1999 Fiat Marea Turbo review from Brazil

At 60,200 kilometers the alarm system went berserk and I kept getting a warning light for the electronic fuel injection. Two days after this began the car wouldn't start altogether, and I promptly took it to the dealership. They changed the battery and a lead that grounds the cathode, and now the car works like a Swiss watch. The Dealership, however, took almost a full week to resolve this relatively simple problem.

The odd squeak comes out of the dashboard when the air conditioning is on and there is an occasional rattle coming from the passenger's seat when no one is sitting on it.

The 2.0 20 valve petrol turbo version is, I understand, only available in Brazil. This five cylinder engine yields 182 horsepower and plenty of torque, especially above 4000rpm. Below 3000rpm, the torque is really very disappointing, but as the engine reaches higher rotation, the car "wakes up" and jolts forward almost inconsequentially. The result is that when you shift into fourth gear, you're already at 120 kilometers per hour with still two gears left, that will end up yielding a final speed of 226 kilometers per hour.

The down side is fuel consumption. I have had to content myself with 7.5 kilometers per litre on the highway and somewhere around 5 in city traffic, which is very disappointing considering I never drive aggressively.

The seats are very comfortable, they come in very good quality Grey leather which constantly keeps the interior with a lovely smell.

Driveability is excellent. The car is easy to handle and feels very safe and stable.