Faults:

Clutch had to be changed at 120000 kilometers.

Minor electric system problems from time to time.

General Comments:

Note: my car is a special version manufactured only for eastern Europe. It doesn't have any extras and also lacks fuel injection (which I think is a good thing because it's 10 horse power stronger).

Handling is great. The car is wide and has two anti-roll bars. In fact it's so stable that most newbie drivers can get out of skidding by just letting the steering wheel loose. On the down side the suspension seems to be too stiff when driving on snow (under steer) but on the other hand on tarmac or gravel it works perfectly. The main problem for newbies would be heavy under steer when pushed too hard. It gets worse when the road is slippery. But let the accelerator alone and the car will start to behave normally.

The engine is enough when driving in the city, but overtaking on highway can be difficult and often requires downshifting. It also likes high revs very much (Italian car...). Gearbox works nicely and the gears are quite short. Also the engine sound is very "Italian" especially at high revs.

Comfort... The seats are comfortable, but the interior is well... stripped. It has nothing but a lighter. If you are a "family" driver you'll say that the suspension is somewhat too stiff. The dash doesn't look very modern and lacks rev counter which is a shame with such small engine. The interior is huge. I've compared it with a Volvo 940 and while the interior of Tipo is shorter it's exactly the same width. Also it's noticeably higher.