The Fiat Linea test drive thread

SkyWalker · 19th January 2009, 12:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by harry10

5.- Sales guy told me a FE of 18-20 in city, well any idea about that?

Impossible! The usual case of an overzealous sales guy. Dont think we can practically expect over 15 kmpl in cities and 20 kmpl in highways.

Congrats Amit! Arent we seeing a lot of bookings for Linea here? Bodes well for the car!

zoom_vroom · 19th January 2009, 12:40

I also test drove a Linea yesterday at Tayal Motors, Faridabad.
All other niggles regarding plastic quality etc can be lived with out but for me the car seemed underpowered.
With 4 on board i was left wanting for more power.
The turbo surge is not at all felt even past 2500 RPM.
I was hoping for good performance but have been let down.
How i wished that the Linea would challenge the ANHC to the level that Honda starts throwing in goodies for their stripped down ANHC.

deepakhon · 19th January 2009, 13:04

I took a test drive of Linea Emotion 1.3 JTD variant at Concorde Motors, Mysore Rd, Bangalore on Saturday.

Likes:

1. Design.
2. Build quality.
3. Boot Space.
4. Steering feel.
5. Handling.
6. Ride Quality.
7. Gizmos.
8. Sound insulation.
9. Turning Radius (Yes. It turned better than my Palio, even though the turning radius is more than Palio).
10. AC.

Dislikes:

1. The way the power is delivered.
2. Power itself.
3. Biege colouring scheme in interiors.
4. Slightly claustrophobic rear.

I did not have a good enough test drive to test the car enough. There were some 10 people before me and around the same number of people after me for the test drive. So, I could not get a long enough drive.

The first two gear ratios are pretty short. You will reach about 3.5k rpm in no time.
The third seems to be pretty flexible, and it also pulls well. I never ventured out to test gears 4 and 5.

The chassis balance is wonderful. The handling is pretty agile and is not edgy like Palio. What palio does with a little degree of difficulty, the Linea does it more as a matter-of-fact. For example, very sudden lane changes.

The ride seemed very good. We went over a hump and did not feel a thing.

I admit I should take another test drive to get a fair enough idea about the car's capabilities.

Also, I am planning to take a test drive of ANHC over this weekend.

diabloo · 19th January 2009, 13:11

@deepakhon thats a nice review !

BTW, thats also your 1000th post !!

deepakhon · 19th January 2009, 14:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by diabloo

BTW, thats also your 1000th post !!

I did not realize that! Thanks for pointing it out.

harry10 · 19th January 2009, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

Impossible! The usual case of an overzealous sales guy. Dont think we can practically expect over 15 kmpl in cities and 20 kmpl in highways.

Congrats Amit! Arent we seeing a lot of bookings for Linea here? Bodes well for the car!

Right, thats what i thought. It should give somewhere 15-17 in city depending on how you drive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoom_vroom

I also test drove a Linea yesterday at Tayal Motors, Faridabad.
All other niggles regarding plastic quality etc can be lived with out but for me the car seemed underpowered.
With 4 on board i was left wanting for more power.
The turbo surge is not at all felt even past 2500 RPM.
I was hoping for good performance but have been let down.
How i wished that the Linea would challenge the ANHC to the level that Honda starts throwing in goodies for their stripped down ANHC.

Hey were u there around 4pm for test drive along with 2 other guys and a Uncle ji?
In any case u must have gotten the same silver dynamic one for TD which i didn't liked at all.
Failed 2 mention in my review Silver color looks damn boring on this car.

A.R · 19th January 2009, 15:40

"Underpowered" is one word for the Linea. Superb build, nice design, good space, decent interiors, but Damn...doesn't wanna run!

This is my feeling of driving a Linea. PS: I was ripping my Baleno to the Tata showroom.

I would want a more powerful engine for the price I pay - 9.5 lacs OTR top end diesel & I get a heavily underpowered 'Palio' engine. Come one atleast the 1.6 MJD! This is not the way to cut excise costs!

On a diff note, Fiat should have consulted Maruti on how to make thin sheet metal body to reduce weight!

zoom_vroom · 19th January 2009, 15:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by harry10

Right, thats what i thought. It should give somewhere 15-17 in city depending on how you drive.
Hey were u there around 4pm for test drive along with 2 other guys and a Uncle ji?
In any case u must have gotten the same silver dynamic one for TD which i didn't liked at all.
Failed 2 mention in my review Silver color looks damn boring on this car.

Yeah i was there with my dad and another customer who joined us for a TD.
But i must say that the car left me disappointed with its performance.

marlinspike · 19th January 2009, 16:07

Linea has the best looking rear in cars below 15 L. profile looks good too.
All round visibility is very good due to the lower glass lines all around.
Lot of little details that done right.

There is not a single blunt line inside the car, everything flows so smoothly.

The face of the car from up front has that cat-fishy look that has been mentioned here.The front lamps themselves and the facia are ok its the fact that the head lamp assembly is more to the side rather than to the front that is causing the visual disorientation. Maybe the looks will grow on us, certainly when DZire and santro could do so.

Rear Head room is not really an issue its made out to be and from the rear seat the road in front is so far away what with the extra sloping windshield and all.

The center console does not really gel with the rest of the car and in the lighting inside the showroom looked more like the beige plastic that has turned more brown over 15 years on a home appliance and console's shape hints more to some thing like that.

Fabric could have been done better though its ok.

The engine's specs look even more puny after looking at the car. Looks more like it needs a two litre engine with upwards of 130 bhp rather than a 1.3/1/4 with 86/90 bhp.

Fiat needs to add a better engine lineup. They should have done this to themselves after the mess up with the 1.6 palio's milage issue that led them to do a 1.1 palio.
going to the other extreme is not really the way to fix an issue.

If looking for a car in the range 7-9 L that will drive you around in style this is the one
especially for the chauffeur driven or the sedate type.

finneyp · 19th January 2009, 16:35

I test drove Fiat Linea last Sat'day at Concorde Motors, Mysore road, Bangalore.

Exteriors
It looks stylish, big and appealing.
The front grille inspired from Maserati and large headlamps enhances its fab looks.
The rear looked elegant as well.

Interiors
Though not a big fan of beige interiors, the beige on Linea was light and warm.
The central console with integrated Blaupunkt music system, AC and host of other controls with orange backlight was pleasing to the eyes.
Typical with Fiat cars, dashboard is driver-centric and ergonomic.
The white speedo & tacho dials and electronic odo was cool.
Arms rests for driver & at rear are welcome & convenient for long drives.
Steering was very handy & responsive.
But the sore point, side indicators are on the left side.
Couldn't try out the Blue&Me feature.
The rear space is decent, I am 6 foot tall, and there was still around 2 inches space above my head.
The boot space is Humungous!

Engine & Performance
On my TD, there were 5 adults + 1 kid in the car, and with the AC on, the engine was put on a rigourous test.
I slot the gear to 1st, and release the clutch, surprising the car moves on without any grouse.
I was impressed, I move to 2nd gear and slighlty press the gas pedal, the car pushes on.
On 3rd gear, the car surges and picks up the speed and I also could hear the sweet revving sound from the engine.
The engine may not be very fast on the blocks, but it offers good drivebility with reasonably good power and torque.
The clutch was soft, unlike the hard one in Palio.

Ride & Handling.
Another trade mark of Fiat, ride quality was awesome.
The car was well planted and took the turns gracefully at bit high speeds.
Turning radius is pretty good for its size & length, surprisingly better than Palio.
Brakes were pretty effective.
Also the Visibility was very good, again better than Palio.

Overall, I am impressed with this stylish sedan from Fiat, a good choice for a family car, it has got looks, luxorious interiors, decent space, huge boot, proven deisel engine, good drivebility and most importantly bang for the bucks!

harry10 · 19th January 2009, 16:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoom_vroom

Yeah i was there with my dad and another customer who joined us for a TD.
But i must say that the car left me disappointed with its performance.

Same here. I knew car is underpowered but

madan80 · 19th January 2009, 17:03

the sales guy took the car out of the dealership and i was sitting in the back. with the seat a bit in front, the back seat was mighty comfortble. when i took the wheel, i found the car to be nicely powered. i wouldnt say awesome power, but yes, gets me from A -> B sans issues.
the suspension appeared to be good, and the handling of bad roads was in its stride. i drove through some traffic, and the car and visibility was pretty decent.

all in all- appears to be a good package. now- the question on will i buy it?
that needs to be seen!

deepakhon · 19th January 2009, 17:08

@Finney,

I did see a Silver coloured Palio with a PUG sticker at about 12 noon. Was it you by any chance? I was there with my family. Mine was a purple coloured Palio.

oss · 19th January 2009, 20:55

Finally, after chasing Concord, VST, TAFE for a test drive vehicle, managed to get the TD vehicle from TAFE Access.

It was a very short TD though, as the sales person was busy making plans for lunch with someone on his mobile, and was hurrying me to complete the TD quickly

With the short drive i had, unfortunately, i did find the vehicle to be a slow mover. One has to work the engine hard to get it moving. Zipping through traffic or overtaking quickly in traffic might not be possible with this engine. People like me, obssessed with screeching starts when the traffic light turns green, will sure get disappointed with this car.

Having said that it pulls very nicely in the 3rd gear, but one has to give it some time to move ahead. This car will be a very good option for people preferring chauffer driven cars.

The visibility is great, and the ride & handling are superb, and is quite agile. Gear shift wasn't great, but nothing to complain anyway. The engine sure makes its presence felt (if not by speed, by noise levels certainly) when the pedal is pushed hard. The AC was just ok.

The fit and finish of interior plastics are questionable, as the glove box already was hanging loose, and the rear armrest felt quite tacky. Ultimately it boils down to the price equation, and Fiat sure has priced it damn well.

I will still reserve my comments, and would go for a proper testdrive before passing my verdict.

Did a testdrive of ANHC manual version after this, and boy the car sure feels powerful, and the AC is quite a chiller. If only they give half the features found in Linea

harry10 · 19th January 2009, 21:01

My Q remains - Will Pete's box be of any help here?

19th January 2009, 12:40	#152
zoom_vroom BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Faridabad Posts: 262 Thanked: 52 Times	I also test drove a Linea yesterday at Tayal Motors, Faridabad. All other niggles regarding plastic quality etc can be lived with out but for me the car seemed underpowered. With 4 on board i was left wanting for more power. The turbo surge is not at all felt even past 2500 RPM. I was hoping for good performance but have been let down. How i wished that the Linea would challenge the ANHC to the level that Honda starts throwing in goodies for their stripped down ANHC.
	() Thanks

19th January 2009, 13:04	#153
deepakhon Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,441 Thanked: 65 Times	I took a test drive of Linea Emotion 1.3 JTD variant at Concorde Motors, Mysore Rd, Bangalore on Saturday. Likes: 1. Design. 2. Build quality. 3. Boot Space. 4. Steering feel. 5. Handling. 6. Ride Quality. 7. Gizmos. 8. Sound insulation. 9. Turning Radius (Yes. It turned better than my Palio, even though the turning radius is more than Palio). 10. AC. Dislikes: 1. The way the power is delivered. 2. Power itself. 3. Biege colouring scheme in interiors. 4. Slightly claustrophobic rear. I did not have a good enough test drive to test the car enough. There were some 10 people before me and around the same number of people after me for the test drive. So, I could not get a long enough drive. The first two gear ratios are pretty short. You will reach about 3.5k rpm in no time. The third seems to be pretty flexible, and it also pulls well. I never ventured out to test gears 4 and 5. The chassis balance is wonderful. The handling is pretty agile and is not edgy like Palio. What palio does with a little degree of difficulty, the Linea does it more as a matter-of-fact. For example, very sudden lane changes. The ride seemed very good. We went over a hump and did not feel a thing. I admit I should take another test drive to get a fair enough idea about the car's capabilities. Also, I am planning to take a test drive of ANHC over this weekend.
	() Thanks

19th January 2009, 13:11	#154
diabloo BANNED Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bengalooru Posts: 1,480 Thanked: 17 Times	@deepakhon thats a nice review ! BTW, thats also your 1000th post !!
	() Thanks

19th January 2009, 15:40	#157
A.R BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 151 Thanked: 11 Times	"Underpowered" is one word for the Linea. Superb build, nice design, good space, decent interiors, but Damn...doesn't wanna run! This is my feeling of driving a Linea. PS: I was ripping my Baleno to the Tata showroom. I would want a more powerful engine for the price I pay - 9.5 lacs OTR top end diesel & I get a heavily underpowered 'Palio' engine. Come one atleast the 1.6 MJD! This is not the way to cut excise costs! On a diff note, Fiat should have consulted Maruti on how to make thin sheet metal body to reduce weight!
	() Thanks

19th January 2009, 16:07	#159
marlinspike BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 193 Thanked: 3 Times	Linea has the best looking rear in cars below 15 L. profile looks good too. All round visibility is very good due to the lower glass lines all around. Lot of little details that done right. There is not a single blunt line inside the car, everything flows so smoothly. The face of the car from up front has that cat-fishy look that has been mentioned here.The front lamps themselves and the facia are ok its the fact that the head lamp assembly is more to the side rather than to the front that is causing the visual disorientation. Maybe the looks will grow on us, certainly when DZire and santro could do so. Rear Head room is not really an issue its made out to be and from the rear seat the road in front is so far away what with the extra sloping windshield and all. The center console does not really gel with the rest of the car and in the lighting inside the showroom looked more like the beige plastic that has turned more brown over 15 years on a home appliance and console's shape hints more to some thing like that. Fabric could have been done better though its ok. The engine's specs look even more puny after looking at the car. Looks more like it needs a two litre engine with upwards of 130 bhp rather than a 1.3/1/4 with 86/90 bhp. Fiat needs to add a better engine lineup. They should have done this to themselves after the mess up with the 1.6 palio's milage issue that led them to do a 1.1 palio. going to the other extreme is not really the way to fix an issue. If looking for a car in the range 7-9 L that will drive you around in style this is the one especially for the chauffeur driven or the sedate type.
	() Thanks

19th January 2009, 16:35	#160
finneyp Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,716 Thanked: 319 Times View My Garage	I test drove Fiat Linea last Sat'day at Concorde Motors, Mysore road, Bangalore. Exteriors It looks stylish, big and appealing. The front grille inspired from Maserati and large headlamps enhances its fab looks. The rear looked elegant as well. Interiors Though not a big fan of beige interiors, the beige on Linea was light and warm. The central console with integrated Blaupunkt music system, AC and host of other controls with orange backlight was pleasing to the eyes. Typical with Fiat cars, dashboard is driver-centric and ergonomic. The white speedo & tacho dials and electronic odo was cool. Arms rests for driver & at rear are welcome & convenient for long drives. Steering was very handy & responsive. But the sore point, side indicators are on the left side. Couldn't try out the Blue&Me feature. The rear space is decent, I am 6 foot tall, and there was still around 2 inches space above my head. The boot space is Humungous! Engine & Performance On my TD, there were 5 adults + 1 kid in the car, and with the AC on, the engine was put on a rigourous test. I slot the gear to 1st, and release the clutch, surprising the car moves on without any grouse. I was impressed, I move to 2nd gear and slighlty press the gas pedal, the car pushes on. On 3rd gear, the car surges and picks up the speed and I also could hear the sweet revving sound from the engine. The engine may not be very fast on the blocks, but it offers good drivebility with reasonably good power and torque. The clutch was soft, unlike the hard one in Palio. Ride & Handling. Another trade mark of Fiat, ride quality was awesome. The car was well planted and took the turns gracefully at bit high speeds. Turning radius is pretty good for its size & length, surprisingly better than Palio. Brakes were pretty effective. Also the Visibility was very good, again better than Palio. Overall, I am impressed with this stylish sedan from Fiat, a good choice for a family car, it has got looks, luxorious interiors, decent space, huge boot, proven deisel engine, good drivebility and most importantly bang for the bucks!
	() Thanks

19th January 2009, 17:03	#162
madan80 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 1,360 Thanked: 80 Times View My Garage	the sales guy took the car out of the dealership and i was sitting in the back. with the seat a bit in front, the back seat was mighty comfortble. when i took the wheel, i found the car to be nicely powered. i wouldnt say awesome power, but yes, gets me from A -> B sans issues. the suspension appeared to be good, and the handling of bad roads was in its stride. i drove through some traffic, and the car and visibility was pretty decent. all in all- appears to be a good package. now- the question on will i buy it? that needs to be seen!
	() Thanks

19th January 2009, 17:08	#163
deepakhon Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,441 Thanked: 65 Times	@Finney, I did see a Silver coloured Palio with a PUG sticker at about 12 noon. Was it you by any chance? I was there with my family. Mine was a purple coloured Palio.
	() Thanks

19th January 2009, 20:55	#164
oss BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chennai Posts: 683 Thanked: 6 Times	Finally, after chasing Concord, VST, TAFE for a test drive vehicle, managed to get the TD vehicle from TAFE Access. It was a very short TD though, as the sales person was busy making plans for lunch with someone on his mobile, and was hurrying me to complete the TD quickly With the short drive i had, unfortunately, i did find the vehicle to be a slow mover. One has to work the engine hard to get it moving. Zipping through traffic or overtaking quickly in traffic might not be possible with this engine. People like me, obssessed with screeching starts when the traffic light turns green, will sure get disappointed with this car. Having said that it pulls very nicely in the 3rd gear, but one has to give it some time to move ahead. This car will be a very good option for people preferring chauffer driven cars. The visibility is great, and the ride & handling are superb, and is quite agile. Gear shift wasn't great, but nothing to complain anyway. The engine sure makes its presence felt (if not by speed, by noise levels certainly) when the pedal is pushed hard. The AC was just ok. The fit and finish of interior plastics are questionable, as the glove box already was hanging loose, and the rear armrest felt quite tacky. Ultimately it boils down to the price equation, and Fiat sure has priced it damn well. I will still reserve my comments, and would go for a proper testdrive before passing my verdict. Did a testdrive of ANHC manual version after this, and boy the car sure feels powerful, and the AC is quite a chiller. If only they give half the features found in Linea Last edited by oss : 19th January 2009 at 20:59.
	() Thanks

19th January 2009, 21:01	#165
harry10 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Faridabad/Delhi Posts: 2,713 Thanked: 3,627 Times View My Garage	My Q remains - Will Pete's box be of any help here?
	() Thanks