A surprise from Italy
None so far! And this is amazing considering the manufacturers reputation.
Amazing little Italian car. Very reliable in spite of the manufacturers reputation.
This is the family's second car and the usual driver is my 21 years old daughter.
But I use it from time to time and love it.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 19th April, 2004
Stylish car with OK performance for a 1.2
Headlight bulb went after 5,000 miles, cheap enough to replace.
A stylish car with great looks always catches the eye, much nicer to look at than the new Punto and others such as the bland Corsa and funny looking Clio.
Interior is as nice as the outside, some nice touches. Mine had the Sat Nav and CD changer when I bought it. The Sat Nav wasn't that good and was a bit annoying definitely wouldn't pay extra for it.
The seats are supportive, but the driving position is awful, far too high up for a "Sporty" car.
The engine is surprisingly responsive for a 1.2 engine and is quicker than other 1.2's such as the Corsa SXI and Clio 1.2 16v, but does lack in the top end. If you want a car to be nippy round town this is the car for you, but out on the open road it was a little under-powered, but at the end of the day it's only a 1.2.
The handling is the main let-down for this car. The handling is awful, doesn't like corners at all, I lowered it 30mm to see if this improved the handling, but still was terrible too much body roll. Couldn't believe what I was missing out on when I bought my VTS which handles like a go-cart.
To sum this car up, it is a very nice car on the eye, but if you want a hot-hatch this is not the car for you. I would call it a Luke-warm hatch and have to say that it does not deserve the "Sporting" badge. If you're not bothered about performance this is the car for you.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 15th April, 2004
Performance with economy and style
Nothing.
My 2001 Punto JTD "ELX" (80 hp engine) has been, apart from mistreatment at the hands of the incompetent local Fiat agent during servicing, a paragon of reliability. Enormous torque allows 5th gear to be used almost exclusively over 42 mph, even in the Derbyshire Peak District with its many steep hills. Even with the air-conditioning running carefully checked-economy of 48 mpg around town, 54 mpg on "A" roads and an astounding 64 mpg on the motorway is easily achievable and adds to the sense of satisfaction. Performance is more than satisfactory for a car without traction control; the limiting factor being wheel spin when trying to encourage all that torque to do its job pulling out of slow, slippery bends.
Front tire wear has been heavy and enthusiastic corning will see a pair run bald within 15,000 miles; the original rears are still legal at 44,000, but will need replacing soon. The ride is hard and unforgiving, but the handling perfectly safe and predictable; my only concerns have been the "limp" feel of the (ABS) brake pedal (the brakes are perfectly effective in ordinary use, but just do not inspire confidence in stops from high speed) and the modest performance of the headlights on main beam.
For a balance of performance, economy and reliability this must be one car to seek out on the used market.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 3rd March, 2004
7th Jun 2026, 17:03
It's been at least a little over 10 years since my girlfriend and I lived in Italy for two years. To get around, we looked for a cheap and economical car, and we found a Punto 1.9 JTD diesel. We didn't regret the purchase at all, as it was for a ridiculously low price (less than 2,500 euros). Besides being simple and easy to drive, the car was incredibly fuel-efficient.
We traveled almost all over the Apulia and Calabria regions in the car, putting nearly 60,000 km on it in those two years, and it didn't give us a single problem.
We never imagined, even in our wildest dreams, that it would be such a good car.