[jassi]

Originally Posted by GTO

6. A lot more chuckable (size, light controls, turning radius).

GTO - can you better define the chuckability of a car - i feel i can chuck around my santro xing too is it just the smallness of a car - is fiat 500 the most chuckable ?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

You must have driven both, could you comment the driveablility of both in City. ( I have driven Linea P and never found it hard to drive in city)

You answered your question yourself, with the last sentence. IMHO, the Punto D has good driveability. Even the 1.4 pulls clean from as low as 10 kph in second gear (all the way to 80).

Originally Posted by finneyp

Alto is the best car for City driving, so can we compare Punto and Alto here?

Actually, IMHO, the i10 is a better city car than the Alto. Not to mention, the pricing of the Alto & Punto are entirely different.

Originally Posted by himanshugoswami

Although there would certainly be an overlap, the target audience by and large would be different for an i 10 and GP.

As neotraveller pointed out earlier, we are comparing cars in two different segment!

Agreed that i10 is easier to drive than Punto in the city. But its a smaller car and they are targeted in different segments (price-bracket) and can't be compared directly.

You wanna bet that they will be cross-shopped? Why should they not be compared when a majority of the customer base will be doing so? By that reckoning, the Linea should not be compared to others from the C segment (City etc.) even though the pricing puts it right there. Do we compare the Linea to the City or to the Civic?

1. The i10 is one of the segment leaders in the 5 lakh rupee price range. One that the Punto wants a slice of.

2. Ex-Delhi prices for the i10 (1.2) & the Punto (1.2) = 394730 versus 399552. Within 5,000 bucks of each other! High end variant (not AT) : 494782 versus 506573 (Emotion not PK).

If the Punto offers an XL size within the same price band as other competitors, that's a big plus. But that doesn't take away from the fact that they will be cross-shopped and compared to in detail. The pro's and con's of each, that I have outlined, is exactly how the customers mind will run. I can give you several more examples in each segment:

- Indica is the largest for the price, but it does compete against smaller hatches & tall boys

- The Accord is bigger than even the E-Class. Yet competes against the Laura, Camry etc.

- If size were the only consideration in comparisons, then we should take the Fabia down to even lower than the Indica!

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Alto and Punto have a very different interior space as well as available features
I10, i20, Vista, Swift, Fabia, Getz, Punto all come under large hatches.
Fabia and Jazz are top of the range, and Vista etc., are at the bottom of the large hatch range.

i10 a large hatch???? I am i missing something here.

Originally Posted by GTO

If the Punto offers an XL size within the same price band as other competitors, that's a big plus. But that doesn't take away from the fact that they will be cross-shopped and compared to in detail. The pro's and con's of each, that I have outlined, is exactly how the customers mind will run.

So how convenient it is for manufacturers.... make a small car, over price it so that it compares with a car which is a segment higher?
IMHO its not a fair comparsion... not fair on the Punto and on the i10.

[ms001]

Originally Posted by CliffHanger

I love the GP for the sheer comfy level it offers to the tall drivers, I have booked a black MJD active and expecting it to get delivered in 2weeks.
Btw, my dealer has agreed to replace my tyres and rims with that of emotion pk tyres and alloys,I don't know how he said that, but he was very sure that he could do that for me.

Have a great day guys!!

My Best wishes!!!

congrats , i am also planning to get the same MJD active.
Have you seen the active variant?
are there any other differences other than those mentioned on the site.
Is the My car functionality same in all versions?

how much are the tires and alloys costing you

[GTO]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

So how convenient it is for manufacturers.... make a small car, over price it so that it compares with a car which is a segment higher?

Well, the market decides their fate doesn't it?

IMHO its not a fair comparsion... not fair on the Punto and on the i10.

I agree. They are from different segments. My point is : They will still be compared and cross-shopped.

[blinder]

Fiat Punto has had my so hooked up to these forums that i had been checking them every hour for the past 3 weeks. It has brought me to Team-BHP as well.

Coming to the point, yesterday has a test drive of Punto 1.3 MJD Red Emotion Pack, and here are some of observations:

1. The exterior looks refreshing and 'bold'. The rear is a bit bland though.
2. The build look tough and there is a sense of heaviness in the car. I did notice some panel gaps between the hood and front bumper in one of the show room pieces.
3. Paint quality is top notch.
4. Interiors are strictly average. They are neither inviting to the eye, nor making it turn away.
5. I hated the USB port being in such an inaccessible place.
6. Sat in the Linea after the Punto, and there is this sense of luxury in the interiors which is missing in the Punto in spite of having the same dashboard bits.
7. Coming to the contraverisial aspect of rear leg room, putting the front seat in the best position for a 5' 9'', there are ample space in the rear, I can even more than Indica. I agree with Fiat CEO who recently said that the only mistake on their part is to allowed too much travel for the front seat.
8. The engine: Power delivery of the engine was very linear and the growl puts a smile on your face. Took no time to reach 120kmph. The noise is very much audible beyond 2000 RPM even with AC being ON.
9. Clutch was light but had a long travel which was inaccessible.
10. Dead Pedal's position is a joke.
11. Gear shift was good, not the shortest throw. I had difficult in shifting from 5th to 4th.
12. Steering is bit on the harder side. Very comfortable to hold.
13. Best part of the car is the comfort. I haven on the same road in Wagon R's and the difference was immediately apparent. Road noise is not noticable at all. No vibrations of any kind till speeds of 120 KMPH..
14. The car is very stable at speeds of 120 KMPH. It took no time to reach there, I bet the engine is not underpowered.
15. Suspension is stiff, and yet comfortable. Cornering was a breeze.
16. The spring behind the door handle is very much visible. Never seen this even in a M800.
17. Ingress wasn't particularly easy. My left leg kept hitting the steering column.
18. Front and side visibility is good. Rear is average.
19. ORVM quality is bad. There is a huge gap between the mirror and casing in top left side and seems would fall off any time.
20. Blue n Me's lady voice isn't pleasant. Might get irritating over time.

Got first hand experience of the service level of the sales executives. They seem not too interested in selling the car. I visited the showroom earlier and they said TD vehicle is not available and he would give me a call when ready, and the call never came. The level of training for the executives is not up to the mark. They could not explain what Automatic Climate Control is. The other guy who accompanied me for TD with me and also felt the steering is hard, and the sales executive answers its hard because it has a thumb rest in it.

Overall I loved the car and would be getting one soon. Need to decide on the trim level and have my dad take a TD.

[Crimson]

Firstly, welcome back Team-BHP!

Over the weekend I finally got a change to drive the Punto. Here is what I feel.

Exterior: Enough said already. She looks just stunning. One point i noticed however was the extremely low quality rear wiper water jet nozzle. I know its a very minor thing and i guess i am just being finicky but if you look closely, its a pinkish red cheap plastic ball with a small slit in it. Seriously, the thought that came to mind was that it was pinched off one of those plastic water guns we buy from a 49x99 shop during Holi! But then again its small enough to consciously ignore.

Headlights: Stock bulbs are Phillips 55/60w. This could become an issue cause if we want to change the bulbs to higher wattage we would have to put in a better cut-out and im sure that would void the warranty on something. Tested that car in the afternoon so cant comment on how good they actually throw light.

Instrument Cluster: Just gorgeous! The way the dials light up is just amazing.

After I Stepped In: I am currently driving an old M800 so as soon as i stepped in I liked what I saw! It gave an overall plush feel. However after spending some time in the car i soon came to realize that the dash and overall plastic dint have that expensive feel to them. If you start looking closely you realize this. But I feel fiat has done well to camouflage most of the low quality bits. Though some of the materials may be sub standard, the overall feel is consistent and pleasant inside the car. Personally I like the linea two tone beige color scheme. I feel the beige gives a feel of more space.
Just a thought: Maybe a good high gloss plastic polish would do the trick on the dash? Any ideas / warnings?

The Drive: I drove both the petrol 1.4 and the diesel. Personally I liked the diesel better. Maybe I'm wrong but i feel the petrol lacked low end torque and unless i really pressed the accelerator the pick up wasn't that great. Now even the diesel had the same problem but the difference is that one expects that out of a diesel and not of a petrol. Maybe on a longer drive my opinion would change but from that small test drive (route fixed by the dealer), I liked the diesel better.
Its as if we would have to keep the revs continuously high to get performance out of the petrol and in tight city traffic I would not want to have to rev so high. The diesel on the other hand gave me that surge I was looking for. In 2nd it wasn't that great but in 3rd she pulls really well and she can pull in 3rd from very low speeds. Yes the diesel does not have the same FTD factor as you would get even in the Palio MJD. The pick up is noticeable less but once you get used to her its surely something at least I can live with. I would surely pete this car and once that's done I'm guessing things would be just fine.
Overall after hearing all the reviews of the MJD being underpowered I was quite put off, but after the drive I found it to be quite manageable. Its no rocket, but its quite enjoyable to drive. I quite enjoyed the pick up in 3rd. I would urge people to actually gauge the pickup and acceleration from a more practical standpoint. How often are you going to do a dart to 100? We do tend to get carried away with these statistics and and numbers at times. As long it has the "drivability" factor, it would be just fine - and this it does have. Its really not as bad as people make it out to be.

One question: I wonder how the gear ratios would affect the potential increase in power we would get after pete'ing the car. Can anyone throw some light on this please?

Suspension: Just Superb.
The Gear Shifts:I dint like it!I was comparing it to the SWIFT. I just expected so much more. She shifts fine but that feel good factor of an effortless shift was missing. It seemed a little rubbery and vague. That "Click" or the "Slotted In" feeling wasn't there. I guess the key aspect that was missing was some feedback after the shift is made. This is not a deal breaker for me considering that its leagues ahead of a M800 that I currently drive, but having felt the SWIFT gear shifts I was quite disappointed.

Noise & Vibration (MJD Version): Significantly more than the Vista. I was disappointed with this. It gets worse when the engine is revved.
Just a thought: Can the material that is used for door damping when installing good audio system be used in some way to reduce the noise levels? Any ideas here?

The Dead Pedal: IRRITATING!! It just keeps getting in the way. I don't have very big and wide feet so although from other TD reports I was aware of this issue I was not expecting it to bother me much. But my foot kept grazing it. I hope its just screwed on. It should be removed, cut to size and screwed back. If its fused or molded we're gonna have to find a way to cut it to size. This is a real irritant.

Wiper & Indicator Switches:Not once did i get it right! I'm used to the M800 so whenever i wanted to activate the turning indicator the wiper would come on. This is going to take some time to get used to.

Audio System: OK'ish till a volume of 12 on the dial. The song: Chris Daughtry - Home. But when i switch to Nickleback - Rock Star I could hear a bit of distortion. I WILL add an amp and change the speakers. Just very worried about the warranty part. Any info on how to go about this without voiding any warranty would be appreciated.

The Rear Window: Why FIAT why!! I used to own an old padmini and i just hated the fact that the rear window would not go down all the way. Why couldn't they just put in a quarter glass the way everybody else does and let the rear window go down all the way. I don't buy that safety story! By the safety reasoning, every other car would be unsafe for children!

The Bummer: I don't know why, but after the test drives I felt a little nautious and buzzed. It took a while for the slight giddy feeling to go. I guess it was the distinct new car smell that got to me. I have never felt this way before while driving. I am really worried about this. I hope this does not become a continuous problem.

Overall i'd give the car a . Will soon go in for the Black Emotion Pack Diesel. On road in Pune thats 6.83L

If anyone's interested, here is some Loan information that I was given:
HDFC (11.5%) with a 5L loan for 5 years thats an EMI of 10850 Rs per month and an initial payment of 1.95L. This includes the extended warranty of 4 years

Note from the Team-BHP Support Staff : Your post has been edited since it contained one too many smilies. Team-BHP is viewed by people from all walks of life, and they prefer an uncluttered post protocol. We would much appreciate you restricting the smilie usage to 2 per post.

Thanks!

[Eddy]

Nice review Crimson, but do have a look at the rules. Not more than two smilies allowed per post

[Crimson]

Originally Posted by blinder

They seem not too interested in selling the car. I visited the showroom earlier and they said TD vehicle is not available and he would give me a call when ready, and the call never came. The level of training for the executives is not up to the mark.

I will second that! I was more interested in buying the car than the sales guy was interested in selling it!

Originally Posted by Eddy

Nice review Crimson, but do have a look at the rules. Not more than two smilies allowed per post

My Bad! I'm sorry. Wont happen again.

[extreme_torque]

Test drove one yesterday. The suspension, ride and handling is in a different league altogether. In contrast Swift chassis feels like its made of cardboard and is suspended on Bamboo sticks!
The diesel engine isnt electric but its reasonably fast. The first gear is very short, second onwards the car is absolutely fine. I must admit that the engine didnt exactly felt effortless maybe becuase it was a brand new engine. I am sure after some kms the engine will definitely open up. For the ride, body roll is minimal, the steering is perfectly weighed, the best part about the car.
Interior plastics are more or less same as the Indica Vista while some are better, especially the switches around the dashboard and the steering wheel.
Overall a wonderful hatch priced just right.
Also had a dekho at Hyundai i20 immediately after the Punto.... the door thud is absent, made the same closing sound as an i10, the interiors quality is much better but the steering wheel design is insipid. Couldnt drive it but I feel it wont be able to match the steering, ride and handling combo of the Punto.

[CliffHanger]

@MS001,RoyaclCruiser

Guys, before I saw the red GP, I thought black GP is the hottest and decided to book it, but then after having a look at the red GP, I was bowled over and immediately changed my thought of booking the black one..

I have booked Red-MJD-Active, I saw the active in flesh and I like the dash not being dual-tone.Yet, the central console along with the monochrome AC vents looks a tad faded and old, but then I don't have to shell an extra 70 grands to get the emotion pack.I feel anyone buying GP should either go for the Emotion pk variant or the Active variant.The other 2 variants doesn't offer VFM for the price quoted.

Have to leave now guys, will continue in my next post...

Have a nice day..

[amoghchaphalkar]

Originally Posted by Crimson

I will second that! I was more interested in buying the car than the sales guy was interested in selling it!

That is because Fiat has given incomplete information to the sales force. From whatever I have seen, read and heard.. Fiat launched this car in a haste without giving proper information or training to the sales force on the ground

Only because the product is good .. they have survived

[furioussphinx]

Car booked, amount paid, the wait is on, and am officially getting the first punto in the city. Ive gone for an exotic red MJD active. I felt the active and the emotion pack to be VFM. Active fitted my budget aptly. The wait seems to be like forever, 4 more days to go! Will give a detailed initial report along with loads of pics over this weekend.

[amulu10]

Here in Chennai its worse. the dealer has no idea when the rto issue will be solved . !

[gautomobile]

Booked!
Emotion Pack MJD!
Medium Grey!

At B U Bhandari, Pune. The sales executive was knowlwdgeble and cooperative. In all we got a very good treatment at the showroom. Would be getting delivery on the 11th next month. Cant wait!