2002 Fiat Punto HGT from UK and Ireland - Comments

HGTs are not good cars; they can't handle, and they can't keep up with the others. A Fiesta Zetec S is better, or a Saxo VTS or even VTR is as fast. I take my HGT out all the time and it doesn't even compare if you had the chance go for the Puma 1.7 or Clio Williams.

Lol mate, have a word with yourself.

Pumas are crap. They handle OK, but wouldn't touch an HGT. I know; the wife has a 1.7, it's a proper birds car, plus, as standard, has the stance of a trolley in the sky. OK the Tickford/Racing would hammer it, but they are two/three times the price and have higher insurance.

As for a Clio Williams; cracking motor, but they are getting on a bit now, and the interior on those isn't much different to that of the R5; dated, tacky and 80's looking.

The Punto is much more bang for the buck; updated looks, traction control, decent interior, air-con, sat/nav etc. So what, it's not the fastest hatch out there. It doesn't have a turbo to go pop and are pretty cheap too.

Plus, whenever I get some drive thru fast food, people think you are a chav/boy racer with the gold rims looking to 'krooz'

I've got a 99 HGT, it's alright, and it's flawed too, but does its job.

Pumas do a bit more than "handle OK" mate. There aren't many front drive cars that can get close, and the Fiat Punto certainly isn't one of them.

Ford puma:4 cylinder

Engine Size

1679 cc

Horsepower

125 hp @ 6300 rpm

Torque

157 Nm @ 4500 rpm

Max. Speed

203 km/h (126 mph)

0-60 mph 8.7 sec

Weight

1050 kg (2200 lb)

Ford Racing Puma4 cylinder

Engine Size

1679 cc

Horsepower

155 hp @ 6000 rpm

Torque

157 Nm @ 4500 rpm

Max. Speed

203 km/h (126 mph)

0-60 mph

7.9 sec

Weight

1250 kg (2200 lb)

PUNTO HGT

Max power: 96 kW/130 HP at 6,300 rpm

Torque: 164 Nm (16.7 kgm) at 4,300 rpm

Max speed: 127 MPH

Acceleration: 0 TO 62 MPH 8.3 SEC

Weight 1040.

THE FIGURES ARE FROM THE DEALERSHIPS FIRST HAND SO MAKE YOUR OWN MIND!!!

Very good, but can you please tell me what that has to do with handling?

Exactly!

Cornering is in the ability of the driver so depends on how much your willing to do so you can't say you can beat a car on the road by handling the person might not like going fast into bends in the hands of a pro both cars are good but I say the puma is be better but on the track the Punto is faster not much though!!!

As a previous owner of a hgt true not the greatest carS when it comes to bends on b roads. BLOODY LOWER THE CAR ON A SET OF koni springs and see if your comments on its handling are still valid. I bought it with this mod done and don't care what anyone says that car could grip like glue. AS for its 0.60dash EVO. STATS 8SECS. WOULD AGREE WITH THAT FIGURE. BUT WHAT GETS ME PEOPLE BANGING ON ABOUT ITS PERFORMANCE. It's a TOURER,,,,,,,, ALWAYS WAS ONE NOT MEANT TO BE JUST A HOT HATCH. It's a FAST TOURER AND IT DOES IT JOB WELL. EASY TO DRIVE, LIKES IT FUEL, BUT IF YOUR CANNY ITS NOT TOO BAD. YES IT HAS IT PROBLEMS, WHAT CAR DOES NOT. I WISH PEOPLE WOULD JUST LEAVE THE OLD GIRL ALONE SHE WAS GREAT AND FAST FOR 1999, STILL CAN MOVE EVEN TODAY. BUT ALAS TIME TO MOVE ON. PS... GETTING OF MY ORANGE BOX NOW FEET ARE SORE.

Hi, I have a Punto HGT and it's right up with the best. I'v beaten a Fiesta ST, Renault 5 turbo, Escort turbo, so when people say my Zetec S is faster I think they don't even have a car; they're wrong!!

People think this car is slow because of the 1.2 16v Sporting, but this is a different breed! Even the Sporting is a very good car; I had one before my HGT and it was better than a Saxo VTR or Zetec S, plus it had a six speed.

Now if I see a Saxo VTS or 106 GTI etc, I hunt them down and show them up.

Not everyone uses the public road as a race track and not everyone you "beat" was actually racing you.

As for beating a Zetec-S, well done. It only has 103 bhp.

The 106 GTi can compete the the Pug 206 GTi 180 and the Clio 172/182's they are much faster than you think with them being extremely light.

I own a HGT and I like it to drive but it's not designed as a "hot" hatch. It is a nice cruiser and faster than people expect (especially since most assume it is the 1.2).

I didn't buy the car to race around the streets though. I needed something newer than my MK6 Escort GTi but with similar performance for the motorway, as I do a lot of miles at weekends.

The HGT is noticeably faster but the Escort GTi wasn't bought because it was fast, just because it's a good balance of power/weight for regular driving.

Even the new Abarth SS Punto with 180bhp and 201 lb/ft of torque isn't as fast on paper as you would expect, and theres no explanation why, the power:weight ratio is good on it. Just seems to be the trend with Fiats. That 500 595SS looks pretty mad though with 200bhp in a tiny car, bet its made of tin though haha.

I am happy with my HGT, but I don't race around, it has a nice amount of power for the driving I do. Plus it only cost me £2k used with low mileage and great condition, would never pay for a brand new one though @ 13k.

The Punto HGT is the best car for the money, and it's good looking. All you lot say is it's fast, but it can't handle the road. Well I've never had a problem with the handling; you push and push, and it doesn't let go because of the traction control; turn it off and it spins the front wheels like mad in 1st and 2nd.

I've had a race with a WRX, and it could not get away, and my HGT is standard, and I'm not telling porkies. I know the owner of it, and he asked I had NOS or something, and guess what, he thought it was a 1.2 16v haha no!

I had a Punto HGT and it was OK, but a bit boring, a bit wet if you like. I now have a Toyota Starlet turbo 1.3 and I think it is by far more fun car to drive. It's much faster than the HGT and handles better too.

Only one thing to say about the last comment well if you don't include this lot. BOLLOCKS...

I am 35 years old and sold my face-lifted HGT a year ago. I own 2 top of the range Alfa Romeo's (saying this to slam those who say 30+ people shouldn't be driving HGT's!), but I am seriously considering selling one to buy myself another beloved HGT. My car was VERY fast. Believe me. A lot more fun than my Alfas! (Alfas really are fun!) My wife drives a Nissan Sabre GXi (consider it something like a 4 door coupe similar to what you may know as the Nissan Sunny GTi) so I know what performance is supposed to feel like.

My car hits the rev limiter in top gear with 5 people on board, meaning the true speed was around 227km/h according to the gearing. The speedometer reading was 230km/h. I have a photograph of the speedo showing 225km/h, taken on a flat road at 1400m altitude. I'm from South Africa and out in the desert is a stretch of road with a 250km/h speed limit where BMW tests their pre-production vehicles. On this road I reached the 225km/h speedo reading. Not ideal conditions, being around 40 degrees C and 1400m altitude.

My engine output on the dyno was corrected to 139bhp on the flywheel, and I've done NO modifications to it. Besides add 17" wheels. Even in this trim, I've left a friend's Peugeot 206 GTi 180 for dead, and ripped up a Calibra turbo. Got it on video too. Just to illustrate: Over 400m I'm 5 car lengths ahead of a Fiesta ST. Polo GTi's are not worth considering so I won't mention them. Golf GTi's have to fight for their lives.

I have yet to drive a car with handling as forgiving and fun as my Punto's. On one occasion I entered a very quick sweeping bend on a fly-over, at a ridiculous speed and the car drifted slightly sideways through the bend. The trick is to get 4 wheels drifting using your speed as well as engine power to set up a benign drifting moment. If you get it right, the ESP won't intervene as all four wheels will be rotating at similar speeds.

Oh, and the engine has real torque. You can accelerate up mountain passes in top gear and you have to slow down so you don't overcook it into the next corner.

I have to admit that it's not the fastest hot hatch out there, but any car within 30% of it's power output is not even a close threat...

Nuff said...