Review of the new Fiat Grande Punto 1.4 8v

When Fiat labelled their latest Punto 'Grande' they weren't kidding. In many respects, the term supermini no longer seems appropriate for this capacious, elegantly-styled hatchback. For conformation of just how the Punto has grown-up size-wise, you need only look back to family hatchbacks of yesteryear. Today's Grande Punto is nearly 20cm longer than a MKIV Ford Escort and over 30cm longer than a MKIII Volkswagen Golf, it's taller than both cars too. In light of these substantial dimensions, you'd imagine that a 1.4-litre 8-valve petrol engine would be a minimum requirement.

1.1 or 1.2-litre engines have traditionally done a decent job in supermini products but that was before superminis became super-sized. Cars from the larger family hatchback sector have rarely been offered with anything less gutsy than a 1.4-litre petrol unit and now superminis like Fiat's Grande Punto are encroaching on that territory in terms of weight as well as size. This 1.4-litre engine generates 77bhp and has a peak torque of 115Nm at 3,000rpm. That means a 0-60mph acceleration of 13.2s. The 1.4-litre Grande Punto is no hot hatch but it's able to cope with the cut and thrust of longer motorway journeys and it's that bit nippier around town.

One suspects that most Punto buyers will be more than happy with the entry-level 1.4-litre engine, especially when they check out the fuel economy and emissions figures. It produces 139g/km of CO2 and has a 47.9mpg combined fuel consumption.

Customers looking at a three-door Grand Punto can specify the 8-valve 1.4-litre engine in either of four trim levels. Active is the entry level offering and features a generous standard specification. 15" alloy wheels combine with body-coloured electric mirrors, side skirts and front fog lights to give a sporty dimension to the exterior. Inside there is Dualdrive power steering, an MP3 compatible music system with steering-wheel mounted controls and remote central locking. The budget alternative is Dynamic trim. Here, you get everything featured on the Active plus air-conditioning, side and window airbags, split folding rear seats, body-coloured door handles and a leather trimmed steering wheel and gear knob. Prices kick off at just over £9,000 for a 1.4-litre 8v Active three door with the five door models are £600 more. The 1.4-litre 8v Dynamic models are just over £10,000.

The GP versions look ideal for younger drivers who want a more aggressive look but need lower insurance premiums. This variant gets unique, sporty interior trim, 'sports' instruments, dark-tinted headlamps, front foglights, a rear spoiler and 16-inch alloy wheels. At the top of the range, the plush Eleganza variants get 16-inch alloy wheels, ESP stability control, cruise control and rain-sensitive wipers.

".the latest Punto is a highly accomplished product"

Interior space - as you would expect from a car this generously endowed in the wheelbase department - is a standout feature. The 275-litre boot is about average for the class but rear leg and headroom is very good indeed. Fiat claim the interior 'represents the epitome of Italian style', although that may be stretching the point a little. It's rather minimalist in fact, the main dials being housed in a curiously flat-topped binnacle with an unexceptional centre console that, from a purely aesthetic perspective, is probably the car's weakest point. Still, it's undoubtedly functional, and if you get confused by the big buttons, self explanatory ventilation controls and stereo controls, then modern life has really got on top of you. One particularly smart touch is the extension of body colour to the soft trims and dash inserts. If the dashboard was finished in grey or black it would look a little dull, but specify it in red and it really lifts the cabin. On the safety front, there are twin front airbags and three point belts for all three rear passengers plus ABS with EBD all helping the Punto to achieve its 5-star NCAP rating.

As before, this model features a 'City' button which reduces steering effort when parking to fingertip levels. With the City mode disabled, the steering gains a bit more feel although the Punto has never been a car with a particularly natural and feelsome helm. One of the areas that have come on leaps and bounds since the launch of the last Punto is refinement and Fiat have added a significant amount of sound deadening material to the Grande and worked on reducing vibration in the engine bay. The result is that the car is far more hushed at motorway speeds, helping to reinforce that all-important perception of quality.

The Grande Punto is a substantial vehicle by modern supermini standards and although the 1.4-litre unit we feature here is the entry-level unit it is surprisingly capable. A diesel would probably be better still for most buyers but we don't want to stretch the budget too far. Overall, the latest Punto is still a highly accomplished product. The way the car looks will, obviously, generate the most headlines but in terms of safety, packaging and refinement, it's similarly impressive.

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