Fiat Punto [2011-2014] User Reviews

Sold my 5 year old WagonR in October.

I wanted to buy a premuim hatch back . I wanted to buy Fabia. Somehow did not like the sound of the engine. Was told that it was having 3 cylinders and the sound is expected. Also read reviews about expensive maintenance. I dropped the idea.

Then I thought about i20. I liked the Asta ( Petrol ) and decided to buy. The on road price was 6.3 L. I liked the interiors and the drive. But, questioned myself about why I need to spend so much for the same engine ( 1.2 petrol engine same as i10 ).

Took TD of Punto petrol . Unable to decide to go for petrol or diesel. After lot of thinking , I decided to try diesel ( As already I had driven petrol vehicle ).  My delayed decision has costed me . Had I taken in October , I would have got the Putno cheaper by 11K. Also the interest rates were increased in Nov.

I drove 200 Kms in 2 days . Eupohoric now.

It's certainly a big car . 3 adult can easily sit in the back . My mother told that rear seatiing is good ( she is comparing with WagonR ) . She told me this when 3 adults sat in Punto.

There are lot of features in Emotion pack . While driving I can feel that I am driving a luxury car . The body is strong and I can feel the difference in driving a Maruti and FIAT.

Still checking the various features. Need to the Fuel efficiency.

For now I am euphoric.

Will update more after clocking atleast 1000 Kms.

Exterior No doubt that this is a pretty looking hatch in India today. I admire the engineering beauty of it as it has achieved with non muscular, non curvature body design. I have selected  Tuscan Wine color & looks very beautiful on this car. Paint quality is just awesome. Got the 3M paint protection before delivery. "Thud" sound of door closing, 3 step opening of doors are just fantastic & practical features.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) This is where small dissatisfaction. Interiors are not as great as exteriors. I would say just above average. May be Fiat will consider it during facelift Punto. But the placement of various controls are just perfect. Rear leg space is bit concern when front seats are pushed backwards. Rear Boot space is just great. Still learning on effective use of auto climate system. So far satisfactory on AC quality. Real test will happen in Summar days. Blue & Me is quite thoughful feature. Various displays, Steering Mounted Controls make sense.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox No doubt it has award winning 1.3 Multijet engine. I really like crusing @ moderate speeds in City. Gear shifts are smooth & perfectly placed. So far I got FE as 18 kmpl. Hope some increase after 2500 kms. I was driving a Petrol car for last 4 years, but now having good drive experince even with this diesel engine. No engine noise, vibrations inside cabin.

Ride Quality & Handling Just awesome. I clocked 140 km/hr on Pune-Bangalore Highway once & ride quality was just superb. Car was extremely stable @ this speed. The extra pounds of weight, wider tyres with alloys are really helpful.

Final Words Just go for it.

Areas of improvement Sound quality of music system is pathetic. Rear Fog lamp & reverse lamps are at very bottom side & on either side only. Double barrel head lamp should be provided as Linea. Rear Leg Space should be increased.

Exterior Looks good.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) The quality of the plastic used is very poor.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Overall performance is good. There are trouble while changing the gear to reverse. At times it slips.

Ride Quality & Handling Good.

Final Words The support by Tata Motors is pathetic. I have taken by vehicle to various service outlets for abnormal tyre wear since its completion of approxmatly 2000kms and none of them were able to identify the problem. After completing about 20000kms the tyres were completly worn off. After repeated complaints they replaced the Knuckle bearing and now the tyres are beyond use. On further complaint with Tata Motors they took weeks to respond and responded with a negative note saying that there was no complaint with the vehicle parts even after replacing the bearing and few other parts. Overall I am unsatified with the tyre performance and the vehicle delivered to me. I am taking this to the consumer court. I will be posting  my further proceeds as it comes by.

Areas of improvement Interior, Quality service, Fiat must take service maintanance directly than entrusting with Tata Motors. Tata motors does not have the qualified manpower and is has a very poor customer sopport. With Tata motors support i advice viewers that though the product is good, you will end up with dissatisfaction.

Sujeendran MK.

Hello Friends,

I have driven almost all hatch backs of its class like ford figo, swift, polo skoda etc.

I finally selected polo and punto due to high price factor i dropped for polo even though i liked it very much

I got this car two months ago and i have driven 5000kms and let tell you what, i found every thing wonderful about this car,Speacially on highways you will feel safe even at 140-150kms, it will be solid at road grip... and you will feel the best ride quality.

But unfornunately the bloody deelers are not prompt for the services yet, which is making people to think twice before purchasing fiat cars and i sincererly suggest you if you think that you can use this car for 4 years please dont think about resale and miss this beautiful car.

fiat should concentrate on services expansion and it should make customers believe to another step higher.

If only Fiat could stop outsourcing service, Grande Punto will take the gold, and the silver medal will have to be cancelled.

I have now driven over 500 km with my GP 1.3 DD. Since I love the car, everything in this second review will appear to biased, to which you - as the reader - have every right to object. But the reason for writing any review is to show bias, whether for or against.

Okay, let's start. First the looks. You loved the Boeing 747. You always wanted to own to own, but the government would't let you own one - even if you could afford one. Fiat has answered all the objections with the GP. The GP looks like a majestic bird sitting on the ground - when fired up, it will smoothly accelerate and take off. Please note I am not flattering Fiat - I am only trying to flatter. I hope I succeed (to some extent).

Second, the mileage. What use is a majestic bird if it corrodes the linings of your pocket ? The Boeing 747 could never do 15 km to the litre before first service. My GP is doing it. So neither me nor you should complain.

The interiors are goofed up. For some reason, Fiat does not appreciate people to smoke a cigarette inside a car, whereas statistics suggest that at half the people in Europe have smoked a cigarette at least once inside a car. Everything else is fine. Although this point belongs more to exteriors than to interiors, I even like the fact that I have to bang the door hard to ensure it is shut. (I prefer to shut the door rather than close the door). At almost 6 feet tall (my mother always wanted me to be tall), I find legroom to be ample, both in front as well as in the back. I am not sure whether this is relevant, but GP looks - maybe even is - at least a foot longer than Ritz (which I find a nightmare to look at) and half a foot longer than i20 (which I find Yet Another Hyundai Ugliness to look at).

For some reason, I always find it in my GP to be difficult to shift from fourth gear to fifth in my GP. If anybody could be kind enough to post me a tip, I shall be grateful. I might even send a DD of USD 1 million.

Last, but not least - particularly in the case of Fiat, we should tackle the point of service. When Fiat first visited India (classified under 'Tourism'), they convinced everyone that after purchasing a good car, one needs to bang his head against the wall till one is dead. The situation is much better during the second visit. Now one is permitted to stop once one has received serious head injuries. We end up where we begun : If only Fiat could stop outsourcing service, Grande Punto will take the gold, and the silver medal will have to be cancelled.

Exterior Great styling, infact best looking in its class (to each his own). Paint quality looks good and alloy wheels add to the touch. PLASTIC used along wipers is so pathetic that even in a brand new car it looks 5 years old with uneven fading and warping at various locations. Common FIAT guys, what are you thinking? So even if 99% looks fabulous, that 1% in an obvious location ruins it all!!

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) This is where it fails BIG time!! Very sad fit and finish. You would be lucky to find a decent fit of two plastic components. The door handles feel extremely flimsy and I could even see the spring. It would only be a matter of few months before things start falling apart. The plastic around door panels is not fitted well nor is the rubber gasket a snug fit, so water can easily go thru. I mean if you are paying 7 lac for a hatch back it should not look crappy in a year’s time with all parts failing. The Maruti SX4 zxi version (full size sedan) is 8 lacs and its interiors are fantastic. The back seat in Punto is also cramped and as tight as in Swift zxi which is a good 1.5 lac less than Punto. The controls by drivers door, especially the powered mirror ones and out of place and is certainly an effort to reach to.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Engine performance is great. The TD was very smooth for Diesel variant, fuel economy is average. The clutch felt a bit tight, but guess one gets used to it overtime. The gear box was decent and shifting gears was not much of an issue.

Ride Quality & Handling SIMPLY THE BEST!

Final Words I was really bent on buying the 1.4 Emo Pack and went for a TD with great expectations. I has read reviews of flawed interiors, etc... But when I actually saw it, was completey shocked. It’s not just the quality of plastic, but overall terrible workmanship. Even the sales person cannot defend it. Well how can they! My thought was if on spending 1 lac more, I can get sedan zxi version with fantastic finish, great comfortable seating (front and back) and superior why spend this much now. hence opted for Swift zxi. I did not care much for the blue and me system. in a few years almost all high end versions will have this feature.

Areas of improvement Has already been discussed to death.

Exterior

 Good except for lousy reverse lamp....Who designed it?

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)

 Good.......Could have provided the same arm rest and Back AC blower like in the sedan. Dont be surprised if the power shutters come off and get stuck when putting up. Hatch Boot sepeartor covers are not durable at all....

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox

 So far so good 

Ride Quality & Handling

 Good.....Can see where the front of teh car despite being a tall (6'00")

Final Words

 Will not buy one again. Prefer a High end Maruti or a Japanese car......

Areas of improvement  

 Quality checking of what is manufactured and fitted in India.....Could feel the defects originating at TATA work shop....like seating of the  glass shutters  in Powewr assembly. Interior works, The letters Punto came off one by one....They must use a propper glue...(I was told that these are fixed at the last point of sale...as they knew this problem early......)

Exterior Very attractive as per its name..

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) Well featured. space is good. Excellent comfert.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Engine Good,F E good, Gear box Very Slow.If youu are near a Swift diesel you may feel ashmed when wants to overtake.

Ride Quality & Handling Very good.

Final Words I purchased the car from Chadigarh.Shiefted to Kanpur. Now transfered to Gandhidham in Gujrat. Now there is no dealer here. Nearest Dealer is 200 kms .There was problemb in Clutch.Vehicle was standing for 10(ten) days for the parts.Toll free no suggested me to tochen the car for 200 kms.What is this?If some one wants to keep the car where there is no dealer he should think twice before Booking.Not very much satisfied with the dealers as they are more interested in Tata cars.

Areas of improvement Dealers network must improve.Dealers should be asked to keep spares.Where there is no dealer one should not keep the car. No expert mech. at the service centres.Fiat must develop its own network.

Exterior Don't have to say anything about the looks, its one of best looking cars availabel

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) I m 6Ft tall, and this is the only hatchback, I could sit properly with someone sitting at the back. Lots of features, even if a bulb fuses, its displayed on the screen. Instant consumption display tell me how im pressing the Gas pedal.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox Powerful engine and the performance is all on the way you drive.

Ride Quality & Handling Fiats known for its Drive Quality, the car hugs the road at 120Kmph.

Final Words Awesome Car but Awful Sales and Service

Areas of improvement Fiat has had numberous wake up calls for its Service.

I haven't found a well fitting Foot mats for my car since day one. Thats the smallest thing that you need for a car to be clean. None of the Dealers have the orginal punto foot mats, they all keep the universal ones. I have written to them(FIAT) also and never receviced a reply, i realise the mistake i have made by buying this car. I wonder if i have escalate for puny stuff.