Considering the lukewarm reception to Fiat Auto SA’s first sub-compact offering from Turin, the much-maligned Stilo, the Bravo had to be a major improvement. Fiat Auto has clearly moved into the premium end of the local sub-compact market, but will the Bravo stand up to intense public and media scrutiny?
First of all, the handsome newcomer is what I would describe as being something of a left-of-the-middle offering, at least when compared with the likes of the Toyota Auris, VW Golf V and their ilk. This car has looks that can turn heads, offers capable performance and, predictably, a couple of quirks that could prove to be the fine line between love and loathing.
The styling is certainly easy on the eye – from the smooth front, with its swept-back headlights to the neatly creased flanks, pronounced wheel arches and conspicuous brake lights sitting on those rear haunches, the Bravo is a refreshing break from the insipid styling of some of its Japanese, Korean (and even German) competitors, yet conventional enough to distinguish the sophisticated Italian from its quirky French rivals.
The interior is similarly eye-catching. The mixture of soft-touch textured trim surrounding the instrument binnacle, chrome-ringed dials and fat, leather-bound steering wheel (lifted from the Grande Punto) finds the mark nicely.
Things begin to go awry when one tries to get comfortable behind the ‘wheel, especially if you are only slightly taller than the average person. The seats are supportive enough, but need to be moved far back to allow the driver to remove his or her feet from the pedals without having to cross legs. With the seat set back, however, I found the 90-degree view to the side obscured by the sizeable b-pillars – it should affect those of my carriage and height more than others, but it’s enough to prove irritating in town driving. Furthermore, the pedals feel too closely spaced and there’s no footrest, either.
Although the Bravo’s interior represents a significant step up from its lesser Grande Punto sibling (as one would expect) – especially in the choices of trim and the lower levels of cabin noise, some bits of the cabin feel disappointingly flimsy. That is especially apparent in the interior door handles, which feel as though they won’t go the distance and disengage the doors with a brittle clank. That, along with the smattering of Punto bits (door trim, gearlever, A/C button etc) seemed incongruous with the car’s near-R200 000 asking price. Having said that, the follow-the-corner foglights and hill holder assist (which stops the Bravo from rolling backwards on an incline when the driver shifts his or her right foot from the brake to the throttle pedal at pull-away) were certainly pluses.
The Bravo’s engine is an absolute gem, however, and makes me wonder how long 1,6-, 1,8- and 2,0-litre engines will survive before being permanently substituted by smaller, turbocharged, mills. Powered by a turbocharged 1,4-litre engine that delivers 110 kW at 5 000 r/min and 230 N.m and 3 000 r/min (when the Sport button on the dash is pressed), the Bravo’s gruff-voiced little unit will rev with zeal and feels more powerful than its displacement suggests. Bury the throttle pedal and the engine will pull hard, as that gruff burble becomes a snarl, accompanied by a satisfying far-off whistle from the blower.
Although there was a bit of body roll and floatiness under sharp cornering (exacerbated by a nicely-weighted, yet strangely uncommunicative, woolly feel to the electronic steering system), the Bravo offers plenty of grip. It was quite pleasant to hustle the Bravo along. The ride was quite supple, but seemed to get rather fidgety when the road surface worsened. The six-speed gearbox was a pleasure to work through – each gear engaged with a reassuring “thunk”.
Much like the new Mitsubishi Lancer, the Bravo’s not perfect, but it has style, presence and character that the likes of the VW Golf and Toyota Auris would kill for. If you can live with its quirks, the Bravo is a distinguished and entertaining drive. If not, you’ll inevitably become the recipient of a more comfortable ride that should inoffensively blend in with everything else in the car park. Bravo, Fiat – but you certainly have your work cut out in this segment.
