Faults:

Electrical system problems. It is prone to starting problems on gasoline (flooding), often caused by an out-of-range throttle position sensor (TPS).

Problems starting or the car not starting are usually related to fuel injection and fuel pump relays, power relays, or poor grounding. This was common in cars of that era.

Water entering through the front windshield seals, especially on days of very heavy rain.

Occasionally, I had trouble shifting gears and the clutch springs failed. I should clarify that I never replaced the clutch while I owned the car.

General Comments:

The car was more than acceptable for the 90s and early 2000s. I remember when I bought it, it had very good equipment and comfort, particularly the i.e. SX version, which was very advanced for its time and also had excellent ride comfort in the city.

Compared to my previous car, the Ford Orion (also with a 1.8 injection engine), it was a huge leap in quality: better interior quality, more accessories and equipment, much faster and easier to drive, it consumed less fuel and, believe it or not, it was mechanically more reliable, in addition to being more technologically advanced.

While it's a matter of taste, I think it was superior to several of its competitors like the Escort, the Renault 19, or the Cavalier, both in innovative design and performance.

The interior was acceptable and a breath of fresh air compared to the previous models from the 80s. What I liked most was the digital meter. At the time, it looked like a car from the future.

It looks like a robust car, which could be criticized for being somewhat bulky. From the inside, because it's a vehicle with a high waistline, and combined with the elevated driving position, it gives the feeling of driving a larger car than it actually is.

The steering was good, it handled well both in the city and on the highway, and the engine's responsiveness made it a very pleasant car to drive. The 1.8‑liter engine had the necessary power for a mid‑size car like this, and the fuel injection made it even more agile.

Finally, although there may be details I don't fully remember (I sold it almost 10 years ago), one important thing to say in favor of the vehicle is that although it suffered from water leaks, it was galvanized, so rust was never a problem, a great improvement compared to other Fiats, known for rust and corrosion.

Faults:

I few years ago I tried to live the Italian dream with a Fiat and said, "Never, never ever in my life will I own one again". But after owning a Rover 800 did I think well "they're not that bad and at least they're cheaper". So when the chance to own a Tempra Diesel SX SW 1993 came along, well I could not and would not resist the challenge to take on and beat this myth that all Italian family cars are crap.

All went well for about 200 miles then a strange little light flashed on the "Electronic Check". That's it I thought, "The end is Nigh". "It's straight to the scrap yard with you." But no. It was telling me a bulb had gone in the number plate. "Was that it?" I said. This car is telling me something that I needed to know. "Wow Cool". 55p later and an exchange of bulbs, no more warning light.

"WOW " again, many miles later and it breezed through an MOT, it didn't even need a re-test. Straight through. No problem. I'm still got post dramatic stress disorder from that one. I wrote straight away to my local Fiat dealer for confirmation that had this ever happened before. Handbrake failure. Emissions, etc etc. but apparently this had occurred before. Does Fiat make a half decent car or am I the lucky one?

20,000 miles later, an exhaust and replacement tyres later, I'm still smitten and think it's still better than my Rover 800 by about 18,900 miles.

General Comments:

Terrific, forgive all its faults. If you're a "DIY repair" type of guy then it's a cheap car. If you're a "dealer repair" type of guy, get yourself a Toyota, it'll cost you a fortune.