models to have the same look and think it is a bit of a designer cop-out. Fiat/Italians pride themselves on being ace designers with nothing ever left alone. Funky seats and fabrics, chamfered switches, heck even the P in Punto is styled to look like a driver. Very clever. Headroom in the front and back is impressive. It's 100mm longer than the new Polo – an enormous amount in this category.

A major plus for the Punto is the "4+" warranty – 4 year/100,000 kms warranty with 4 year's full AA membership. That says something about Fiat's newfound confidence, which started with the ingenious Panda. As you expect with all Fiats, the 1.2l (65bhp) engine is a zippy little thing. Sound penetration into the cabin by the engine and road was very low. The steering was light, if a little vague, and you get a "City" button that makes it feather light for parking. I briefly drove the 1.3l diesel, which would be my personal choice. The Punto scored five stars in its NCAP test, taking it to the top of its class. The boot takes a respectable 275l of whatever you need to carry, growing to 1,030l with the rear seats flat.

Some of the internal plastics are a bit hard and the footrest is too close to you as to render it uncomfortable to use. There's no spare wheel at all, just a 12V compressor and sealant. All minor quibbles in an otherwise splendid car

It remains to be seen if the new Grande Punto will tempt previous Punto buyers back as well as new ones. With the current offering they have given themselves the best possible chance of doing so.

www.fiat.ie	RRP = €16,245
St. Patrick's CU Monthly Loan Repayment per €1,000. Rate = 6.5% Tel: 01 632 5100 or 01 632 5125
3 Years = €30.64	4 Years = €23.71	5 Years = €19.56
Manufacturers Fuel Consumption Figs.: Urban 6.1l/100km ; Extra Urban 5.1l/100km
New Car Assessment Programme Rating ***** www.euroncap.com   carfeedback@esb.ie

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