Stellantis officially announced that it will launch the Fiat Punto in 2023. This is after the car had been discontinued in 2018 and after 25 years in the market. With the Fiat Punto planned to make a return, here is everything you need to know about this compact hatchback.
History of Fiat Punto
The Fiat Punto is a small supermini car made by Fiat. This hatchback has been in construction from 1993 to 2018, featuring over three generations. The first generation was produced in 1993, the second generation in 1999, and the third generation in 2005. As of May 2013, Fiat had sold around nine million units worldwide.
Over the years, Fiat Punto has come in many body styles, including a 3-door hatchback, 5-door hatchback, 2-door convertible, and 3-door van. Now that the Fiat Punto successor is making a comeback in 2023, it will still feature a hatchback design.
Stellantis confirmed that will be launching a new B-Segment Fiat Punto hatchback on a “common platform”, hence insinuating that it will be based on PSA’s common modular platform (CMP). The common thinking here is that the Fiat Punto successor will move over the CMP platform, which emerged as a Peugeot architecture.
However, it now looks to support several vehicles across Stellantis group’s 14 brands. For instance, CMP currently supports the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa, and it will also support the proposed 2023 Fiat Punto.
Features of Fiat Punto
Even though the 2023 Fiat Punto is not out yet, there are several rumors about how the car will look. According to Stellantis, which was formed because of the merger between FCA and Group PSA, the Fiat Punto successor will arrive in 2023. It will likely feature a mild hybrid or a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Besides, Stellantis announced that an all-electric version is likely to be made the following year after its launch. There is a high chance that the proposed new Fiat Punto will first go on sale in Europe, alongside the Fiat 500 and Fiat Panda, before being sold in other markets.
Appearance
Since little is known about the upcoming 2023 Fiat Punto, knowing what this B-Segment hatchback will look like is pretty challenging. Nonetheless, considering its previous designs, we expect the styling of this latest model to be appealing, classy, and sporty. Nonetheless, the interior should also be beautiful, but still, feature affordable materials to keep the cost down.
Performance
Now that the 2023 Fiat Punto will be closely related to the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa models, it is very likely that it will feature a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine. The engine may have the option of normally aspirated and turbocharged options. It should produce at least 81 bhp and 118 Nm of torque.
Key features
Like the 2023 Peugeot 208, the 2023 Fiat Punto should come with exceptional features like a 7-inch capacitive color touchscreen, manual air conditioning, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, and rear parking sensors.
Safety
It should also have some of the latest intelligent driving aids such as speed and road sign recognition, lane positioning assist, adaptive cruise control, and parking assistance.
Price
While the 2023 Fiat Punto will have many similar features to the 2023 Peugeot 208, it should be much cheaper than the latter. On average, it should have a starting price of around $18,000, as the Peugeot 208 has a starting price of around $20,000.
Which cars are similar to Fiat Punto
The 2023 Fiat Punto may be a nice compact city car, but it also has a lot of competition on the market. Some of its closest competitors are the Volkswagen Polo, Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 208, Vauxhall Corsa, Skoda Fabia, and Renault Clio. Some of these cars are more affordable, more reliable, or even more comfortable than the Fiat Punto.
Pros:
- It is compact for ease of parking
- It is efficient
- The car is easy to maintain
- It is fun to drive
Cons:
- It is not reliable
- The interior quality is subpar
FAQ
Is Fiat Punto a reliable car?
No, Fiat Punto is not a reliable car. Many previous owners have reported experiencing different issues linked to the reliability of the car. Besides, Fiat as a brand is one of the least reliable car brands on the market. So, if you want a reliable small car, stay away from the Fiat Punto.
What are the common problems with Fiat Punto?
The Fiat Punto is fun to drive, efficient, and affordable. However, it also comes with several problems that interested buyers should know about. Some of the issues that have plagued previous Fiat Punto models are power steering issues, knocking noise from suspension, grinding noise when steering, black exhaust smoke, and ineffective braking.
How long does the Fiat Punto last?
Fiat does not make some of the most reliable cars on the market. Nonetheless, with proper care and maintenance, the Fiat Punto can last for more than 150,000 miles. Besides, good driving habits should be practiced for the Fiat Punto to last for a very long while.
Is Fiat Punto a good daily driver?
Yes, Fiat Punto is one of the best daily drivers on the market. Thanks to its compact design, ease of handling, efficiency, excellent steering, good visibility, ease of parking, quiet engine, and fun to drive. The Fiat Punto is also a nice city car as it is easy to park and drive in traffic.
Does Fiat Punto hold its value?
No, the Fiat Punto does not hold its value well. Besides, it is one of the cheapest cars you can get in the market. Even though the Fiat Punto does not hold its value, buying a used model is one of the best decisions you can make. This is because they are cheap to maintain.
Conclusion
The Fiat Punto will be a nice compact car that is ideal for city driving. It will be cheap to maintain, affordable, comfortable, and quite reliable. But like all cars, it is vital to know that they will also have some common problems that users may have to deal with from time to time.
Now that we’ve highlighted all the vital information about the Fiat Punto, making a decision shouldn’t be that difficult for buyers.
