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POWER OF SUGGESTION

It’s beautiful but not overtly flashy, powerful but modestly priced. The question is, are you brave enough to leave the ordinary realm of choices and think for yourself?

It’s very easy to cling to old stereotypes and expectations, often over looking things that really make sense and the Fiat Bravo is one of these. Not an ounce of complacency begets Fiat’s new 5-door hatchback, the company knew clearly what their brief was and they set about making it anything but ordinary. Being in the firing line of much loved models like the Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus meant that Fiat had to really work on their own unique selling points. It isn’t so much that they want to re-visit their 90’s boom and produce cars on a mass scale, the objective now is to manufacture desirable, well-built models to sway the floating voters.

So how far has it come to persuading us that Fiat is a reliable brand? Well since the Fiat Panda was awarded European Car of the year in 2004, we’ve had the Punto in 2005 which has certainly helped Fiat establish itself as a sexy Italian brand. In terms of its reliability, customer surveys suggested a few minor niggles surrounding the Punto Supermini. However Fiat has taken the feedback well and as a result has stepped up its aftersales support. Now we’re in phase three with the new Bravo and things are certainly more promising, the panels have a near seamless look, the interior is dressed in high quality materials and the need for servicing is spaced out over every 18,000 miles of driving (as long as you look after it that is). Garage visits are promised to be less expensive than they were with the doomed Stilo and as long as people are open minded about Bravo, it shouldn’t depreciate as miserably either.

it is also hoped that Frank Stephenson who over saw the design of the new Bravo and whose portfolio of clients includes Ferrari, Maserati and BMW, will have injected some passion in to the new Bravo’s image. Indeed, Fiat’s new offering is a neat little number with plenty of enhancing features like the sharp angled headlights, big stylish wheels, chrome detailing and the coupe-like lines at the rear-end. The interior is equally suggestive with its sporty red stitching, carbon-fibre look dash and well cushioned seats.
The Bravo’s suggestion is backed up by its two flagship models; one petrol, one diesel, both producing 150bhp. Compare it pound for pound, horse for horse with rivals and you’ll find its power stats are quite favourable considering its low price range. We drove the 1.4 T-jet sport petrol model and we’re impressed to find that its turbo really does do a grand job of allowing it to respond like a 2.0-litre car while also keeping fuel consumption relatively low. The torque spread when driving in standard mode is 152lb ft which comes in to play as early as 2,000rpm but promptly looses enthusiasm around 6,000rpm. Engage sports mode, by pressing a little button on the dash and you get 18lb ft extra which arrives at 3,000rpm and thickly lays it on for the most crucial parts of overtaking and hill climbing.

The driving experience is pleasurable, sometimes even fun if you toy around with it. The Bravo offers plenty of grip, adequate pace and predictable steering, around the city manoeuvring can be made even easier due to not having to put any muscle in to steering inputs and parking is light work too. Due to its 5 star Euro Ncap rating and the way it maximises space, it deserves to be on the short-list for families. The rear seats also fold completely flat and because of their low level they make packing away shopping or sports equipment a straight forward task. Front and rear armrests will also come in handy on longer journeys as well as cup holders and the option of a ceiling mounted DVD player. There’s plenty on the options list to allow you to customise your Bravo in terms of style and lifestyle pursuits although all the main creature comforts are there as standard.
I know what you’re thinking, it all sounds rather tempting but you’re still a bit timid to invest in it because you’re not sure of its longer term loyalty? Well for the most part any underlying issues were well and truly ironed out at the design stage due to a lot of scrupulous testing being computerised. This saved the manufacturer money in development costs which is perhaps why it can afford to pass this saving on to us and undercut all of its competitors. From being built to arriving at the showrooms has taken just 18 months thanks to this computerised technology. This is rather swift by industry standards and worth blowing their trumpets about (if and only if it stands to be as durable as it promises).

Packed with various high-tech electronics and having the investment of partners such as Microsoft which has helped develop the Bravo’s ‘Blue&Me’ communications system has further helped its cause. The Blue&Me system incidentally is a trademark of Fiat’s; it allows you to chat and receive texts while safely on the move. As well as being activated by steering wheel mounted controls, it will also respond to voice commands. In fact you’ve got everything from Bluetooth and Sat Nav to MP3, WAV or WMA compatibility.

In short we are seeing a real fore-thought of functionality and quality. Fiat are also investing a lot of money to open a new showroom in the centre of London from early next year, this will coincide with the launch of the 500 Cinquecento. The centre will certainly give the brand more presence and due to having after sales support on site it also makes things much more convenient for owners. In addition to the new showroom we can also experience the revolution of Fiat’s digital site from here onwards; its 3D set-up and advanced communication channels making buying and servicing your Bravo much more straight forward. There’s a real commitment to cut waiting times and respond back to your enquiries with the detail and care you’d expect. More than anything, the website is an experience-driven phenomenon to make the whole process of ownership fun, functional and in-line with the latest technology.

Could the Bravo’s suggestive little package be right up your street? Only one way to find out…

Verdict

FOR: Image, power, equipment and safety put the Bravo on an equal footing to anything else in its class. The pricing is obviously far more attractive though and because it won’t account for too much of a slice of the pie it has individuality in its favour too.
AGAINST: Due to the height of the accelerator pedal, you may need a good stretch of your tibialis anterior when you get out the car. The jury’s still out on the reliability front, though saying that the odds look much better than they’ve ever been.
CONCLUSION: Well, if the majority of customers give it the thumbs up in terms of servicing and after care support then Fiat will be able to put any old demons to bed. Sure, it will take more than a blanket advertising campaign and surface-level aesthetics to convince us enthusiasts and that’s why it is worth a test drive; you could just be swayed!

Spec

ENGINE: 4-in line, front, transverse
Co2 (g/km)/tax: 167
POWER: 150bhp @ 5500rpm
TORQUE (lb/ft): 206 @ 2250rpm
0-62mph (sec): 8.2 (with overboost)
TOP SPEED: 131mph
MPG: 30.4/48.7/39.8 (urban/extra-urban/combined)
TRANSMISSION: 6 speed manual
SUSPENSION: Front: Macpherson independent wheel type, telescopic dampers, stabilizer bar. Rear: Torsion beam, interconnected wheels with torsion bar, telescopic hydraulic dampers
BRAKES: Front: 281×26mm Rear: 251×10mm
WHEELS: 18″ alloys
TYRES: 225/40 R 18 92V
WEIGHT: 1275
PRICE: £14,080
RIVALS: Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, VW Golf, Peugeot 307, Citroen C4