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| The Evo's 'moustache' has come in for criticism, but I think it's cute |
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'Evo' is an odd choice of name for Fiat's facelifted Punto, as the moniker suggests mega-horsepower and huge spoilers. Yet far from being a performance special, the most outstanding features of the new Punto Evo are its frugal little engines. This is an area where Fiat really does excel - but more on that later.
First, the styling; and here's another odd thing. While the 'Evo' is a development of the 'Grande' Punto - and designed, says Fiat, to meet the requirement for smaller, more environmentally friendly cars - it's actually bigger than the Grande version. The Grande version, that is, that was vaunted as being hugely spacious when it was launched. But the little Evo is 3cm longer (although the width, height and wheelbase remain the same). And at that point I realised that I was very confused about the point of the new Punto. Once I drove it, everything became fine and dandy, but I'm still not ready to turn to that.
The Evo's face with its freshly grown 'moustache' has not been a universal hit. The general consensus is that Fiat should have left well alone but - never one to follow fashion - I rather like it. It's kind of cute. Inside the car, the changes are more marked, with softer, curvier lines to replace the hard angles of the earlier model. Here we're starting getting into the real upsides of a Punto, as the standard equipment is excellent. It includes the Blue & Me infotainment interface, and stop-start technology, something which - for example - will cost you a fair bit extra if you want it in your Ford Focus ECOnetic. But then Fiat is used to being at the cutting edge when it comes to genuine 'green' technology. I'm not talking gimmicky electric cars here, but proper, workable solutions: small, perky engines that are low on emissions but still high on fun.
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