Fiat has launched the Grande Punto in India with three engines, the 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre petrols and the 1.3-litre multijet diesel. My first impression of the car was that it is rather pretty. And rather heavy. Both are true. Styled by Giugiaro, the Grande Punto is an eye catching, if traditional hatchback. And at 1150kg, it is a heavy car. But the latter gives it a solidity of build and feel that is pretty impressive.
I first drove the 1.3-litre diesel and at 76PS, it isn't in the same state of tune as the Linea's 1.3 engine. But the engine isn't slow. It doesn't really want to show you a clean pair of heels and produce performance-generated tingles, but it isn't slow. At highway speeds, the car can cruise and overtake, although the latter can sometimes take a downshift or two more than you planned. Especially if you hurry the car along. When I drove the 1.4-litre engine later, I was surprised to discover that the top petrol engine, despite its 90PS is similar in nature to the diesel. It can relax, cruise at good speeds and pull quick overtakes, but that isn't what it lives for. The closest analogy I can give you is of a competent chap at the office who gets work done, but doesn't really worry about it, get tense or flustered by extra work loads. The gearshift - which you tend to use a lot when you're trying to hurry - is a long shift, but a slick one although that rubbery feeling is there.
But the handling of the car and the ride quality of the hatchback are both pretty well developed assets. The car has some body roll but not enough to get you to slow down and will handle cack-handed cornering with grace. Our test route didn't really include hard corners, but the Punto swept the sweepers, picked off the apexes and duly squealed the tyres when pushed really hard, without really straying too far off the line. Ride quality, a traditional Fiat high point, remains as such. The road passes under the car which proceeds to iron out the bumps with almost contemptuous glee. You only hear these far away noises that indicate what's really going on. Very nice indeed.
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