[SankalpDesai]

So here it is.

I have always been a deep admirer of European cars, especially hatchbacks. Everytime I see one on TV, I flung the remote aside and keep my eyes glued to the screen. They have adorned my computer screen as wallpapers - both at home and office. A major influence of these beauties is because of my affection for movies from US and Europe. So when the opportune time for my first car came by, there were no two thoughts about the origins of the car.

But to add some spice to the knock-out race of selecting the right car for me (and have fun doing so) I added some Japanese, Korean, Indian and American competitors. So the list was now a little longer. Something like this -

Prospects - Fiat, VW, Skoda, Suzuki, Nissan, Hyundai, Tata, Ford & Chevrolet

Well, to keep this initial ownership and buying review crisp and to-the-point, I will tell you what I personally felt about these cars when I tested them. But first, my requirements.

Requirements -

1. Fuel Type - It had to be a diesel. I stay not too far from my office in Hinjewadi, Pune. Hence there was no question of crossing the 1000 or 1500 km mark, required to justify a diesel purchase. But at the same time I stay very close to the highway and that aspect of my stay was to be exploited real good.

2. Power - Lots of it. I didn't want to end up with a car which was sluggish, that it would kill other positive aspects like looks, features, etc. And the fact that I am a spirited driver, demanded a lot of it.

3. Features - I wanted a car that was rich in features. This would be my first car and I would be keeping it for long. I do not believe in the Hypothesis of Resale Value as my personal experience of the same on 2 wheelers have always indicated adverse results.

4. Strong Build - To match the highway runs and lot of mile crunching.

5. Style - Ultimately it has to be an eye-candy if it has to be European.

6. Fuel Efficiency - And staying true to a Gujju wallet, it should be loaded but give out as little as possible.

The Process -

Once the list of candidates was ready it was time to put them to a test and judge them on various categories mentioned above. The measuring scale was Good, Bad & Ugly.

**Please note - The below classification of cars based on various aspects is my personal opinion. They may or may not be to your liking**

Suzuki Swift

Good - Style, Engine, Drive Dynamics, Features
Bad - Leg Space, 'Rattle-Touille' image
Ugly - Illogical waiting periods for the existing model; Unbearable wait for the new one

Suzuki Ritz

Good - Style, Engine, Features, Ingress-Egress
Bad - Drive Dynamics, 'Rattle-Touille' image
Ugly - Nothing really

Hyundai i20

Good - Style
Bad - Badge value (not European)
Ugly - Price, Steering issues

Nissan Micra

Good - Engine (fantastic 1.5ltr)
Bad - Style,
Ugly - Price, Features, Network

Chevrolet Beat

Good - Features, Price, Style
Bad - No diesel (held on my purchase for some time but no news yet)
Ugly - Didn't like the build quality

Ford Figo

Good - Handling, Highly Customizable (as the company doesn't offer anything), Build, Service (improving)
Bad - Style
Ugly - Features (or the lack of it), No rear power windows, No electronic ORVMs, No 60:40 split, No Alloys, Flimsy bumpers, etc. etc. etc.

Indica Vista

Good - Fully loaded with features, Price, Build
Bad - The way Tata Motors treats its customers and its cars
Ugly - Niggles (mostly perceived as a lot of Tata Indicas on road are not immaculately maintained)

Skoda Fabia

Good - German engineering, Build
Bad - Price, Style
Ugly - Low on Features, 3 cylinder engine

VW Polo

Good - Styling (second best looking Hatch after Punto), Build
Bad - Price, Features
Ugly - Power, 3 cylinder engine, Dealer attitude

Fiat Punto

Good - Styling (best looking Hatch on Indian roads today), Build, Power, Features (loaded with anything & everything you can dream of + some more that you cannot)
Bad - Perceived quality of plastics and music (I felt the music output to be sufficient for an average ear. Only the True Music afficianados would mind it)
Ugly - A.S.S.

Car Selection, Booking and Delivery

Selection - So ultimately the Fiat Grande Punto emerged as the winner. It satisfied a lot of my requirements and fared well on some features that didn't really matter. Hence without any further delay, I was scouting for a good deal for my Punto.

Booking - As I didn't face any trouble in selecting the right car, selecting the dealer was a major headache. As I currently reside in Pune, Ms. Pandit Auto was the only available option to me. I didn't want to deal with them as per the suggestions of several members on T-BHP. Thought of being a little adventurous and after some discussions with other BHPians, went ahead and started talking to dealers in Mumbai (which I later repented to some extent due to a lot of documentation hassles) A lot of T-BHPians and other forum members helped me make a right choice and they themselves passed my contact details to their touch points at various dealerships. Finally I chose to offer the privilege of delivering my first car to me to Fortune Cars Pvt. Ltd. @ Sakinaka, Mumbai. Booked the car on 25th April, 2011.

I did face a lot of hassles with banks sanctioning my loan because of multi-city adventure. Major documents carry Surat address (my hometown), working in Pune and buying & registering the car in Mumbai - seemed weird to the bank to no extent. (How do I explain to these naive bank executives that a true car lover can go to any extent in pursuit of his beloved?)

Registration - Had been constantly following up with the sales girl at Fortune Cars with regards to the registration process. They were really helpful and did most of the things as promised. Didn't go for any number selection as it really didn't matter, though a lot of my friends and family members were very much interested in me going for one.

Delivery - Delivery was scheduled for a Sunday as the showroom is in a semi-holiday mood. It remains open only for deliveries. My parents informed me about the right 'mahurat' to take the car and I conveyed the same to the sales girl. As informed, the car was ready with the after-market fittings - mattings, sun-films and teflon coating. Car cover was not in stock, so a visit to the showroom is pending in the near future. Took the car home after visiting a Sai Mandir right outside my apartment. Next day, drove my infant baby (not by size, but by its tenure in my life) all the way to Pune in the splendid weather.

Initial Observations - Clutch is long, so have to go all the way down before I shift the gear. Dead pedal is a boon on the Punto. Suspension is super awesome. After a small run within Mumbai the night of the delivery, I took the car to Pune next morning. Punto is in its own league on the highway and glides on the road like a hot-knife-in-butter. Space is enough in the front and back. Boot is deep for those weekend geatways for a family of 3-4. Haven't put it to test for long trips.

First gear is merely to get the car in motion. Second gear helps move around obstacles in traffic. Third gear is helpful for normal driving in the city and is a pleasure to drive as the turbo kicks in and car stays agile. Fourth & Fifth gears are pure bliss. Negative point here is that the steering cloumn can be felt moving when clutch is completely pressed and also when the left leg is placed touching the wall. (What's with the super small footwell?)

Engine – Punto is a heavy car. It requires some serious effort from the Multijet to get this car moving. 90hp tuning does lend its support from the second gear onwards and after that it is a bullet that can kill with its weight as much with its speed. Love the way turbo pulls the car. Clutch is medium (neither soft, nor hard) and the engine responds to slight movement of the clutch.

Space - I could say it’s a bit better than the other cars around. Ample space in the rear for my parents who unfortunately suffer from Arthritis. Front seat has a good travel range and the cabin feels roomy though dark. Everything inside is in various shades of grey and hence not very pleasing to old eyes. I like it this way though.

Handling - Its a bundle of smiles. Handling is precise and works similar to a Digital Camera - Point and Shoot. You point it in a direction, it goes there without any fuss.

Design - Do I need to say anything in this department? Designed jointly by the legendary Mr. Giugiaro and Fiat Design Centre, the Punto personifies Italian design.

Practicality - I have always felt some vibes coming from each car that tells me something. Figo tells me that you can crunch miles-after-miles in it - a real tourer. Polo is hungry for those funfilled city drives with your pals - the hip car. i20 is a high society lass on the move - attitude bordering on arrogance. Punto invites me to explore newer places - urban or rural - with its strong build quality, never-out-of-fashion styling and unmatched comfort.

Equipments - The Punto is a poor man's rich car! It is equipped with all the necessary bells & whistles. The fogs and headlamp dim are good. Stereo output is decent and is to my would-be-better-half's liking, hence no issues. The seats are countered well and provide good lumbar support. Was fortunate to drive my car for long on the first day itself, hence was able to check all of these rather secondary paraphernalia before I inform you guys about them.

Accessories & Modifications - Art Leather Seat Covers are an urgent priority. Will be changing the tyres to Michelin, Yokohama or Hankook at the first tyre change. Component speakers (JBL, Pioneer, Rockford Fosgate) along with an amplifier are last ones in line for modifications.

Some grudges -

• Engine and Gearbox are a bit rough/coarse. I have driven it only for a few hundred kilometers and am aware that this roughness wouldn't be felt later on, once I cross the run-in 3000 KM mark.
• Fit & finish is not upto the mark. Not that I wasn't aware of it. Can't help but think what is Fiat upto by taking the consumers for granted and serving them with such sub-standard plastic when other companies are falling head-over-heels to please them?
• Car cover not in stock since months. Have read other posts and got to know that there is an acute shortage of car cover from Fiat's side and even the dealers are waiting since long! Car Cover shortage in today's day and time? Astonishing!

Lastly, I owe a lot to this forum, GTO for his amazing review of the car (that was the main reason I fell in love with it) and numerous members who knowingly-unknowingly have guided many clueless people like me in the right direction. My first meet at Sunny's was a pleasant experience but my Punto was sorely missed. Looking forward to meet you guys soon; only this time I would be accompanied by my girlfriend - Fiat Grande Punto 1.3 MJD Emotion Pack 90 HP Tuscan Wine

Time for some pictures now.

[Eddy]

Thread moved to the main section from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing.

[HappyRoadie]

Congratulations on your purchase. It is really a very cool looking hatch. I like the colour on Punto. Wish you many happy and safe miles. What accessories have you planned to install? By the way I own Ford Figo and electric ORVM's are present in figo. Do keep us updated.




Thanks

[CRtorquefan]

Congratulations on your superb buy, Sankalp.
How's the quality & feel from you New 2011 Punto90HP, as previously heard from many sources that Fiat've improved alot now.
Actually I'm also seeking a hatchback in this range, so please do guide me as mine selection process is also very much similar to yours one.

[theexperthand]

Congratz Sankalp. The T.Wine is a beauty. If I remember correctly, we booked the car on same date

The car covers were not in stock with my dealer too - seems like it is a regular issue.

I have heard that Appolo Accelere is the second best OEM tyres you get (first goes to the Michelins by Honda City), good to see that Fiat have switched from BS2 to Accelere.

The steering cover looks really well crafted. Please consider removing the Fortune and Helpline stickers from the rear glass.

Congratz once again and wish you and your car lots and lots of happy miles.

[neoonwheels]

Congrats and welcome to the FIAT family. The color really looks nice on this car.

[shantyrocks]

congratz buddy!
The car indeed looks beautiful and you seem to be totally in love with it.
Do post some more pics after you do the seat covers.

[Nicky]

Congrats, this color is a looker. Punto Build quality is solid for sure if you can ignore some gaps between panels and parts.
Car cover should not be a problem in outside market i suppose, if it's not available in dealership.
enjoy the ride and drive safe

[FanaticOnWheels]

The car looks stunning. It is a Fiat after all. Congratulations!

How do you feel the car is on power? I've read mixed reviews about the 90HP version. Quite a few say it does not make the cut. What do you feel, cause I am considering this car in the near future (I've been blown away by the rock solid stability of our Palio at speeds in excess of 110 km/hr. I haven't felt that comfortable at high speeds even on our ANHC!). I don't expect mind blowing power, just a reasonable kick when the turbo kicks in (I drove a vista for quite some time, and the kick in power at 1750 rpm was satisfying).

Some inputs on that front would help!. Congratulations once again, and do post more pictures of the interiors.

[selfdrive]

Congratulations Sankalp; on bringing home the beauty!
The Punto looks smashing in this colour; also good on the red, White and Black (did I leave any one out?!) I just met another fellow bhpian last week in a Tuscan wine Punto and I could not take my eyes off that colour.

As mentioned by others, please put up some pics of the interior and your driving experiences in town.
Hope to see you with the TWine Punto on the next tapri meet

Congratulations and best wishes, SankalpDesai. Expore and enjoy your precious Punto.

[kiren]

Congrats Sankalp. Your T.Wine beauty looks great. Drive safe.

Regarding seat covers, No one stocks for Punto hence you have to order for the same. It took me 2 weeks to get AUTOFORM seat covers.

Kiran

[SankalpDesai]

Originally Posted by HappyRoadie

Congratulations on your purchase. It is really a very cool looking hatch. I like the colour on Punto. Wish you many happy and safe miles. What accessories have you planned to install? By the way I own Ford Figo and electric ORVM's are present in figo. Do keep us updated.




Thanks

Thanks HappyRoadie. Yes, I am wrong on that part. Figo was one of the final contenders though.

Originally Posted by CRtorquefan

Congratulations on your superb buy, Sankalp.
How's the quality & feel from you New 2011 Punto90HP, as previously heard from many sources that Fiat've improved alot now.
Actually I'm also seeking a hatchback in this range, so please do guide me as mine selection process is also very much similar to yours one.

The quality of plastics seem to have improved. I have actually scaled down the image quality for the sake of uploading them on T-BHP, otherwise you can see the dashboard shining in full glory. Fiat lacks in the fit & finish department as gaps are evident at certain places, like under the steering and around the keyring socket, but overall the build quality is so strong that you get a feel of sitting inside a tank.


Let me know if you need any specific info. Would be happy to provide details.

Originally Posted by theexperthand

Congratz Sankalp. The T.Wine is a beauty. If I remember correctly, we booked the car on same date

The car covers were not in stock with my dealer too - seems like it is a regular issue.

I have heard that Appolo Accelere is the second best OEM tyres you get (first goes to the Michelins by Honda City), good to see that Fiat have switched from BS2 to Accelere.

The steering cover looks really well crafted. Please consider removing the Fortune and Helpline stickers from the rear glass.

Congratz once again and wish you and your car lots and lots of happy miles.

Yes experthand, we did book our cars on the same day. I was quite nervous about my selection and enquired with a lot of Punto owners to arrive at this decision.

Steering leather cover is nicely done but not the gear lever. Strands unlocking from the cover already. Needs a finishing job or a home-grown solution.

I drove the car from Mumbai to Pune and believe me - the highway drive was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. The car was planted on the road as if it was a Bullet train running on its specially created track. The occasional look at the speedometer used to bring me back to my senses and tell me that I was already doing 130 kmph at 3000 rpm and I need to slow down as it was my Punto's maiden voyage.

Apollo Accelere didn't disappoint me either. Will stick to them for the time being.

Originally Posted by neoonwheels

Congrats and welcome to the FIAT family. The color really looks nice on this car.

Thanks neoonwheels. Your thread helped me in making this decision. Would need your help and advice in due course of my Fiat ownership.

Originally Posted by shantyrocks

congratz buddy!
The car indeed looks beautiful and you seem to be totally in love with it.
Do post some more pics after you do the seat covers.

Sure, will do that. Yes I am in love, again.

As I am not a photo-freak I will have to request my would-be-better-half to do the honours. And the pleasure would be all hers!

Originally Posted by Nicky

Congrats, this color is a looker. Punto Build quality is solid for sure if you can ignore some gaps between panels and parts.
Car cover should not be a problem in outside market i suppose, if it's not available in dealership.
enjoy the ride and drive safe

Thanks Nicky. Yeah, after market option is always open but the dealership has promised to give me one as a freebie, so have to wait for it.

Originally Posted by FanaticOnWheels

The car looks stunning. It is a Fiat after all. Congratulations!

How do you feel the car is on power? I've read mixed reviews about the 90HP version. Quite a few say it does not make the cut. What do you feel, cause I am considering this car in the near future (I've been blown away by the rock solid stability of our Palio at speeds in excess of 110 km/hr. I haven't felt that comfortable at high speeds even on our ANHC!). I don't expect mind blowing power, just a reasonable kick when the turbo kicks in (I drove a vista for quite some time, and the kick in power at 1750 rpm was satisfying).

Some inputs on that front would help!. Congratulations once again, and do post more pictures of the interiors.

The new Indica Vista is a bullet. I drove one and trust me, I had the same expressions on my face as shown in the advertisement - delighted. It is the result of a perfectly mated 'drivetech4' gearbox to the 'Quadrajet' engine. Unfortunately, the same is not the case with Punto. While the engine is a gem, the gearbox is a laggard. Ratios are short and the weight of the car requires a lot of effort to get it rolling. But once there, its a different story.

Punto is mainly for the highway runs. It is in a league-of-its-own on the highways. So if you have a lot of highway trips, go for it. I am not the right person to comment on in-city drivability as I haven't driven it much in the city as of now. But as it is with every car, the engine will open up and the drive will get smoother after a few '000 kilometers.

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Congratulations Sankalp; on bringing home the beauty!
The Punto looks smashing in this colour; also good on the red, White and Black (did I leave any one out?!) I just met another fellow bhpian last week in a Tuscan wine Punto and I could not take my eyes off that colour.

As mentioned by others, please put up some pics of the interior and your driving experiences in town.
Hope to see you with the TWine Punto on the next tapri meet

You missed Medium Grey, Fox Trot Azure and Minimal Grey! They all look good on the Punto.

Yeah, I too am waiting to meet all you guys (selfdrive, jealousdiamond, swanand_inamdar, 1self, ashishpallod, amitwlele, anilisanil, monaro_cv8, noopster, throttleking, .dot, shahnawaz) after the crazy time we had at Sunny's.

Interior pics coming soon.

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

Congratulations and best wishes, SankalpDesai. Expore and enjoy your precious Punto.

Thanks J.Ravi. It definitely is precious.

Originally Posted by kiren

Congrats Sankalp. Your T.Wine beauty looks great. Drive safe.

Regarding seat covers, No one stocks for Punto hence you have to order for the same. It took me 2 weeks to get AUTOFORM seat covers.

Kiran

Thanks Kiran. You are well aware of what I was going through during this entire process. Luckily things fell into shape and I am now enjoying this brilliant piece of Italian engineering. Would have to look hard for the seat covers, it seems.

Can you share a pic of your Punto with seat covers?

[vshetty]

Originally Posted by SankalpDesai

So here it is.

I have always been a deep admirer of European cars, especially hatchbacks. Everytime I see one on TV, I flung the remote aside and keep my eyes glued to the screen. Time for some pictures now........

Welcome to the family buddy, your choice of car tells me you are a person with a head over the shoulders, have good taste and of course a wee bit foolish; like me !!! I too own a punto, Cabaret Punto .. I say !

Initially the coarse engine did put me off as well, but after babying the car for 250 KM ( never > 2500 rpm), I started taking her to new highs, upto 3000rpm, till 1500KM, post that I have very often taken her to the 3500 - 4000rpm band, an engine oil change later during the first service, the first complement people give me while they sit in the car is, is this a diesel ?
Though I have to add there is still beareable amount of engine noise at speed > 90Kmph, even that can be taken care of, with decent ICE which includes a pounding sub-woofer.

Quick un-wanted advice :

i) Please upgrade the head lamps

ii) Tucson Wine is a dark shade, I would recommend you get some exterior detailing done, your paint will remain safe from abusive humans, intrusive thorny plants and jobeless children.

[FanaticOnWheels]

The one that I drove was the old quadrajet (no drivetech4, atleast this didn't have the sticker on it). That itself took off like a rocket in the turbo range. I don't mind if that kind of a boost is not available. If the Punto cruises effortlessly at 130-140 km/hr, it more than satisfies my needs, with these national highways being a blast to drive on nowadays.

Is the 90HP version available only in the emotion trim?