Tested: Fiat Punto 1.3 MJD Emotion pack

amit · 19th June 2009, 20:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanderhermit

When will the disparities end and Indian market is stopped being judged as developing market, fit for sale of low budget variants only.

India is a developing and maturing market. It's a fact and not something that manufacturer's are judging. Would you buy a Punto 1.6 MJd 120bhp Emotion pack for 8.75 Lakhs? I don't know about the Jazz but the Punto and i20 are avaliable with the same engines in the same state of tune abroad as they are in India so we are getting what the international market gets. Yes, Europeans get more engine options but how many Punto's and i20's sell in EU and how many in India? Upto a few months back we used to blast Fiat saying they are selling cars made specially for third world countries and not giving us their international range. Now they are giving us what they give in Italy. But we are still unhappy!

The premium hatch segment is a new one in India. Who knows if it matures fast we maybe driving Punto 1.4 TJET and 1.6 MJd in 24 months from now.

k_ajay · 19th June 2009, 21:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolboy007

Looks are subjective but its way too subjective in your case. This is the 1st post in 800 + so far in Punto thread that says it looks like an "ugly toad". Isnt that too much, ugly toad.
Which car looks beautiful to you? Ritz, swift or Jazz?

Anything Maruti will look beautiful.... lol

Can't believe someone just said the Punto looks ugly..

nurni76 · 19th June 2009, 21:12

Your comment was unwarranted. I just said I felt the car looks ugly and Swift looks better amongst the lot (Jazz, Swift and Ritz). I am not bound by a hundred other supporters to concur on looks am I? So your view of Swift looking like a frog from behind is your view and I respect that.
But the comment on one being high on grass was in a bad taste

Quote:

Originally Posted by maverickxx2006

Looks can be subjective but not at this level to say Swift is better looking than Punto. One needs to be high on grass to say this..

Swift really looks like frogs behind.

k_ajay · 19th June 2009, 21:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

+1 Rightly said. When FIAT launched 1.6 people came up with FE. When Linea is giving good FE, people are asking for performance. It difficult to cater Indian customers

lol... exactly.. indian customers are the most demanding... If I'm not wrong, when the famed 1.2 TSI petrol engine makes it to India, which is a good combination of fuel efficiency and power, we will have a problem with you know what.... Price...

Unbelieveable!!

PAVAN KADAM · 19th June 2009, 22:13

Sid,

Thanks for the wonderfully detailed review.

I have driven all the present hatchbacks available presently and all of them share the same FIAT (out of the world great engines),leaving the i20 out. Here are my views.

1) Maruti Swift DDIS = Good tuning done on the Fiat engine, peppy, but presently all Maruti's are so claustrophobic

2) Fiat Palio Multijet = A stonker of a car, wonderfully put together, but its showing age.

3) Indica Vista Quadrajet = Spacious, great mile muncher, linear power delivery, wonderfully priced.

4) i20 = Apart from a great looker, and a great luggage room, and a smooth underpowered petrol engine, its nothing great to talk about, Horrible interiors and equipment and cramped.

Never driven the punto as yet, but its a great looker and seems to have a great airy feeling from inside, and ofcourse nothing much to talk about its chic italian looks and a fantabulous multijet engine.

Dying to get my hands on a TD car.

Here's my uncles i20 and Vista

finneyp · 19th June 2009, 22:15

Pavan, next time your Uncle or Aunt ask your suggestion for a car, I hope you will recommend G Punto

PAVAN KADAM · 19th June 2009, 22:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by finneyp

Pavan, next time your Uncle or Aunt ask your suggestion for a car, I hope you will recommend G Punto

Most of the cars in my family circle are strictly followed by my guidelines and brainstorming.

I preach so much that they get fed up and book the car

Its my friends turn in letting his beloved Alto go, he does not want to part with it, but i want him to get the Punto, watch out for this space.. lol

Trust_In_Thrust · 19th June 2009, 22:45

I drove the punto 1.3 MJD Emotion today.In addition to great review by members here i have few things to add on.
1.) People saying it is slower than Swift .In swift the power delivery is not at all linear leading to frequent gear changes in city.In punto the power is so linear i at times felt who needs an automatic with such torque spread across revs.So this means the fuel efficiency will be better .Also since gear changes will be lot less this also means vastly improved clutch life .And since powr is linear i was able to control it much better compared to the control of sudden surge in swift.
2.)Suspension gemotery is world class .taking quick lane changes was awsome fun.And the faster i went the better the car became .handling is just benchmark for a hatch.
3.) Also if anyone noticed the radiator and condenser are much bigger than swift so less load on electricals and better cooling .In swift etc they are much smaller and the condenser is even smaller.
4.) Also unlike few other cars the silencer is installed underneath such that it will never hit the speed breakers as it is placed such .
5.) the roar is sport when pushed.
6.) The Cd player i found much cleaner and better than the swift OEM.
All view personal.

GTO · 19th June 2009, 23:20

Man Sid, I really gotta hand it to you. Here I am after completing a 660 kms round trip in the Grande Punto. And you post your driving review before I even get home!! You indeed are the official Scoop-King. Kudos to the spirit of this community. She never ever fails to leave me speechless.

Lots of data + pictures to shortlist. Shall have my share uploaded tommorow.

amit_mechengg · 19th June 2009, 23:28

@ sidindica,

awesome write up. i think you should become a writer for some automobile magazine. you are just way ahead. i think next time you will write a review before manufacturer launches their car. haha. just kidding.

one thing i wanted to ask is how did you find the rear seat inclination? and do you have any interior snaps, i mean the rear benches? with the front seat set back?

vinaydas · 20th June 2009, 00:12

great review.
but somehow i don't like the looks of the punto.
The palio is a much more handsome car.
Pity it dint get the respect it deserved.

ramzsys · 20th June 2009, 00:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Good detailed review.
Maruti has mastered the calibration for this good little diesel mill.

From the papers and by driving the swift, it is easy to conclude swift performs better, because of the lightness of it.
But your statement regarding the calibration? At more or same hp, tata-fiat versions are more torquier@lesser rpms.
The master of the DDiS engine is fiat. suzuki is only a DDiS worded cover maker.

aaggoswami · 20th June 2009, 08:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramzsys

1) From the papers and by driving the swift, it is easy to conclude swift performs better, because of the lightness of it.
2) But your statement regarding the calibration? At more or same hp, tata-fiat versions are more torquier@lesser rpms.
The master of the DDiS engine is fiat. suzuki is only a DDiS worded cover maker.

1) Yes, Swift is lighther, but then its all about power delivery and the eventual on road performance that matters considering that many cars are using the same engine.

2) OK, lets say they are more torquier, but then the overall feel this motor could impart is missing in Tata-Fiats. Liner power delivery is a nice thing to have unlike Swift's abruptness, but this must not compromise in highway driving.
Maurti is able to caliberate the engine for their cars such that thier cars are fun to drive without compromising on FE. The same cannot be said for Tata-Fiat.
What my statement means is that at the end of the day, the motors caliberated by Maruti can power their cars in more fun-to-drive manner unlike Fiat where they had to resort to linear power delivery because they cannot caliberate as per the car ( or car's weight ).

geeash · 20th June 2009, 08:19

Do you know what punto has that linea doesnt have?

A 2 stage airbag. The airbag opens in 2 stages within a span of micro mili secong to prevent injuries due to airbag on the passenger , a first on cars in india........
i did a testdrive of punto 1.3 MJd yesterday. l will try to write a review comparing it with my linea tomorrow.

ada · 20th June 2009, 10:13

Actually the front of punto married with back of swift will make an absolutely stunning abomination. A "pun-swift" frog on road.

19th June 2009, 22:13	#80
PAVAN KADAM BANNED Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: NAMMA BENGALURU Posts: 5,602 Thanked: 2,549 Times	Sid, Thanks for the wonderfully detailed review. I have driven all the present hatchbacks available presently and all of them share the same FIAT (out of the world great engines),leaving the i20 out. Here are my views. 1) Maruti Swift DDIS = Good tuning done on the Fiat engine, peppy, but presently all Maruti's are so claustrophobic 2) Fiat Palio Multijet = A stonker of a car, wonderfully put together, but its showing age. 3) Indica Vista Quadrajet = Spacious, great mile muncher, linear power delivery, wonderfully priced. 4) i20 = Apart from a great looker, and a great luggage room, and a smooth underpowered petrol engine, its nothing great to talk about, Horrible interiors and equipment and cramped. Never driven the punto as yet, but its a great looker and seems to have a great airy feeling from inside, and ofcourse nothing much to talk about its chic italian looks and a fantabulous multijet engine. Dying to get my hands on a TD car. Here's my uncles i20 and Vista Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

19th June 2009, 22:15	#81
finneyp Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,716 Thanked: 319 Times View My Garage	Pavan, next time your Uncle or Aunt ask your suggestion for a car, I hope you will recommend G Punto
	() Thanks

19th June 2009, 22:45	#83
Trust_In_Thrust BANNED Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Delhi Posts: 768 Thanked: 349 Times	I drove the punto 1.3 MJD Emotion today.In addition to great review by members here i have few things to add on. 1.) People saying it is slower than Swift .In swift the power delivery is not at all linear leading to frequent gear changes in city.In punto the power is so linear i at times felt who needs an automatic with such torque spread across revs.So this means the fuel efficiency will be better .Also since gear changes will be lot less this also means vastly improved clutch life .And since powr is linear i was able to control it much better compared to the control of sudden surge in swift. 2.)Suspension gemotery is world class .taking quick lane changes was awsome fun.And the faster i went the better the car became .handling is just benchmark for a hatch. 3.) Also if anyone noticed the radiator and condenser are much bigger than swift so less load on electricals and better cooling .In swift etc they are much smaller and the condenser is even smaller. 4.) Also unlike few other cars the silencer is installed underneath such that it will never hit the speed breakers as it is placed such . 5.) the roar is sport when pushed. 6.) The Cd player i found much cleaner and better than the swift OEM. All view personal.
	() Thanks

19th June 2009, 23:20	#84
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,534 Thanked: 300,738 Times View My Garage	Man Sid, I really gotta hand it to you. Here I am after completing a 660 kms round trip in the Grande Punto. And you post your driving review before I even get home!! You indeed are the official Scoop-King. Kudos to the spirit of this community. She never ever fails to leave me speechless. Lots of data + pictures to shortlist. Shall have my share uploaded tommorow. Last edited by GTO : 19th June 2009 at 23:22.
	() Thanks

19th June 2009, 23:28	#85
amit_mechengg Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 2,488 Thanked: 2,252 Times View My Garage	@ sidindica, awesome write up. i think you should become a writer for some automobile magazine. you are just way ahead. i think next time you will write a review before manufacturer launches their car. haha. just kidding. one thing i wanted to ask is how did you find the rear seat inclination? and do you have any interior snaps, i mean the rear benches? with the front seat set back?
	() Thanks

20th June 2009, 00:12	#86
vinaydas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 1,399 Thanked: 148 Times	great review. but somehow i don't like the looks of the punto. The palio is a much more handsome car. Pity it dint get the respect it deserved.
	() Thanks

20th June 2009, 08:19	#89
geeash Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,513 Thanked: 146 Times	Do you know what punto has that linea doesnt have? A 2 stage airbag. The airbag opens in 2 stages within a span of micro mili secong to prevent injuries due to airbag on the passenger , a first on cars in india........ i did a testdrive of punto 1.3 MJd yesterday. l will try to write a review comparing it with my linea tomorrow. Last edited by geeash : 20th June 2009 at 08:22.
	() Thanks

20th June 2009, 10:13	#90
ada BHPian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: MUMBAI Posts: 184 Thanked: 50 Times	Actually the front of punto married with back of swift will make an absolutely stunning abomination. A "pun-swift" frog on road.
	() Thanks