Italian beauty

Facelift has done wonders for the car's looks, but OEM mudflaps still not an option.

Introduction

No one does it quite like the Italians do – the Japs and the Koreans may make them cheaper, and the Germans have their bulletproof reliability, but for sheer passion and flair, the Italians can’t be beat. The Palio has been around for eight years now but this tough hatch from Fiat’s A178 World Car Project still has what it takes to tackle our rather unfriendly and varied driving conditions.

Profile remains the same, which is a good thing.

Exterior

The Palio that was originally launched in India has undergone a nose job, and the new double-barrel headlamps and clear-lens tail-lamps have certainly made the Stile look a lot more contemporary despite the body lines remaining the same except for the more square-shaped bootlid. The new more aggressive looking grille is a nice touch, too. Some of us miss the old tail-lamps and the way they blended in with the body, they seemed more classy. The paint quality is fantastic, and in the deep blue of our test car, it is simply delectable. The lovely petal-spoked alloys make a world of difference to the car's looks, they're worth every penny.

The mirrors are a big step forward over the original Palio mirrors, but they still aren't good enough. You can't see much in them, especially in city traffic. We miss factory-fitted mud flaps, especially in the monsoon. There aren't any manufacturer-approved ones, either, just cheap ones that we don't like, because they can ruin the look of the car.

Overall, the aggression is retained and the stance is well-planted due to its width. The high profile tyres, even though quite adequate, make it look a little spindly-legged, but it is nothing that a tyre and wheel upsize won't cure.

Interiors remain the same as pre-facelift - not a good thing.

Interior

The Palio's interiors were updated with the facelift worldwide, but the update was unfortunately for left-hand-drive versions only. Markets such as India and Brazil which need right-hand-drive interiors had to make do with the old interiors, which are a generation old. Our test car had beige, brown, silver and blue bits in the interior, which can seem very confused.

Still, the central console is tilted towards the driver, making the driver feel special. The amount of space on offer is also quite incredible when you consider the car's size and price.

The doors shut with a nice thunk, unlike most of its competitors, which feel tinny. However, hard, cheap plastics abound, and this takes away from the cheery feel the beige interiors impart. Archaic slider controls for the air-conditioning and clocks that seem basic exude cost-cutting. This is offset somewhat in the price of the car – you get what you pay for. The plastics may be cheap-looking and hard, but they certainly aren't low quality – you won't find any creaks or rattles from a Palio's dashboard if you go through a pothole. This is apparent even on Palios that have gone through the grind, and says a lot about the quality of the finish of its components, right from the suspension to the plastics on the inside.

The dials look good and are easy to read, even at night. Our test car had the Veglia dials that used to be standard on the 1.6 a long time ago. The age of their design is beginning to show in light of the competition, but they still manage to look special and do add that sporty touch to the cluster. A tachometer makes an appearance on the instrument console. Everything is analog but works well.

This is one of the only small cars to possess a dead pedal, which we appreciate. The door pockets are large but not terribly useful, and there aren't any cubbyholes in the central console and dash for knick-knacks like a bottle or a can of soft-drink. Boot space is phenomenal compared to other large hatchbacks. This is due to the usability of the available space – there's a wide load bay, flat floor and fairly low loading sill. The seats split 60:40 and fold flat as well.

Everything falls to hand quite easily, all switches are within easy reach. The rear power window switches are on the central console near the gear lever, which can be slightly uncomfortable.

It is easy to find a good seating position. The seat-back inclination adjust is a rotary dial, which can be a pain to adjust if more than one person frequently uses the car. You sit a lot lower than other small cars, but that is what gives it its sporty appeal. The dash clock and stereo are in the right place so you never have to take your eyes off the road. The only gripes we have are the fact that the seat rails may not reach far enough forward for short drivers, and adjusting the left rear-view mirror is a pain because of the car's width.Seat fabric quality is a notch higher than is standard for cars in this segment.

There's a lot of space, so seating even five passengers isn't much of a bother. The beige interiors make the interior appear very airy – a very good thing. The seats are back to the original height, so tall drivers won't hit their head against the roof if they take the seat all the way in front. Those who may have driven Fiats about three years ago may remember that they did raise the seat height in the interest of shorter drivers being able to see better.

Under-thigh support is adequate for tall passengers. There is a lot of legroom, even for two tall passengers one behind the other. The high door sill at the rear might be troublesome for elderly (or arthritic) people to step over, especially if they've leg trouble, since the seats are low and the rear wheel arch intrudes into the door space. That said, only the Indica betters the Palio's rear seat comfort, at the cost of boot space.

The driving position is good, but short drivers might feel a little intimidated as they won't be able to see the car's front extremities over the dashboard. They might also find reversing a little difficult due to the high waist at the rear. The steering wheel cannot be adjusted, the seat rail is now flat which helps the cause of tall drivers, and all adjustments are manual.

The Palio does not have the option of a factory-fitted stereo, but the front doors do have slots so that speakers can be installed, with space for tweeters right next to the rearview mirror adjustment. The rear speakers are a bit of a bother, though – the original slots on the side of the parcel tray are of an odd size and the parcel tray itself won't be able to hold the speakers' weight, so an aftermarket tray might be necessary.

1.1 has enough poke for city traffic but inadequate for highway.

Engine

The engine is a front, transverse, 1108cc unit putting out 57bhp@5250rpm and 9.38kgm@2750rpm with a single overhead camshaft and two valves per cylinder. This is the new base petrol engine – the former 1.2l engine sporting 16 valves and a 1242cc block was swapped for this one so that the Palio could enjoy the excise benefits this engine would allow. It picks up smartly initially, but at 3000rpm it seems to run out of breath, despite a redline of 6500rpm. The throttle is a little restrictive, making the car feel sluggish from rest, but once you give it a bootful, it does pick up pace. You can't call it peppy, though.

It is quiet at low revs but gets raucous at high revs, and vibrations begin creeping through the pedals. It is torquey enough at low revs, but runs out of steam at just 3000rpm. It'll cruise well enough at speed, but show it the slightest incline and it'll drop speed unless you downshift. Overtaking requires you shift down a gear or two – your right foot alone will be inadequate.

Drivetrain

Gear selection in the Palio is the usual H-pattern with five speeds. Reverse can be engaged only if a collar on the shift lever is pulled up. The lever is very-well designed but looks old-fashioned. This doesn't mean that it is badly designed; it feels good to hold. The throw is slightly long but the effort required to swap gears is minimal and it slots home with a lovely positive feel. You'll never get tired of swapping cogs in this car, and that's a good thing, since you may need to use the shifter quite often!

Fuel Efficiency

The Palio returned an overall efficiency figure of 12.4kpl, which is commendable for a car of its size and weight. However, the good fuel efficiency means you get a car that cannot outrun its rivals in a straight line, and one that has to be worked hard for rapid progress.

Palio has very good ride quality, and involving handling a bonus.

Ride & Handling, Steering

The Palio has only recently lost its crown for the best ride quality in the small car segment to the Indica Vista. No matter how big the pothole, it'll thump through without upsetting the occupants of the cabin. This doesn't mean that it has bad handling – slightly tall tyres notwithstanding, it'll turn in oh-so-sharply and steer itself on the throttle if you want it to. It'll also stay rock steady at whatever speed you choose. The steering wheel is extremely chatty – you can feel everything that's going on when you're corner-carving, but the tallish profile of the tyres and low power assist can be a pain at parking speeds. The Palio is reasonably high off the ground, and coupled with the 165/80 R13 tyres and a fairly flattish underside, ground clearance is never a problem.

Tyres have adequate grip, but we wish ABS was an option.

Braking

The Palio stops confidently, even in the wet. Given the underpowered powerplant, the brakes are more than enough to rein in speed. They bite well and are progressive. However, ABS isn't available even as an option, which we'd like.

Tyres

The Palio possesses Goodyear GPS tyres of the size 165/80 R13. They've got reasonable amounts of grip and are quiet enough.

Safety

No ABS or airbags, even as options. Disappointing. The Palio is also one of the few cars you can't get your keys locked in. You can lock the car only with the key. Also you can't double crank the engine since the ignition key slot will prevent this saving you from hurting the starter motor and the engine. Small but thoughtful touches to user (and car) safety!

Great value for money, but don't expect much on resale.

Cost

The Palio Stile 1.1 retails for Rs 3.6 lakh, which is incredible value for money for the size of car you get. It still has terrific on-road presence, a quality look and a well-built feel to it.

Overall Evaluation

The Fiat Palio Stile is a stylish, large hatchback which is incredible value for money. However, once you step inside, you have a fair idea of why it is so cheap. Despite cheery beige and brown interiors, one can't help but notice the generations-old slider air-conditioning controls, the dials that look dated and the lack of modern safety options. Look beyond the negatives, however, and you see that you get a stylish Italian car with great driving dynamics, but built to a price. Forget about the fuel costs and buy the 1.6 in blood red or if you need the economy, the MultiJet diesel is a good bet. We can't wait for Fiat India to lend us one.

Useful touches

• Car will not lock unless the key is with you, so there's no chance of locking yourself out.
• Crank lock to prevent the starter motor activating if the engine is running.
• Dead pedal.

Painful touches

• Gearshift is still rubbery and throws slightly long.
• Not enough space to keep knick-knacks inside.
• Mirrors are small, and inadequate for our traffic.

Test Data

Engine Specifications

1108cc, four cylinders in line petrol. 57bhp@5250rpm and 92Nm@2750rpm. View specifications

Max in Gear

Performance Test Data

Fuel Efficiency