[EPMV]

It’s my turn to break my head to decide on which car and what colour to choose for a new car purchase. As I’m a Fiat Palio owner currently, my choices are already favoured to FIAT and FIAT only.

When I have planned to buy a new car, my mindset is as below.
- 99 percent FIAT only. No other car offers such a safety with tank like build.
- With small family and little parking space, strictly a hatch only.
- One and only top end. I can’t compromise on any features, fully loaded only.
- I’m going to buy through car loan only, except down payment I have no cash.
- Based on the above points, I’m already started drooling about Punto Evo with the hottest colour Exotica Red.
- I have lot of long travel plans; hence diesel is preferred.

Now, let’s get in to the formal list of information.

Cars short listed

• Punto Evo Multi-jet Emotion
• Urban Cross Multi-jet Emotion

Price range
As the car choice is already known, expected around 9 Lacs OTR. Planning to push it down by offers available in January.

Maintenance & After Sales Service (A.S.S.) expectations
Nothing much to expect from FIAT and it’s a known territory for all FIAT owners. I have a known FNG who is a specialist in FIAT cars to support post company service.
Average distance travelled per month

Daily commute to office is 30 km including up and down. But I have lot of long travel plans. Home town is 400km away and there will be a trip at least every two months.

Where car will be mostly used (city / highway / rough roads etc.)
City (40 %) + Highway (50 %) + Rough Road (10 %) (considering the available rough roads all over)

Chauffeur driven / self-driven
Self-Driven

Whether the vehicle will be shared by other members of family
No one right now. My better half is planning to learn driving.

Any specific requirements from car (ex. Better luggage space, responsive engine, rear seat comfort)
We are three-member family. Myself, Better half, Junior. So, rear seat comfort and boot space are not a deal breakers. Should be a mile muncher, highway cruiser and a balance between enthusiast car and cost effective car.

How long you intend on keeping this car (and how important resale is to you)
I really don’t have any plan for resale. I’m a kind of guy who look only for what is now, let’s enjoy the current moment, buy a reliable car, next day is not a matter to me (that’s why the resale value of FIAT cars is not bothering me). So, resale is not at all important to me.

Why only FIAT: With the current world of sensible drivers on the road, containers and trucks in opposite lane right in front of us, eye blinding headlights and pot hole filled roads, Safety is my main concern. Except FIAT, I couldn’t see / hear / read any brutal accident stories with scratch less survivors. Tank like build is one of the strong plus point for FIAT cars. Even though we have cars with 6 air-bags and multiple safety systems, good build quality plays a major part in accidents and safe guarding the occupants.
After I placed the ad for my Palio in olx and quikr, the first buyer approached me is a Punto Evo owner. After the car tyre busted in highway cruising, his car rolled multiple times on the highway and toppled. Though the car is a total loss, all 4 survivors, came out of the car without a scratch. I told him, that is FIAT. I really don’t think any affordable hatch in Indian market offer such a safe build along with segment-best handling. So, my choice is FIAT only. I’m fine to adjust the A.S.S issues for an excellent car.
I like the Peppy Swift, Stylish Elite i20, Compact Amaze, Timeless Polo and some more. But I have a deal breaker in each car, mostly that is narrowing down to Non-Fiat feature.

What is the confusion: I almost decided 1.5 years ago, that Punto Evo is my next car and Exotica Red is my colour. After drooling about that car one and half years, I’m getting confused in the last moment.

Issue 1: My favourite all black interiors is gone when PowerTech logo pasted on the car. Even I sent a mail to fiat for a custom build car in all black. They asked me to get in touch with local dealer. Fiat Caffe person told me that, in case of custom build, they will send all black parts to here and we will fit in service centre and the fit and finish will not be like factory fit. Again, sent a mail to fiat for asking the same and possibilities of assembling all black in factory, awaiting response. Exploring other options also to make it all-black.

Issue 2: Urban cross arrived with little more features and almost same price. After 1.5 years of thinking about Evo, this sudden change in decision dragging me in dilemma. Functional roof rails, 16 inch wheels, 205mm ground clearance and a stabilizer bar in the back (nkrishnap noticed this in a test car, not sure about production version) are pulling me towards Urban Cross, other than that everything is same. But the black claddings all around is what holding my thought. Negative point is, if those plastic claddings are not maintained well, it will spoil the look. Positive is, it will avoid most of the scratches from steel parts. Will these plastic claddings hold on to the place till its lifetime? Is it better to have these claddings or not? These plastic covers are over and above old body frames or, those are just plastics, nothing behind them?

Issue 3: In case of Urban Cross, all this black plastic parts are too loud on my favourite Exotica Red colour (my person opinion though). And the Bronzo tan colour suits very well for this sporty look with black claddings. Another dilemma in colour choice created by Urban Cross.

Please suggest your valuable inputs in Evo vs Cross and Exotica Red vs Bronzo Tan. Pictures below for reference.

Comparison of Evo vs Cross (pics from Team-Bhp reviews and internet)


Bronzo Tan colour Urban Cross from Fiat website


Bronzo Tan colour Avventura real pic for reference

[Palio_2005]

Fiat survives because of brave hearts like you... Brown would be my choice

[prakash_ajp]

Yep, red doesn't look best with those cladding. My choice would be Bronzo Tan. Or how about that bluish grey color?

[Wildy]

I saw few Avventura red ones. Believe me, On the road, nothing could be better than a Red one with a little exception to white. (Purely, my personal opinion)

[EPMV]

Originally Posted by Palio_2005

Fiat survives because of brave hearts like you... Brown would be my choice

Thank you.

Originally Posted by prakash_ajp

Yep, red doesn't look best with those cladding. My choice would be Bronzo Tan. Or how about that bluish grey color?

I don't know why, for whatever reasons I hate grey.

[//M]

Originally Posted by EPMV

Cars short listed

• Punto Evo Multi-jet Emotion
• Urban Cross Multi-jet Emotion

IIRC the Urban Cross was only available in Active and Dynamic trims without airbags. Has the Emotion spec been launched now?

I hope the Emotion spec with airbags has been launched in both the 1.4 T-Jet and 1.3 Multijet models and is not just restricted to the T-Jet.

[prakash_ajp]

Originally Posted by EPMV

Thank you.




I don't know why, for whatever reasons I hate grey.

Actually I meant the one used on the car in Auto Expo. Just had a relook and realized two things: 1) it is on on the list of colors offered in Fiat website and 2) It appears to have a purple shade to it. So, on a close look, I no longer suggest that

[DRIV3R]

Originally Posted by EPMV

Issue 1: My favourite all black interiors is gone when PowerTech logo pasted on the car. Even I sent a mail to fiat for a custom build car in all black. They asked me to get in touch with local dealer. Fiat Caffe person told me that, in case of custom build, they will send all black parts to here and we will fit in service centre and the fit and finish will not be like factory fit. Again, sent a mail to fiat for asking the same and possibilities of assembling all black in factory, awaiting response. Exploring other options also to make it all-black.

You have the 'Karbon' Limited Edition on sale now. It has all black interiors with Powertech on the Evo, with Touchscreen HU and SatNav.

[Moto_Hill]

Originally Posted by EPMV

Cars short listed

• Punto Evo Multi-jet Emotion
• Urban Cross Multi-jet Emotion

If it's Red, I would still go for Evo. Not a fan of loud cladding in the Red shade. I wouldn't worry about quality of plastic though. Considering that the cladding is one of the USP that separates UC from Evo, Fiat must have sourced premium stuff. A little maintenance should take care of that.

My favourite all black interiors is gone when PowerTech logo pasted on the car.

That is a major turn-off for exotica red since special edition Karbon (with black interiors) is available only in pearl white.

[theexperthand]

My choice will be Bronzo Tan Urban cross - the cladding really suits the brown color.
The beige interior is a turn off and between a Evo with beige interior and a UC with black cladding, I will take UC any day.

--Anoop

[rdst_1]

I am a Palio owner myself and since the backseat space and comfort are not deal breakers for you, Punto Evo/Urban Cross makes complete sense. I have been wanting to switch to the Urban Cross since the day it has been launched, but the backseat space is what stops me everytime. Add to the fact that my Palio is still running niggle free after 15 years, it makes the decision that much harder.
Don't you have claddings on your Palio as well. Mine have held up perfectly apart from losing their shine in the first year itself. Someone mentioned Shoe Polish every six months as a solution to that.
I might buy an Urban Cross myself next year if I can wrap my head around the less spacious backseat.

[Wildy]

Originally Posted by rdst_1

....I have been wanting to switch to the Urban Cross since the day it has been launched, but the backseat space is what stops me everytime. Add to the fact that my Palio is still running niggle free after 15 years, it makes the decision that much harder.

....I might buy an Urban Cross myself next year if I can wrap my head around the less spacious backseat.

Myself also a Palio user. Some how I feel, with an exception of Abarth powered UC, the Punto/Urban Cross is not really an upgrade for Palio users especially considering many good aspects in Palio like comfort levels in the front and rear, NA engines superb drivability both in city and highway due to the absence of Turbolag , good mileage etc. But the downside is Palio's maintenance is like pain in the as* as the spares are very costly and 99rpm is the only source apart from greedy mechanics.

[EPMV]

Originally Posted by //M

IIRC the Urban Cross was only available in Active and Dynamic trims without airbags. Has the Emotion spec been launched now?

Urban cross version launched in multijet emotion variant, but the official website and brochure are not updated. Someone attached the PDF version brochure here I believe.

Originally Posted by DRIV3R

You have the 'Karbon' Limited Edition on sale now. It has all black interiors with Powertech on the Evo, with Touchscreen HU and SatNav.

Originally Posted by Moto_Hill

That is a major turn-off for exotica red since special edition Karbon (with black interiors) is available only in pearl white.

Agreed. Punto Karbon is the only choice for all black interiors. As I have started leaning towards the Urban Cross model, now losing the features in Evo is another confusion. Also white is not my choice of colour.

Lot of demonetisation rumours around car purchase also confusing me a lot. Lot of people saying car price and loan interest rates are going to be down and don't buy now.

[Wildy]

Originally Posted by EPMV

Urban cross version launched in multijet emotion variant, but the official website and brochure are not updated. Someone attached the PDF version brochure here I believe.

Yes, I was the one who posted PDF here.

For some unknown reason (May be lazy), they didn't updated the information on site. But, their brochure is updated.

[rudrah]

Originally Posted by sidindica

A friend of mine purchased an urban cross dynamic 1.3 a week after I purchased the Evo. Have a look at both the vehicles for comparision. Will plan a shoot by getting an avventura soon also.

Sidindica,

Whats you Urban cross drive feedback as well as how it is a overall package for both MJD and TJet too?

I'm yet to see any owners feedback for Urban Cross here.

Thanks~