Great little car
Nothing really.
Except for the regular services this car was pretty much reliable.
Great performance as concerned for the 16 valve engine with the 85 hp.
A lot of space for passengers and luggage.
Great driving behavior in general.
Didn't much like the feeling of the steering wheel though.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 20th January, 2002
Good car, bad after sales
I had a broken lock, and a defective ventilator at 350 KM.
Defective air-conditioning at 2.000 KM.
Defective gear box at 4.500 KM.
Defective gear box again at 10.000 KM.
Defective gear box again since 12.000 KM.
This car is very good on the road. The engine could be a little stronger (like the 1999 sporting) and generally it's a good choice.
The big BUT is that the manufacturer (and especially its official distributor for Greece) are unreliable and unwilling to help.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 1st August, 2001
Great car in its class!
Well, nothing serious till now, but it appears that there is a small problem when changing from 1st to 2nd gear. Although the gearbox works fine, the change from 1st to 2nd does not feel right.
I have the PUNTO HLX (new) and in general I am very satisfied with the car. The build quality is very good, the materials used inside may not be the best, but they are good and they feel nice to the touch.
It handles very well, and even if you push it to the limits it's still predictable.
It's roomy (I can even compare it with the next class), practical, well designed, but the front seats need more support.
Its safety is top class according to the EuroNCAP, but I do feel the need to add an ABS for the brakes for better control.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 18th July, 2001
Expensive mini dragster killer
Fuel consumption extremely high due to the turbocharger (actually it needs more than a BMW 323 for example).
Bigger and more expensive cars will certainly regret competing with your car on the open road (few people could believe it actually does below 8 seconds for the 0-100km/h procedure judging by its appearance and model name).
Beware of turns because the turbo lag and high torque won't forgive you.
Infinite tuning abilities (mine is 220hp at 1.6 bar overboost).
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 29th March, 2001
Take out the restrictor, even though it wrecks the turbo.
How high should a standard punto gt turbo be boosting to and what should it stay at.
I own a 1997 Fiat Punto GT, and have to say it won't consume that much fuel if you don't want to. Driving without making the turbocharger charge, and being conscious and careful of fuel economy. In a standard city driving cycle, you don't need to accelerate as much as the car can, you don't need to make the turbocharger work always.
I get at least 30 mpg in city driving (13 km/l), and on the highway you can get more if you stay at 70 mph.
Of course if you want to push it will do 0-60 mph in 7.9 seconds.
This car is able to give you a great compromise of economy and speed.
7th May 2001, 20:39
How can I over-boost my Fiat Punto GT?