2001 Fiat Punto ELX 16v review from UK and Ireland

Nothing, but the car was delivered with some minor faults:

1. Small blemishes in the paint work.

2. Paint chipped from the front edges of the bonnet.

3. Bonnet not adjusted correctly so could not be opened easily.

4. Boot light hanging on wires (clip broken).

Apart from the minor quality control problems, this is a superb car. It is very well-equipped with electric sun roof, trip computer and an excellent Blaupunkt stereo with six speakers and a boot-mounted 100W sub-woofer.

The interior is comfortable and roomy, well put together and of good quality materials. All the controls are conveniently located and work well, but the pedals are a little close together for larger drivers and there is no left foot rest.

Fuel economy is outstanding. The computer regularly shows over 50 miles per gallon (currently indicating 57 mpg on the existing tankful).

The power steering is excellent. The City ratio provides extra assistance giving very light steering when parking.

The ride over uneven surfaces could be better and the very quiet turn indicator needs to be louder. I have been flashed on a couple of occasions by other drivers after leaving the indicators on - they do not always self-cancel.

Performance is very good for such a small engined car. It is both a practical long-distance tourer and a city car.