Fiat has brought back the original Punto after a two year hiatus and named it the Punto Pure. The Punto however made its way into the Indian car market in June 2009. Fiat delayed the launch of the Grande Punto in India to strengthen its dealer network across the country before the launch as Fiat has always been highly optimistic about the sales of the Grande Punto.
The Punto Pure shares its platform with Fiat’s already-on-sale sedan, the Linea. The Punto was developed jointly by the legendary designer Giugiaro of Ital Design and Fiat Style Centre. The hatch has a very aggressive design with lots of Italian flair reflecting in it, giving it a much better stance when compared to most of the other currently sold hatches. The fascia of the car is dominated by the chrome-plated front grille with the red and silver Fiat badge at its centre and the leaf-shaped headlamps extending to the front fenders. The Grande Punto has a wide windshield with a steep rake and its hood exhibits a gentle crown. The silhouette has a shallow greenhouse, overhung front end and flared wheel arches which adds bold character to the design.
The interiors of the Punto Pure are derived from that of its sibling the Fiat Linea Classic. The inside of the Punto is ergonomically designed with grey and black dual tone interiors. Like the Linea, the interiors are clean with decent fit and finish of the plastics and the Punto logo stitched on the seats and the floor mats. The orange backlit instrument cluster of the Grande Punto has four dials with a digital odometer and trip meter which even reads out trip time, mileage, trip time for two trips.
The tilt-adjustable steering and height adjustable driver’s seat makes it possible to fine-tune a driver’s seating for maximum comfort. The slim A-pillar and large windshield increases the front visibility, however the thick C-pillar and small rear windshield reduces rear-end visibility causing problems while parking in tight spots.
The Punto Pure is available with two engines viz. 1.2-litre petrol and the 1.3-litre Multijet diesel. Fiat has used the 8-valve 1172cc, 68bhp petrol engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The 74bhp diesel also comes mated to a five-speed transmission. Fiat cars are known for their composed ride and agile handling. The Punto is no different from the rest of its siblings in this segment. The Grande Punto has a firm and composed ride at low and high speeds.
The Fiat Punto Pure competes with premium hatchbacks like the Maruti Suzuki Swift and Ritz, Hyundai i20, Skoda Fabia and the Honda Jazz up to a certain extent considering the size and the fitments.