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    Fiat Linea [2008-2011] User Reviews

    Looking for Fiat Linea [2008-2011]? Here are the reviews and ratings by Linea [2008-2011] owners from across the country.
    Linea [2008-2011] Image

    3.6/5

    177 Ratings

    5 star

    11%

    4 star

    60%

    3 star

    13%

    2 star

    9%

    1 star

    6%

    Variant
    All Versions
    Rs. 6,69,055
    Last recorded price

    Categories (out of 5)

    • 4.5Exterior
    • 4.1Comfort
    • 3.7Performance
    • 3.7Fuel Economy
    • 4.1Value for Money

    All Fiat Linea [2008-2011] Reviews

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    • 15 years ago | Cdr Ak Misra
      I HAD BEEN CONTEMPLATING WHETHER OR NOT TO WRITE THIS REVIEW SINCE IF I AM TO BE HONEST THEN FIAT & TATA GUYS WILL KILL ME AND I DON'T THEN I MY OWN CONSCIENCE WILL KILL ME. ...I HAVE BOUGHT LINEA EMOTION PETROL PACK LAST MONTH 02 MAY 09 AND HAVE SINCE DRIVEN ALMOST 3000 KMS THROUGH THE UP & DOWN IN RANIKHET, HILLY TERRAIN OF NAINITAL, RAM NAGAR (JIM CORBETT), TREACHEROUS INDIANISED ROADS FROM DELHI TO LUCKNOW AND THROUGH THE SUMMER HEAT (45 TO 47 DEGREE AMBIENT TEMP) IN DELHI. TO BE HONEST I HAD BEEN AN ARDENT ADMIRER OF THE LINEA DESIGN EVER SINCE IT WAS LAUNCHED AND SO I HAD DECIDED THAT AS AND WHEN THE CAR WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN INDIA I WOULD BUY IT. THIS DECISION WAS BASED AFTER FOUR TEST DRIVES THAT I HAD UNDERTAKEN 02 AT CONNAUGHT PLACE, NEW DELHI AND 02 AT GURGAON, HOURS & HOURS OF RESEARCH AND FEEDBACKS FROM OWNERS AND VISITS TO WEBSITES. NEEDLESS TO STATE THAT THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE OF THE CAR IS A BIG LET DOWN AND WELL BELOW EXPECTATIONS SINCE THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TEST DRIVE AND THE ACTUAL DRIVING CONDITIONS ON THE INDIAN ROADS. THE GROUND CLEARANCE OF THE CAR IS SO LOW THAT ON THE ROAD FROM DELHI TO LUCKNOW THE CAR BUMPER MUST HAVE TOUCHED POT HOLES & SPEED BUMPS SO MANY TIMES THAT .THAT I GAVE UP THE COUNT. YOU FEEL A PART OF YOU BEING SCRAPPED OF EVERY TIME THE CAR HITS THE BUMP..BUT YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT....I DONT KNOW WHAT HONDA OWNERS MUST BE GOING THROUGH. IN THE OUTSIDE TEMP OF 45 PLUS DEGREES THE PERFORMANCE OF AC WAS REALLY POOR. AT TIMES WE HAD TO OPEN THE WINDOWS ON THE DUSTY AND SULTRY HIGHWAY & ROADS ....I DON'T THINK THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AC HAS BEEN CUSTOMISED BY FIAT FOR THE INDIAN SUMMER IN NORTH (I MEAN ABOVE 45 DEG) CONDITIONS. IT IS A BIG LET DOWN. THIS AFFECTS THE ACCELERATION OF THE CAR TOO AND YOU CAN FEEL THAT THE CAR IS WAY TOOO UNDERPOWERED FOR ITS SIZE. THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CAR I MEAN THE ACCELERATION AT LOWER SPEEDS IS SO BAD THAT EVEN OUR MARUTI 800 AT TIMES BEATS YOU IN PICK UP AT LOWER SPEEDS . OF COURSE AT HIGHER SPEEDS ABOVE 70-80 THE CAR IS SHEER CLASS TO DRIVE IN TERMS OF COMFORT, DRIVING PLEASURE AND HANDLING. BUT TO REACH THESE SPEED LIMITS 70-80 ..THE STRUGGLE IS JUST TOOOO MUCH. THIS AFFECTS HIGHWAY DRIVING WHEREIN FOR OVERTAKING YOU HAVE TO SHIFT TO 3RD OR 4TH GEAR. UPHILL DRIVE TOO IS TARDY AND CAN BE DONE ONLY ON 3RD / 2ND GEAR AND THAT IS BAD FOR FUEL ECONOMY. I ALSO HAD TO INVOKE THE SERVICES OF TATA TO CHECK THE PERFORMANCE OF THE AC. THOUGH THEY WERE COURTEOUS AND VERY FRIENDLY, THE AVAILABILTY OF SPARE PARTS NEEDS A LOT TO BE DESIRED. THE ACTUAL PARTS OF THE CAR WERE AVAILABLE AFTER 25 DAYS ..SINCE IT WAS AC PART I COULD MANAGE ...I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD IT BEEN A CRITICAL PART....I LEAVE ALL READERS TO GUESS. THE REAR VISIBILTY OF THE CAR ALSO LEAVES MUCH TO BE DESIRED....BETTER WOULD HAVE HAVE BEEN FOR FIAT TO INSTALL PARKING SENSORS. I HAVE BOUGHT FIAT LEATHER SEAT COVERS (Rs 11,000) PLUS EXTERNAL CAR COVERS (Rs 3,500) AS ADDITIONAL ACCESSORIES....... I DO ADMIT THAT THE CAR HAS NUMEROUS WORLD CLASS FEATURES IN TERMS OF COMFORT, STYLE, SAFETY AND MILEAGE WHICH MAKES IT STILL UNBEATABLE FOR THE PRICE ON OFFER ....AND EVEN AFTER KNOWING ALL THE DRAWBACKS LISTED ABOVE I DEFINATELY WOULD HAVE HAVE STILL DECIDED TO GO BACK ON LINEA ....BUT MY AIM HERE IS NOT TO CRITICISE FIAT/TATA BUT TO EDUCATE AND APPRAISE ALL THE ESTEEMED READERS ON THE DISADVANTAGES SO THAT THEY MAY MAKE AN INFORMED CHOICE RATHER THAN AN IGNORANT ONE. IF I COULD DESCRIBE MY OWN FIAT LINEA IN ONE SENTENCE IT WOULD BE 'ITNA PAISA MEIN TO ITNA HI MILEGA' ADVICE FOR THE POTENTIAL BUYERS LINEA IS NOT A PERFORNACE CAR...BUT MEANT FOR THE FAMILYMAN WHERE SAFETY COMFORT ELEGANCE AND STYLE ARE THE DICTUM HAPPY HUNTING LOVE & REGARDS AK MISHRAVERY COMFORTABLE & BEST STYLED CAR THAT ONE CAN GET FOR THE GIVEN PRICEVERY BAD AC, VERY POOR PICKUP, LACK OF ASTERN FIELD OF VISION, VERY POOR AVAILABILITY OF SPARE PARTS
      Rating parameters(out of 5)
      4

      Exterior/Styles


      5

      Comfort & Space


      2

      Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)


      3

      Fuel Economy


      4

      Value for Money/Features

      About the Reviewer
      Purchase Not Purchased
      Driven for
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    • 16 years ago | Dr. Prasanna Venkatesh

      Was awaiting for this launch. Went for a test drive infact twice on the same day. Amazing Car. Lots of room inside, good features, tried the Blu & Me, is very useful. Car is good on safety too. The top line version is loaded and will put its competitors to shame. Airbags, ABS, Trip computer, Service Reminder etc etc all other features found on cars one and half times the price. Finally we have a car with all the safety features but not at an astronomical price. Infact airbags and ABS should be mandatory in India in all cars like most other countries and will definitely save more lives. Good tyre size.

      Drives very well, amazing suspension, should have had the earlier Siena horn though. Pick up is a little less but for everything else this car offers it is a bargain. Good boot space though high loading bay. Alloys are good. Music system is adequate has a USB port and MP3 player & 6 speakers. Gear shift slick, though u need to floor the accelerator initially. In 3rd gear it is effortless, good for the city. Drove the Diesel variant and is sure a jewel of an engine though can be a little noisy with life of 250000 km with a service interval of 15000 km!

      Another useful feature is the steering mounted controls for the audio and bluetooth mobile. Most buttons are one touch. The trip computer has even a programmable speed limit warning. There are also double folding seats at the rear, opening up a huge space. Another useful feature in our country is a rollable flexible curtain to avoid the sun in the rear glass. The boot hinges open away from the loading area.

      I compared the stopping distance from 100 kmph to a dead stop is even better than the new Honda City, The brakes are that good. I researched the Torque, it is even better than the New Honda City, Ford Fiesta and even the Innova. That is the uniqueness of this engine so when required you will have the grunt and a good pull. The inner fascia and dials lights up a deep amber red and it is awesome to look at, has an upmarket feel.

      All around a good family car at an amazing price. Planning to buy one soon.....

      Amazing Price, Loaded Features, Spacious interiors, Upmarket FasciaLittle low on Power and Pick up, Slightly less rear headroom, Drivers seat postion
      Rating parameters(out of 5)
      5

      Exterior/Styles


      4

      Comfort & Space


      3

      Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)


      5

      Fuel Economy


      5

      Value for Money/Features

      About the Reviewer
      Purchase Not Purchased
      Driven for
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    • 15 years ago | Kiran

      My car is 2.5 mnths old and going for first service this week (3000 Km). Had purchased from Fortune Cars, Navi Mumbai. Sales Executive Yogesh Parmar was extremely professional. No overpromises on delivery timelines, etc. Even got my car washed once again as I was not happy and send staff home to give a Teflon coat. Delivery officer Ramesh also did his job well and explained all features in detail even though it was nearlt 8.00 pm and most staff had left.

      Exterior

      Much has been said in this area and honestly there is nothing much to add. My car in Flamenco Red is a head turner, most kids in the society have praised the car as the best looking in the society (Our building has 2 more lineas-white and black). The factory fitted alloys are good looking unlike many other alloy wheels provided on other cars. Quality of metal and paint finish is superior.

      One small negative is that mud flaps have to be drilled into for either the front or the rear tyres (don't remember which one, will have to have a look) 

      Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)

      Quality of interiors is fairly good, including buttons for mirror and windows. locking levers are of smart silver and give upmarket feel.

      AC: Good and suffcient AC for the cabin size. Automatic climate control is an advantage.

      Music System: Fairly good, does its job well. Excellent to hear instrumental. Quality gets distrorted at high volumes but is brilliant at low and regular volume. Have not used the USB yet.

      Space: Spacious car with good leg room. 3 can comfortably seat behind, will also be able to accomodate 2 adults and 2 teens in the rear if required, with a slight squeeze. Head room will be limited if you are a 6 feeter. No problems for average Indians like me.

      Comfort: Easily the best ride quality in its class. This is the second thing Fiat is known for after its styling in Europe.

      Blue & Me: This is terrific. I have used the hands free and dial functions only till date and need to explore more.

      Steering controls: Definitely an advantage, buttons are illuminated of good quality and respond well. 

      The car has other small well thought of features like illuminated vanity mirrors (both sides) (these are available in BMWs); front facing ignition key; Rear passenger sun-curtain; cup holders for rear armrest; boot release on dasboard to name a few.

      One small negative here is that the driver armrest is impossible to use in Bombay traffic, you will find difficulty in slotting the gears if you try with the armrest. Its a boon on expressway though.

      Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox

      The Engine has fairly sufficient power if you don't intend drag racing. Have used it for driving in hilly konkan region and the car has responded decently. The long clutch becomes slightly tiring in the Bombay traffic conditions though (My neighbour told me that Fiat is replacing that in first service, will have to find out).

      Gear slotting is decent though not the best, you will find Ford and Suzuki cars better here

      Fuel Economy - This is one area where I definitely need help. My baby has returned an average of 8 kmpl and this is definitely 2 kmpl below my expectations. I have been driving for 8 years now and this is not my first car that I may be driving incorrectly or using the clutch wrongly. Even on highways I have not got good mileage (have travelled to Shirdi, Ekvira, Indapur and Janjira)

      I have been using regular petrol as Fortune advised me against hybrids, the manual also cautions you against fuel with additives (most premium car manuals advise againsts fuel with additives).

      I hope fuel economy improves after the first service, welcome tips to improve the same from othet linea owners

      Ride Quality & Handling

      This is the best part of the Linea, Superb ride quality. My departmental head also commented positively on the same (he drives a car in the 20 lac segment).

      Handling is good, would have like if the turning radius was a tad bit smaller (say by 0.25 mts). The power steering is hydraulic and not electric, but does its job really well.

       

      Final Words

      Best value for money car in its category. Look no futher if you get the feeling of falling in love at first sight. Though it will have some shortcomings, its a terrific overall package. I did intensive research in this category before buying the Linea. Airbags and pre-tensioners add to the safety standards of the car making it a really safe cabin to drive in.

      Areas of improvement  

      One alert for other Linea owners. When you open the bonnet the be careful with the lever which holds the bonnet in open position, it becomes very hot. Fiat definitely needs to correct this flaw as some one can get injured.

       

       

      Excllnt Stylng (lks hot in Flmco Red);Best Ride Quality;Silent Cabin; Ergonomically placed controlsNothing Really, fuel economy has been suspect for my car atleast
      Rating parameters(out of 5)
      5

      Exterior/Styles


      4

      Comfort & Space


      4

      Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)


      3

      Fuel Economy


      5

      Value for Money/Features

      About the Reviewer
      Purchase New
      Driven forFew thousand kilometers
      Mileage8 kmpl
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    • 16 years ago | Carsanova
      Ok here it is; my 2 cents on the Petrol Linea. Had been waiting for a while to get my hands on the petrol version and so was quite excited when the dealer here in Delhi called me up to say that I could get a TD of the petrol engined Linea. I must say that before the TD , my mind was biased towards it being a sluggish car based on the Tech specs; 1.2 tons and only 89 bhp to power it? I had my doubts, but then again the old Honda City(not the VTEC) was only 77 bhp and well, nobody said nothing about that being a slowcoach!!!

      Start the car, and one would have to listen hard, and I mean really hard,  to hear the engine ticking over in the bonnet. Instantly , one gets the feeling that this car belongs to a segment higher than the one it is in. Slot the gear into 1st, and the car pulls away effortlessly. It's not going to pin you to the back of your seat when you suddenly hit the pedal to the metal, but it surges ahead gently, which will definitely be appreciated by the co-passengers as they wont get to experience that jerkiness  which one would experience with sudden acceleration.
      { At this point, I think I should make one thing clear that I'm not looking to emulate a certain M.Schumacher or even trying to set a new lap record in my Grand Prix to nowhere. No Sir ; This car is being evaluated as a family sedan that will be comfortable, luxurious, and safe for the three of us(me, the mrs. and our 2 year old baby girl).  For all my racing aspirations, I have a 1.6 GTX Palio with a free flow air intake, dual Elevo air intake superchargers and of course the headers with the free flow exhaust.}

      OK back to Linea drive. The steering is definitely lighter than in its diesel engined sibling and the FIRE breathing car also feels much lighter and quicker to drive, simply because of the absence of turbo lag. But the thing that really blew me away was this; 4 people in the car, 3rd gear, 20 kmph speed and the car never felt like it was gasping for air; instead, it was crawling along peacefully in the traffic that we encounter in our daily commute. Step on the gas, and the linear acceleration of the Linea pulls you away with a kind of smoothness that is yet to be experienced in a car of this segment. As the speed builds, so does the confidence. Didn't have to think twice or stamp on the brakes, to negotiate the almost 90 degree corner at speeds nearing the 90 kmph mark; instead, the process was very straightforward; just point and shoot and the Linea held its line without any hint of understeer(something that front wheel drive cars are famous for) .


      Big smile on my face, scary look of disbelief on the sales executive's face, and we proceeded sedately back to the showroom. Time to calm him down and what better way than to play some soothing music on 6 speaker Blaupunkt system. Luckily I'd carried my cd of "Death Cab for Cutie" and proceeded to fine tune the bass, treble and equalizer settings to my taste. While most people would be happy with the quality of sound, but honestly I feel something is missing; like maybe a 12 inch bass tube and a couple of 4 channel and monobloc amps to really feel the music. The guy said that any modification to the electrical system of the car(read wiring) would deem the warranty null and void . Hmm, I guess then I'll have to have all this done by the dealership itself which didn't seem to be problem with him. I'd also wanted first hand to check out the Trip computer with all its special  functions but these can't be accessed through the buttons on the steering wheel. Instead one has to use the button that is located on the windshield wiper control stalk to the right of the steering. One needs to press it again and again to cycle through the menu on the Trip computer display; not very user friendly, at least for me.

      But what about spares and after sales service ? The great thing is that the Linea needs to be serviced at intervals of 15k, which means that you could finish the three free services for a brand new Maruti while there would still be 5k km to go before the Linea is even due for an oil change!!! Spares ? According to the dealer, Fiat cant afford to screw up this time and they've taken steps to ensure no problems in this dept. I want to believe him, I really do, but I wont till i see it for myself. But this is a brand new dealership in Okhla, Delhi. Everything looks clean, polished and i made sure to explore the service area and was quite impressed by the manner in which the cars were being treated.

       Happy, with what I had seen and felt, I now have to finally decide whether to trust Fiat again with my hard earned money. Will they be able to love and care for my car the way I do ? What about the resale value of the car? Such questions come to mind but then.... its settled. The Linea, true to it's catch line, is a very attractive car. It has a kind of magnetic personality, a charisma which just draws one to it. The Italians have always been known to make beautiful things; and who doesn't love beautiful things. I'm a full blooded man and yes, mine will be the Flamenco Red one.

      " I'm a war, of head versus heart,
      And it's always this way.
      My head is weak, my heart always speaks,
      Before I know what it will say."



      Update 17/06/09 :. The Red got very common and I wanted mine to be special, one in a Billion! Went for the vocal white instead!Yes, I have my very own Emotion Petrol to add to my Palio GTX.  So, she's in the workshop now getting transformed. Hope to get her back by the weekend in her new avtar. Will write about the detailed "Transformation" .


      Rating parameters(out of 5)
      5

      Exterior/Styles


      4

      Comfort & Space


      4

      Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)


      4

      Fuel Economy


      5

      Value for Money/Features

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    • 16 years ago | Amit Gaur

      Yes this is here to kill HC rule frm last decade.

      Got really nice instruments on these set of wheels

      * Blue & Me lets you talk & dial on phone without using ur handset.

      * Auto Climate AC

      * Nice music system with nice speakers and control on stearing.

      * Soft touch plastic looks class above interiors.

      * Air bags, ABS, EBD etc.

      * Rear AC vents on knee ht. really will keep rear pesenger cool in summers.

      * Excellent fuel economy fo abt 18kmpl on highways and abt 14 in city.

      * Top model cheaper by abt 1lac frm HC.

      But, still needs to sharpen its tooth

      * 1.3l diesel same as in swift, palio & indica vista but with tourbo boost make it to 86bhp but found slower then swift dezire for 0 to 100 mark.  

      * Low ground clearence for indian roads as same problem in Honda City.

      * Less colours to choose from only 4.

      * Absence of automatic transmission as an option.

      * Need to improve its service infrastructure but now we can see that as Fiat shakes hands with TATA in India.

      Verdict:

      * Not a performance car but a Family Car

      * Overall excellent features for first time in India in this class like Blue & Me, Follow Me Home, Digital Meter giving all info.

      * Class above interiors especially compared to HC. Every other car in same class looks class below if compared to this.

      * Value for money compared to all other cars in this segment. 

      * 500lts boot good enough for 4 large bags.

       

      SO, Booked my Liena after doing all hard work and R&D of cars for very long time. Wanted auto transmission but coudn't streach my budget till Toyata Corrola. Didn't like HC interiors at all so no no... to it.

      Hope it will be helpful to all the readers..

      Looks, fuel economy, rear ac vents, Blue & Me, Boot space, class above interiors, auto ACground clearence, service, driver's position
      Rating parameters(out of 5)
      5

      Exterior/Styles


      5

      Comfort & Space


      3

      Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)


      4

      Fuel Economy


      3

      Value for Money/Features

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    • 15 years ago | Umar Ali Shaikh

      Hello Friends, before I start my review, let me tell you, this is purely my opinion on the cars, and I do not remain responsible for any choices you make post reading this article.

      I have owned Maruti 800, Santro, Fiat Adventure and presently own Honda City (2008).
      Looks are one of the best in any car on the road as on today. External finish of the car is superb. The door trims, crome handles, side moulding, bumper guards are very elgantly placed and worth the looks. Linea takes your breath away at its looks, there no doubt and no one will disagree on this. Even the ardent FIAT haters will vouch for the looks of the car. The side indicators cover the entire bi-parabala headlamp area and give a classy look to the front of the car. The car has a follow me head lamp feature, which will remain on even after you are out of the car and will switch off after few seconds, depending on how you program it. This is for your convenience, when you are parking in the dark. The rear boot has a hydraulic release. The rear boot cover is well protected with carpet matt, with Fiat written on it. The boot space is 500 litres. The Italians have given and spare wheel cover holder, so that, when you are getting the spare wheel out, you don't have to hold the spare wheel top cover with your hand. (Very good, I saw this in Volkswagen Jetta. Interior could have been done better in terms of quality of plastic. This is only when, you compare this car to Honda City, Corolla Altis and Skoda. All others in that segment, such as Fiesta, SX4, Verna etc. are either similar in interior quality of inferior to Linea. I have compared the interior quality of the car with that of 100% imported Fiat 500, and found that, the quality of almost same. Interior space is generous. The dash board, door trims are very well done. Fiat has taken care to give chrome plated internal door handles as well. All 4 power windows are one touch down. Only the driver’s window is one touch up as well. A very significant feature such as impulse down is missing in Linea (This means, the window of the driver seat will go down automatically if there is any obstacle between the window and glass. There is a rear sun shade. The rear A/C vent is a great feature. Of course, we all know about the Blue&Me and Advanced My Car options anyways. The driver side arm rest is well placed and usable. (Unlike Honda City, where its of no use). Rear arm rest is not of very good quality, but solves the purpose. The music system is adequate, but not as good as the one in Honda City. The seating is OK, could have been better. The seat height adjustment lever and the sear back rest lever are of poor plastic quality. But they solve the purpose.

      Now Let's come to the Heart , first the DIESEL : Well, the diesel engine is remarkably smooth and produces lesser noise that usual diesel. The cabin noise is also insignificant (At least in the car which I drive, that had done 10000 plus kms and very poorly maintinaed, as it was a test drive car). The diesel engine responds well, but responds like a horse after 1500 RPM. It pulls the car to a great extend. You tend to forget, you are drving the 86HP car which is close to 1300kgs. The handling is marvellous. The car's suspention is just like any other Fiat. Ride of the car is superb. It rides beyond 120kmph with ease. All those who need more power than this, must look elsewhere, because they must not be driving in city. I was convinced that, this car is more than adequate in city and will give decent power on the highway. The car's steering feels excellent but little heavy as its a hydraulic power steering. The car returns more than 13kmpl in city and close to 20kmpl on the highway. I strated the petrol engine as well as  the diesel engine to check the differential noise levels. But, remarkably the diesel, obvoiusly noisier than the petrol was much less noisier than usual diesel. I was quite impressed with the refinement of this engine.

      ...and Petrol : Frankly, I was not expecting much out of this engine. This car also had done about 9500 on the ODO. I drove the car. To my surprise, the car was responding decently. From 0 rpm level, the engine was taking few seconds to respond, but with a slightly heavy clutch, the 1st, 2nd gear was responding, quite well. 3rd gear onwards, the car was in control. Very good engine for adequte city drive. If you love drag race on the highway and get a kick leaving other cars behind from the moment you are on 1st gear, then this is not the car for you. But if you are practical, and think that, reaching 0-100kmph faster than anyone else in the world is not much of your life's priority, then this is a fairly placed engine. All those, who have written about this engine to be poor, have forgotten the 77BHP Honda City engine which was sluggish but pulled through by thousands in the country. Ditto for Skoda Octavia diesel, which produced 90BHP for a 1270kg car and many bought it and still buy without complaining about the engine. To conclulde, its VFM buy with loads of luxury

      Looks, Features, VFMT-Jet 120BHP is not available for India so far
      Rating parameters(out of 5)
      5

      Exterior/Styles


      5

      Comfort & Space


      4

      Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)


      4

      Fuel Economy


      5

      Value for Money/Features

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    • 16 years ago | Sujay Kumar Roy

       

      The description of the features and the pictures of the car were truly inspiring. So I landed at a TATA - FIAT dealer to check the offering in real and also have a taste of it. The car is long and wide. I am 5'9" and for my build, I found that I can stretch my leg while on the front passenger seat with much space to spare for the passenger behind me. His knees were yet to touch the back of front seat. The width of the seats were good, three men could be seated at the back. The car I checked on was standing in sun for a while and was pretty hot (oven) when I entered but cooled up soon after start of the AC. The climate control did a good job and cooled the cabin in a short while; the rear AC vent helps in the act. I checked on the mirrors, they were rightly sized to allow proper viewing as well as the electronic control was good. Next I checked the stereo and found the Blaupunkt equipment to be delivering very good sound quality and the control at the steering made it enjoyable. The buttons were positioned at convenient positions. The display console shows many usual things including real time fuel usage display. The hand rest between front seats and the space beneath was good to keep toll tickets.  The handbrake is restricted by this hand rest and would need moving up when applying. However it is same for all cars  with a hand rest . The rear seat hand rest is equipped with cup holders. I would rather not like this utility as the plastic was very thin and looked brittle. Visually it seemed a bulky hand might damage the piece. I would rather like this hand rest tucked into the rear rest. However I noted a car that has its bonnet opener broken, the piece didn’t seem to be very strong on visual inspection. The colour composition of the doors, the dash and the fabric on the seat were in harmony but not extravagant. The alloy wheels looked beautiful.

      The engine doesn’t transmit much vibration or sound to the cabin indicating the good quality of insulation, the horn when sounded doesn’t sound much into the cabin. While in neutral, it was difficult for me to know if the engine is running. The gear shifts were very smooth and the movement was short and sweet. The gear box responds well and so does the engine to the acceleration. Over 60 KMpH, the on acceleration with RPM below 1500, it takes a short while to respond, but it catches on very soon. On accelerating around 2500 RPM, the response is prompt but with a little grunt which disappears with the stabilization of the revs. The steering is light, the braking is good and the handling is wonderful. The road grip was very good and combined with the light steering effortless maneuvering of the vehicle was possible. I made a U tern of the vehicle at 3rd gear and there was no struggle. The engine and transmission is surely a gem of a creation. At 80 KMpH the car was going strong and was yet to approach any serious rev rate. I could go no further than 80 KMpH due to restrictions on the road but the car seemed capable of delivering high speed with control. While on the drive, the driver seat could be and was elevated when I changed seat with my wife. The driving experience indicated that this car would be a driver’s car.  My short drive was not good enough to test the fuel economy. I was told the same engine is being used in another car and there it delivers 14+ KMpL in city and 17+ KMpL on highways. This would need to be checked with users.

      I asked the question on servicing and availability of the spares, I was shown a few older Fiats being serviced. On spares they commented that Fiat has taken cognizance of the fact and have made improvements in their spares supply chain and the company is serious to make a comeback into the market. This would also need validation.

      Conclusion:  A big car with a right size and responsive engine and transmission. Features galore and great comfort for the price it comes (Rs.891000 on-road for me), it is time to plan some real long drives.

      Stylsh, Spacious, Powerful, Value for moneyPoor plastic work
      Rating parameters(out of 5)
      5

      Exterior/Styles


      4

      Comfort & Space


      5

      Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)


      4

      Fuel Economy


      5

      Value for Money/Features

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    • 14 years ago | Garry Singha

       

      I initally wanted to buy a Cruze and that also a LT model because my friend had a bad experiances with the sunroof jamming and the keyless entry feature.

       

      This all started after I took Cruzes test drives and was quite sure I wanted to buy it after quite a few talks with my friend who allready had a LTZ model I settled on the Cruze LT but when I used my friends Cruze in traffic it was a bad experiance ther mid range was not very good and overtaking fast trucks was hard work. In the test drive I drove in traffic less street and also without much speed control.

       

      Matters went downhill from there the LT model did not have ACC and had a single line display for the car funtions. I had no plans on Linea did not consider it because it was a cheaper car so i did not think it had anything against Cruze but i was wrong.

       

      My friend took me to FIAT's showroom in his Cruze and I took a testdrive of Linea with my friend following me in his car. Intally I was not impressed the Cruze's centre console looked much sporty and the plastics were a bit better "Not a lot". Linea took the city roads quite well and I was impressed that a 90PS car could give a better drive in city than a 150PS car could. Overtaking cars/trucks was easy in city due to better mid range and I was impressed with the handling also.

       

      I will compare Linea to the Cruze in the below attrib's because given the dimensions and the fact that it was my other choice it would be a good write up.

       

      Exterior Wonderful lines a work of art can be said for both Linea and Cruze. Linea had a artistic air about it, it has the lines that can make people gasp but only if one looks at it for some period of time. Cruze has a much more bolder and beaffy look it has a American face even if it was designed somewhere else. People will take time to notice Linea's beauty. People will take half a second to notice Cruze.

       

      Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) The interior's for the Linea are a bit smaller than the Cruze when i say a bit smaller i mean the back head room and the door spaces. The Cruze lets me keep big bottles in my door space but Linea does not. The space in the driver part of the cabin is good as good as the Cruze and there is a foot dead pedal that the Cruze doe not have and it proves to be very comfy on trip's. Both Cruze and Linea have weak lumbar support but Linea's rear seats are super comfy. Features are similar on Cruze LT and Linea Emo Pk but things like Blue&Me are extra, Space in both are ok for the driver but rear seat legroom is less in Cruze and headroom is less in Linea.

       

      Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Engine performance is low on Linea and its something that i dont like after i tried on Cruze but as i have allready noted the in city performance is great pointing to the great mid torque that the car can deliver. The performance is good keeping in mind that this is a 1.3 with a variable turbo same as the Cruze with its 2.0 and a variable turbo. FE is good and gearbox is a bit like rubber but Cruze's gearbox was not slick either still it was a bit better than the one in Linea. Engine is ok not great but good for city drives okish for highway, cruze is opp. its great on highway and bad on city

       

      Ride Quality & Handling Linea has one of the best ride quality in the segment and compared to Cruze it stands out what i mean is that Cruze has a harder suspension setup than Linea and its a hard ride for mid level speeds but once speed is incresed to around 90kph the ride smooth's up a lot. Linea has wonderful handling the hatchback underpins dont really show themself's, Ride quality is quite good a mix of soft and hard a must on Indian roads.

       

      Final Words Bought Linea Emo Pk instead of Cruze LT because it drives better in the city, gives better FE, is cheaper to repair, has similar dimension's, have similar brand value, resale value for Cruze would not be high nor do i expect Linea to be high, better braking time and lower distance covered 100-0kph than Cruze, Blue&Me and ACC were the final points in the deal.

       

      Areas of improvement Back seat head room, Plastic quality, Engine power.

       

      Driver's seat, City drive, Steering and Handling and safetySome plastics bad, Highway performance and rear head space
      Rating parameters(out of 5)
      4

      Exterior/Styles


      3

      Comfort & Space


      2

      Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)


      3

      Fuel Economy


      4

      Value for Money/Features

      About the Reviewer
      Purchase New
      Driven forFew hundred kilometers
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    • 16 years ago | Naveen

      First things first!

       

      1. Power: Its 1.4 petrol engine delivers 90ps@4000 RPM while 1.3 Multijet diesel 86ps@4000 RPM. Don’t attach too much importance to the Displacement of the engines; if you go by that logic, 1.8 Litre Isuzu Engines of Ambassador should deliver more power; in fact they deliver only75ps@5000 RPM. 1.4L Linea delivers 90ps @4000 rpm; 1.5L Honda City 118ps @ 6600 RPM; 1.6 Hyundai Verna 103 PS @ 5500 RPM; 1.6L Fiesta 101 PS @6500 RPM. Don’t just go by the power generated by the competing models. What is important is at what RPM the stated power is delivered; You never touch 5500-6600 RPMs even while climbing Mahabaleshwar ghats.  80% of your driving will be between 2000-3000 RPMs and the power generated at these RPMs really matter. That is why Ford Ikon 1.6 was a huge hit; it generated its peak power at 2500 RPMs; that is why this Josh machine lacked fuel efficiency; beyond that it fell flat.

       

      1. Engine: Don’t mistake the sound of the engine for being not so refined as its Japanese or Korean (General Motors Chevorlet Optra in India is nothing but Korean Daewoo’s Kalos & Nubiras  whose plant the GM has taken over)  competitors. Europeans love to hear the roar of their engines when they rev them up unlike the Japanese or a Korean who love their engines quieter. And that is not a sign of being refined or crude; Fiat’s engines are some of the best in the World Auto industry and not for nothing Japanese affiliated Maruti is using Fiats engines in their cars. It is just like Europeans and Americans like their meat on the bone while some Asians like boneless meat.

       

      1. Suspension: It is hard suspension typical of a European car. Again, don’t mistake the hard suspension for not being refined by comparing to a smooth suspension of a Honda City. Hard suspension has its own speciality. While it doesn’t give the sinking feeling of a sponge it doesn’t make you feel the thud when your car hits bumpy roads. Even luxury car Jaguar has hard suspensions in comparison to smooth suspensions of a Lexus.

       

      1. Steering: While hard suspension deliberately keeps you in the dark about the road condition, it is the responsive steering that allows you know the road condition and alerts you how to drive on the terrain.

       

      1. Size: Fiat hasn’t just tweaked the nose and tail to make it look the largest in its segment. Linea has the LONGEST WHEEL BASE in its segment i.e. superior ride comfort for the rear seat passengers. It is the Longest, the Widest, and the Tallest in its segment.

       

      1. You don’t trade your shaper nose for a blunt one just because it is not easy to protect a sharp nose! Do you? Linea has a sharper nose and you may well like to have it like that and take enough care not to bump into the ugly rear of another car ahead; it is worth the effort and caution.

       

      1. Build quality: Not the typical European characteristic rock sturdiness of a Siena from its own stable or that of an Opel Astra/Corsa. Certain trade off for better fuel efficiency by compromising on metal and glass sheet thickness has been achieved; but in comparison all other competing models are equal or even worse.

       

      Most stylish;Longest Wheel Base; Driver & Passenger's Car; Rear AC Vents; Value for money;Build quality is not as good as that of old Siena; After sales service questionable!
      Rating parameters(out of 5)
      5

      Exterior/Styles


      4

      Comfort & Space


      4

      Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)


      4

      Fuel Economy


      5

      Value for Money/Features

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    • 15 years ago | Tharun
      Very recently (last month), I went on a prowl for buying a car. I wanted to get a Company leasse car and was looking for the best discounts available.

      My budget was upto 10 Lakhs and wanted a diesel vehicle ( eventually ended up spending more buying something totally different, but to that story later)

      And my prime criteria for the car was-

      Performance & sturdy build followed by the list of must haves-
      1. ABS
      2. Airbags
      3. Tall boy features- leg room comfort, rear seat comfort
      4. Decent boot space
      5. Decent interiors
      6. Decent Ground clearance + low on maintenance


      The cars which i considered initially were- (I managed to drive all these cars in excess of 100+ and through a variety of roads- since I live close to a highway)
      1. Linea D emt pk
      2. Verna d (although it didnt come with Airbags)
      3. Dezire
      4. Fiesta D

      Dezire-
      Never liked the car (looks perspective), drove a colleagues car and was surprised by the smooth transmission. So asked Garuda Motors, BLR to bring me a top version for test drive.

      What I liked-
      Very smooth engine & Transmission
      Had all features that I wanted
      The dealer said the vehicle gives an on road mileage of 18+ in the city and some of his customers have even reported 20+ kmpl in city.
      Honestly this surprised me and made me interested in Dezire. looked 2 me from owning perspective it would be dirt cheap.

      What I hated-
      The build quality was CRAP
      Most plastics shook in the car. Plastic container which you find by the road side are of better quality than those put in Dezire
      Interiors except for the looks of the Music player were total crap
      Don't believe me try shaking the plastics below the gear knob- it looked like it will come off in one go....
      NO cupholders, very small glove box

      Driving experience- I some how felt that I was sitting on a stool / uncomfy seating position. I have broad shoulders and prob thats why felt the seating let down (the same applies to rear seats, except its slightly comfortable than Swift)- So long journeys are not goona be comfortable

      Compared to the Linea, the power curve in the intial was better but dropped once I drove past 80. And @ 110+ the car started handling bit strangely, made me uncomfortable

      Dealer discount- Nothing
      3 months waiting period, 8.4 lakhs on road in Bangalore
      However the dealer was ready to knock 70k of SX4 & 20k on Ritz

      Verdict- Except for the deal said road milage & smooth transmission- the car is a total let down and not worth the money

      Fiesta Diesel-
      Dealer quoted a milage of 16- 18 in the city.
      Power was total let down
      Had already owned up a 1.8D Nxt,

      engine performance was a total crap as compared to others in the segment (had this test driven right after driving verna, so maybe my expectations could have been set high), same interiors as other Fiestas. Seating comfort same as IKON so nothing new here...
      The engine was reluctant not to move forward, it took me ages to cross 120, felt like a I had mellinium

      Metro Ford promised a special price of 50k knocked off on ONR. (Corp customer, long standing relations with ford + my friend works as HR Manager in Ford India)
      So it was 8.6L minus 50 k for on road
      And no alloys
      Verdict- Didn't feel anything special with this car

      Verna-
      What I liked- Performance
      What I did not- Did not feel anything special about the car, plus no Airbags (must, actually want to put my wife behind wheels in a big truck but cant afford it- an incredible driver she is)
      Suspension was bit sluggish on pit holes
      Interiors were boring!!!
      @ 9.5 lakhs on road minus 45K discounts didnt make me want this car. Dealer- Trident Hyundai - didnt bargain/ ask for more since was not very interested in the car. But if required could have haggled for a better price

      Linea-
      Adored this car evey time, I went past one. Truly admiration guaranteed.

      What I liked- Everything about the car, had everything I wanted from a sedan. Great looking interior, superb finish that would keep me engaged to it

      What I did not like-
      The engine- transmission was a let down.
      The car did not oblige to start/ move in 2nd gear when on up hill slope....
      Rear seat arm rest could have been made better.
      Something about the transmission & driving it made did not give me the thrills.
      I actually wanted this car, long before I test drove any other and started seriously on the car hunt....
      I still feel Fiat should have made the PK accessories available in emotion without making you to pay extra for it. (Actually otherwise would have purchased it)

      But since I had driven the Optra Magnum, to me it was love @ first drive. So decided to shell out the extra for it. Or defenitly would have gone for the Linea

      Dealer- (forgot its name, located near Lal bagh road) offered OK Corp discount- 30K
      9.5L - 30 K final price, but recently called me and checked if I was still interested and that he will try do something better. By then had already decided on the Magnum

      Verdict- Amazing car, would have been great value if only they had included PK accessories in std Emotion. Any day- a better value than others in this segment.
      Awsome Looks, good FE, Nice InteriorsNot so smooth transmission
      Rating parameters(out of 5)
      5

      Exterior/Styles


      4

      Comfort & Space


      3

      Performance (Engine/Gear/Overall)


      5

      Fuel Economy


      4

      Value for Money/Features

      About the Reviewer
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      Driven for
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