The new Fiat Punto 1.4 Essence best value for the money

Fiat are making a strong push at the compact hatch market with the introduction of the Punto 1.4 Essence. The Fiat Punto Essence has a huge emphasis on value for money, coming in with a number of standard features and a particularly low price tag. The managing director of the Fiat Group Automobiles in South Africa notes how they are looking to establish a bigger presence in the passenger car market and intend to do so by providing cars that exceed customer expectation without compromising on safety. Time will tell if the Punto 1.4 Essence can live up to Fiat’s own expectations and just how big the response will be for the car from the South African car buying public. The Fiat Punto Essence comes with a 1.4 litre DOHC 16V Fire petrol engine which produces 66kW at 6000 rpm and 115Nm of torque at 4500 rpm. These figures result in a top speed of 165km/h and the Punto completes 0-100km/h in 15 seconds. More importantly though, the fuel economy clocks in at a combined cycle of 7.3 litres/100km which is quite decent. The new Fiat Punto 1.4 Essence comes with a price tag of R139 900 including VAT and emissions tax. The Punto 1.4 Essence comes with the following features as standard: Front fog lights 14” Alloy wheels Body-coloured door handles Power steering with adjustable steering wheel and remote audio/Blue&Me controls Blue&Me Telecommunication system – allows full Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity and allows SMS messages to be read out via voice command Microsoft USB port CD/MP3 with 6 speakers Remote central locking Front & rear power windows Electric mirrors Automatic climate control On-board computer including outside temperature display Dual-tone dashboard Leather steering wheel & gear lever knob Boot light Height-adjustable driver’s seat 60:40 split rear seats