“Fiat Punto 2”: description, specifications, equipment, power, fuel consumption and owner reviews with photos

The second generation Fiat Punto debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in 1999. The model borrowed most of the technical solutions and components from the previous version of the car. The manufacturer offered a three- and five-door hatchback version of the car.

The photo of the 2003 Fiat Punto 2 captures the largest changes made during the restyling and affected the body design and the line of power units. In 2008, the Grand Punto model appeared on the markets, as a result of which the original model was offered only in a truncated version under the name Punto Classic. In 2010, two years later, the mass production of the Fiat Punto 2 at Italian factories was discontinued, but the car is still being assembled in Serbia, but under a different name – Zastava 10.

Exterior and interior

The style of the first generation Punto is a thing of the past: the angular edges and clear lines characteristic of cars of the last century have been replaced by soft and rounded shapes. The restyling of the Fiat Punto 2, carried out due to the tightening of pedestrian safety measures, turned out to be in the hands of the company’s designers, who resorted to modernizing the front of the car body. The result of such alterations was a wave of criticism that hit the company, as the model lost its individuality and character.

There is enough free space in the cabin to comfortably accommodate four passengers. The front panel is informative and ergonomic, allowing you to quickly get used to driving. The quality of the interior trim leaves much to be desired, but is not a serious drawback. The advantage of Fiat Punto II is a spacious luggage compartment with a volume of 267 or 297 liters.

Specifications

"Fiat Punto 2" was equipped with six power units: three petrol and three diesel. All engines were paired with a five- or six-speed manual transmission, a Dualogic automatic transmission, or a continuously variable Speedgear.

The basic power units are two V8 and V16 engines with a capacity of 60 and 80 horsepower with a single displacement of 1.2. "Fiat Punto" after restyling began to be equipped with a 1.4-liter engine with a capacity of 95 horsepower. The top unit with a capacity of 130 horsepower and a displacement of 1.8 liters was installed only on the sports version of the HGT.

The diesel powertrain lineup was originally a naturally aspirated 1.9-liter D engine with 60 horsepower and its more improved version of the 1.9 JTD with 85 horsepower. The restyling has expanded the range of engines to a 1.3-liter Multijet with a capacity of 70 horsepower. The engines are quite powerful and dynamic, with the only exception – the 1.9-liter D, whose dynamics, unfortunately, are only enough for driving in the city.

Transmission

Paired with engines, three transmissions were installed on the Fiat Punto 2: a six-speed automatic, five- and six-band manual, and a variator with six or seven gears offered as an additional option. The model with a manual transmission was the most popular: the working resource of the clutch of the box was 80 thousand kilometers.

Punto with automatic transmission are rare and do not cause any complaints, which cannot be said about the variator: it is not designed for abrupt starts, high speeds and slippage. The operational resource of the variator is rather ambiguous: on some car models, it needed a major overhaul or a complete replacement after 100 thousand kilometers. The reason for this, as a rule, is the negligent attitude of the owners towards Fiat, untimely technical inspection or aggressive driving style. Most often, judging by the reviews of the Fiat Punto 2, the variator belt fails. Transmission oil must be changed in a timely manner: the manufacturer advises doing this every 40 thousand kilometers and using only the TUTELA CVTng brand.

Chassis

The design of the Fiat Punto chassis is standard: McPherson struts are installed in front, and a torsion beam in the back. Roughnesses in the road and smooth entry into turns are provided by the suspension. The top-of-the-line HGT or the sporty Sporting are the best options for those who prefer fast and dynamic driving.

The Dual Drive electric power steering operates in two modes: Normal and City. The car is light, easy to drive, and therefore many drivers simply turn off the electric booster. The method for deactivating Dual Drive is described in the manual for the Fiat Punto 2.

Electrical equipment and body

Italian cars have never been famous for corrosion resistance, but the Fiat Punto 2 was a pleasant exception to this rule. The manufacturer gives an eight-year warranty on the body and its components. The only place subject to corrosion is the lower part of the wheel arches, however, even there, bare metal does not rust for a long time.

A huge drawback of the car is the quality of the materials used and assembly: noise is heard from the side of the wheel arches while driving, plastic parts rattle. For the second generation Punto, there are characteristic problems with electronics: quite often, owners have to return the wipers to working order, change light bulbs, a fuel level sensor and clean the contacts of servo-drive mechanisms. Often the air conditioner fails, cracks appear on the generator – this malfunction, however, is also typical for the first generation of the car.

HGT version

A special modification of the Fiat Punto HGT, created in the best traditions of the Italian automobile brand, was equipped with a 1.8-liter engine with 130 horsepower. The dynamics of acceleration to 100 km / h is 8.5 seconds. The special HGT features a more aggressive design and rich equipment, including sports-design seats, a safety package, an audio system and leather trim. The restyling of the Fiat Punto 2 also led to changes in the special version, which received a 1.9-liter JTD turbocharged diesel engine with a capacity of 100 horsepower.

Reviews and common faults

Serious breakdowns and problems for the Fiat Punto II are uncharacteristic: mostly car owners complain about the generator and the wiper mechanism failing. Both problems are typical of the Fiat brand and are easily fixed.

The suspension of the Fiat Punto leaves much to be desired: after purchasing a used car, replacement of tie rod ends, front control arms, springs and shock absorbers is required. Rich configurations suffer from electrical problems – failures in the operation of the central lock or systems that control automatic transmission are not uncommon.

Relays and steering angle sensors cause steering failure. The design of the car is simple, it allows you to independently eliminate the malfunctions that arise. Affordable price of spare parts facilitates repair work.

After restyling, the body was galvanized, which eliminated problems with metal corrosion. However, after several years of operation, a red coating appears on the thresholds.

Advantages

• Affordable cost of the car, spare parts and repairs;
• Attractive body design;
• Reliable rear suspension;
• Efficient braking system.

disadvantages

• Cheap and low-quality trim materials;
• Common electrical problems
• High fuel consumption in gasoline engines;
• Poor basic equipment;
• Capricious variator;
• High chance of engine overheating and oil leaks.

The Fiat Punto 2 is a reliable city car with a simple and time-tested design. The model is ideal for both novice drivers and those who are tight on money.