[asivan]

Fantastic and detailed review as can always be expected from Team BHP! Great job S2!!

Saw this car being delivered at the KP showroom last saturday, looked fantastic. Eagerly awaiting an ownership review by any of our forum members to understand the day to day running of the car.

Having torque steer once in a while will definitely be fun though Kudos to Fiat!

[chase_nt]

Nice review. Been looking forward to the team bhp review ever since this car was launched. If only more manufacturers gave us cars like this instead of the run of the mill hatchbacks that we are used to in India.

This car is an enthusiasts dream. The positives of this car are its awesome engine, excellent handling and brilliant stopping power. The negatives would be the 5 speed gearbox when it clearly deserves a 6 speed transmission with all the power that it pumps out. I also feel that Fiat could have easily provided the car with 205 section or more meatier rubber which it clearly deserves. I also feel that the sticker job seems too gaudy. The car would have looked better with subtler racing stripes.

I really wish this car was launched 2 years ago so that i could have bought this amazing machine instead of the GT TSI. In fact i was contemplating selling my TSI and picking up the Abarth however after careful consideration i decided not to.

The points that made me make up my mind to keep my GT TSI were the fact that i use my GT TSI mostly within the city and with the sort of chaotic traffic i have to face, it was a no brainer that the DSG is a better bet in this scenario. Though the GT TSI looks like every other Polo i really like the timeless design compared to the design of the Punto. The other reason behind my decision was due to the fact that my GT TSI has run just 3000 Km in the last 2.5 years and i really do not want to get rid of a car that's almost in showroom condition and incur a big hit due to depreciation. The final reason (the most important) for my change of heart is because i am unable to push my 125 bhp remapped GT TSI to even 50% of its potential within the city so what am i going to do with a 145 bhp beast that will be driven by me solely within the city?

If i was in the market for a hatchback today then i would most definitely choose the Abarth Punto however i'd say i am unlucky that this launch happened a little too late

[loki]

Originally Posted by chase_nt

If i was in the market for a hatchback today then i would most definitely choose the Abarth Punto however i'd say i am unlucky that this launch happened a little too late

Me too. Wish I could trade in my Linea 1.4 and get this instead All the positives of the Punto (Handling, ride quality, build quality) + a nice testosterone err...injection in the engine. Power still nowhere near Euro hot hatch levels (VW GTI + those souped up Renaults/Seats) but 145bhp is still nothing this segment has seen.

The ergonomics have always been a little different (or weird) compared to other brands. For eg: i keep changing my seat position every once in a while. Not sure how much of a deal breaker that is for the average junta.

[Joxster]

Gosh, the hottest hatch (<10 Lakhs) released in India so far, and just 8 pages on this thread

This is an awesome review S2! Although I differ on the ergonomics bit of it, most of the review is spot on, and well detailed too. Rated it a well deserved 5 stars!
I'm honestly scared to take a test drive, lest my heart overrules my head, and I end up buying it on the spot . I wish I had the money to buy this beauty though, because I would buy it in the blink of an eye!

OT: The lack of proper enthusiasm from the forum towards this car after its release, reminds me of avishar's comment on the Punto T-Jet thread:

Now we will see how the 'Hot Hatch Starved' population jump up and down on seeing this and then go buy an i20 Elite.

Link: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...coming-up.html

Looks like that's exactly what's happening too.

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by Joxster

Gosh, the hottest hatch (<10 Lakhs) released in India so far, and just 8 pages on this thread

"Now we will see how the 'Hot Hatch Starved' population jump up and down on seeing this and then go buy an i20 Elite."

Hey Joxster I am not a FIAT Basher and neither am I the one who loves their strategies for Indian market. I really love the design of their cars but not the practicality bit.

Anyways, following is my recent experience from trying out the new Abarth EVO last weekend.
The only twist here is that I accompanied my cousin who is on the lookout for a performance hatch and did not drive either of the below steads myself. But my cousin had carried a cheque in his pocket and based on the pure 'Heart over Head' offering, he would sign it:

First stop was at VW Palace Cross where he drove the GT TSI and here are the observations:

- That 1.2 TSI + DSG combo is almost brutal for a small hatch
- Comfort of AT is unparalleled both on congested road and an open highway.
- For just over 10 L OTR Bangalore, it really offers some brilliant features. Unlike some of its competition, most (if not all) features are very useful on a daily basis here.
- Whether you are outside the car or sitting inside, you & anybody around can actually appreciate the premium paid for this hatch.
- Considering my cousin is 5.7" and this is an AT car, I could sit behind him quite comfortably with the driver seat adjusted to his liking. The amount to adjustments offered by the steering & driver seat is great.
- He is not a TBHP member, but is very inclined towards modding his GT extensively. So the potential of this on this German car is almost endless.

Next we landed up at FIAT cafe (ORR) and the Abarth TJET was there for the drive:

- That 1.4 TJET is by far the craziest engine I have sat behind in any car for a long time now
- The seats felt a bit more stiff and the ride way stiffer than GT. That is excellent for an enthusiast, but as a daily drive, I am not really sure.
- At ~12 L, its worth every single Penny for all that Pony under the hood, but unfortunately, nothing else !!
- The parts/fit/finish etc are just great but if one sat in a VW car prior to this, they would be in a fix and feel a bit let down on FIAT.
- I was a bit more comfortable sitting behind my cousin in EVO compared to POLO. But my cousin struggled all along and just could not find the right driving position.
- This Road Runner does not even offer basic necessary features such as Rear parking sensors!! My cousin almost ran over the SA while reversing

So this was the way my weekend was spent and we drove back to VW Palace Cross and he signed a cheque for RED/WHITE GT TSI.

What I could gather from this episode is that for many people in India that includes enthusiasts, ability to have both a daily drive car and a performance machine together is limited. And when this narrows down to having only one option as an investment, many (if not most) will want the maximum value for their fortune.

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Hey Joxster I am not a FIAT Basher and neither am I the one who loves their strategies for Indian market. I really love the design of their cars but not the practicality bit.

Anyways, following is my recent experience from trying out the new Abarth EVO last weekend.
The only twist here is that I accompanied my cousin who is on the lookout for a performance hatch and did not drive either of the below steads myself. But my cousin had carried a cheque in his pocket and based on the pure 'Heart over Head' offering, he would sign it:

First stop was at VW Palace Cross where he drove the GT TSI and here are the observations:

Very well summed up Vikram! These are reasons why you see good number of TSi on road and will still continue to outsell Abarth.
Apart from one's you mentioned Abarth loses out on below points as well in comparison to GT TSi:
1. Real world FE is not going to be as good as GT.
2. GT has better ground clearance, and can tackle bad roads better.
3. Resale value of Abarth is a big question mark. I am pretty many would keep this car for ages .

Abarth is no doubt the best when it comes to performance but loses on practicality. If you are looking a car for daily use, Polo GT TSi is a better bet any day.

[v_safari]

In Delhi, one can see a lot of females driving the TSI. Some drive sedately, and some are really hard to catch.

It is not just the enthusiasm for the performance hatch, but also the comfort of the auto box, which is driving the sales of the TSI Polo.

We may be a little demanding, but Fiat has an AMT and I believe they'd be having a DCT box as well. AMT with this engine would not be a killer performer, but it would not be bad at all, and would certainly bring in some more numbers.

[Vik0728]

Though I love my VW Polo GT TDI purely due to the engine performance, looks and practicality, I would be the first one to admit to the fact that there are some really horrendous quirks such as:

- Wiper blade location behind the bonnet lid
- Pathetic rear seat space when the drive seat is adjusted to my liking
- No boot light in a premium offering
- AC is not a chiller

The difference between me and some others is that I accept the short comings and never feel personally offended every time anybody points out. Put simply, the offerings/pluses/goodies out weigh the short comings.

Its the same story with the toppers such as Swift & Elite. Everybody knows that Abarth EVO is a pure engineering prowess from FIAT and I love the product myself. But I only represent a 10-15% of the market and even with my GT, I feel a bit cheated for not having features that the 2015 GT offers!!


At the end of the day, the way I see it, my cousin is just like 85-90% of the mainstream customers who would want to buy a car that sells by itself and the manufacturer is really eager to sell as well.

[CliffHanger]

Mod note: Post deleted. You can make your point without any insulting tone. Request you to keep this in mind. Thanks.

[keroo1099]

Vik0728,

As a very satisfied T-Jet owner I have absolutely no issues with what you posted. Most of what you stated is very valid.

Cheers.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by S2!!!

The acceptance of the Polo GTs in the recent past proved that the country is slowly receptive to small cars with big performance

The GT has the advantage of serving two kinds of customers. One who wants a fast, affordable hatch that is loaded to the gills with technology and the other, a customer looking at a car that is easy to drive. I've recommended this car to two non enthusiasts only for ease of driving and they love it. In fact; these drivers have not even tried the S mode on their GT's.

Originally Posted by S2!!!

If you've got a pulse, you'll find it impossible to drive this car sedately. Stay in the turbo zone and you'll fly past regular cars on the highway.

As a T Jet owner, I can relate to this. There is something about the car that just makes you want to drive fast on a highway. Driving this car at legal speeds is impossible. You don't feel like letting go of the gas pedal. If the scenery around you isn't whizzing past, then you aren't going fast enough.

Originally Posted by PrideRed

Abarth is no doubt the best when it comes to performance but loses on practicality. If you are looking a car for daily use, Polo GT TSi is a better bet any day.

It is going to be down to what you want from a car. The GT can be your every day work ride and be quite satisfying for a blast down the highway. If it is petrol head nirvana you are after, it is the Abarth, all the way.

[mnvvishwa]

Thanks for good Review S2!!!
Rated 5 Stars for the details.

Take no offence, But photo location could have been better especially for this car IMO. A gokarting track or something similar would have been better. Generally I put wallpapers from the official T-BHP reviews, but unfortunately I could not find any out of this review.

[Waspune]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

Punto is one of the rare cars with so many Ground clearances.

• 155 - 2015 Abarth Punto Petrol
• 173 - 2009 Grande Punto Petrol
• 171 - 2009 Grande Punto Diesel
• 185 - 2012 Grande Punto Diesel and 2014 Punto evo Diesel
• 195 - 2012 Grande Punto Petrol and 2014 Punto evo Petrol
• 205 - Avventura

But every time people have told that it is too much or too less.
That brings me to the question-What should be the ideal ground clearance for this sized hatchback?

Hi Hemant,

I guess for the following:
[*]195 - 2012 Grande Punto Petrol and 2014 Punto evo Petrol

Only the active and dynamic trims (1.2) have 195 mm of GC whereas the emotion variant (1.4) comes with 185 mm of GC. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[IshaanIan]

Great news for enthusiasts: been coming across claims the entire day that Fiat is testing the C 635 gearbox used internationally in India to replace the age-old, clumsy C 549 unit being employed here currently. This ought to iron out one of the biggest flaws in the product and would certainly go a long way to change a neutral-minded guy like me's opinion on the car as right now I still firmly believe it is all motor and not much else for an Abarth product

[Joxster]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

Great news for enthusiasts: been coming across claims the entire day that Fiat is testing the C 635 gearbox used internationally in India to replace the age-old, clumsy C 549 unit being employed here currently. This ought to iron out one of the biggest flaws in the product and would certainly go a long way to change a neutral-minded guy like me's opinion on the car as right now I still firmly believe it is all motor and not much else for an Abarth product

Are there any credible sources for this information, or is it all based on hearsay? I don't mean any offense, but I'm sure that quite a few more people would be interested if this news is indeed true, hence the question .

Also, just for clarification, have you heard about this gearbox being tested only for the Abarth Punto; or for other cars in the line up. They have put the AMT in the Abarth 595 Competizione, even though it is a much more premium hatch.