| HAVE YOUR SAY |  | | | VIEW FROM THE HILL | | | | A SMASHING TIME | | | | SIMPLY GREATEST HITS | | |
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Fiat for purpose
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| Fiat's new Bravo is a stylish all-rounder |
It's a stylish Italian job all right, but my first thought was that the new Bravo felt much more solidly put together than some of the Fiats of old.
Most plastics are of higher quality and buttons and switchgear more solid and typically stylish.
There's a nice soft finish to the door and dash panels and seat materials are soft and pleasant. The reasonable quality feel is probably helped by the dark cabin tone.
The steering wheel is adjustable for rake and reach and the seat for height but it took a while to find a comfortable driving position.
This wasn't helped by the pedal positions which provide no rest for the left foot nor "lean-to" for the right - a four-hour epic to Stansted Airport left my right foot needing a little snooze.
The column stalks are nice and chunky and the wheel comfortable, as is the door armrest - the doors shut with a decent thunk and there's a general feel of the car being decently bolted together.
There's plenty of legroom in the front and a reasonable amount in the back and the boot is of a good size, with a deep sill that provides good depth but a bit of a lift for the shopping.
The 1,920cc, 120bhp diesel unit starts with a bit of a clatter but soon settles down to a smooth beat at a fairly low volume level, although this increases somewhat when a lot is asked of it. It should prove very reliable.
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| Typically Fiat, the cabin is driver-focused |
The brakes are nicely assisted and, importantly, not over-sensitive and the steering has a reasonable amount of feedback but is too light for my tastes. Useful round town though.
On the road the 120 handles well enough and is predictable if not hugely exciting - I've no doubt the extra 30 horses of the 150 would produce a more interesting but less economical drive.
The ride is a bit on the harsh side, yet allows the car to roll a bit in corners and the suspension picks up plenty of nooks and crannies in the road. But the grip is good.
Safety-wise the Bravo is well-equipped. All cars have six airbags and ESP with a five-star euroNCAP safety performance.
Air-conditioning and remote central locking are also standard on all models.
Visibility is OK forward, but the small rear window and large rear pillars make rearward visibility poor.
The well-proven diesel pulls well enough, as evidenced by a run up the notorious Abbotsbury Hill in fourth gear.
Although the torque band seems a bit narrow - with the engine running out of puff at around 4,000rpm, there's plenty of pulling power and fifth gear provides easy motorway cruising aided by an easy to use cruise control.
The Bravo is a good all-rounder, though, capable of cruising comfortably and buzzing around town with consummate ease.
And the marque would seem to have lost many of its none-too-flattering tags of yesteryear.
Prices for the Bravo start at £10,995 for the entry-level 1.4 petrol, rising to £15,995 for the 150 Sport.
4:34pm Friday 28th March 2008
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