2006 Fiat Grande Punto Sporting 1.9 JTD Multijet from UK and Ireland
Summary:
This car is a rare combination of being practical, economical, affordable and full of flair
Faults:
Airflow Sensor failure at 6,000 miles caused shut down at 70mph.
I turned on my right indicator, and all the electronic ancillaries (e.g. Traction Control, ABS, PAS) switched off. Turned out the Power Steering ECU had a fault and shorted itself out.
General Comments:
The Turbo Diesel engine in this car is brilliant. It offers high levels of torque throughout the majority of the rev range, including at high speeds. There is little cabin noise.
The fuel economy is very good and returns more than 40 miles per gallon on my mixture of motorway and urban road commuting that I use this car for.
The interior quality is fantastic. The lower models, such as the Active, look like every expense has been spared, however it is a different story in the Sporting. Quality leather trimming is on the steering wheel and gear-knob, and quality materials cover the extremely comfortable bucket seats designed by Lear (yes, the people who make the luxury jets).
The back is also very comfy. I am over 6ft and find there is ample head and leg room.
The boot is more than adequate, and bigger than my Alfa Romeo 147. I no longer have to take the parcel shelf out to put them pram in.
Styling, what can I say! It speaks for itself!
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 28th January, 2008
31st Jan 2008, 11:28
I took one of these out on a test the other day, and simply put, it is a brilliant car-much better than the more expensive Alfa 147.
Compared to my old Fabia vRS it is much softer and more supple on the road and suffers far less tyre roar and wind noise. A very competent package with nice interior and stunning looks.
I have seen them advertised on the fiatsupasaver site for £10,495 and elsewhere for under 11k which makes it a roaring bargain. The Fiat main dealer wanted to sell me the 3,000 mile demonstrator (red, standard car) for £12,355 which was preposterous, so I walked away. If the dealer had come up with a sensible deal, I would have signed up there and then...