Fiat Punto HGT

The Fiat Punto HGT is a warm, rather than hot supermini, so we won't scald ourselves if we mishandle it.

What's New
Contrary to popular belief, coffee should not be served piping hot, not in traditional Italian coffee shops anyway, as the locals prefer to down miniscule servings of concentrated caffeine at one go.

For similar reasons, the Fiat Punto HGT is also very much like an espresso. To begin with, its small but also has a comparatively big 1.8-litre engine. Considering that the standard Punto gets by with a 1.2-litre unit, the addition of 505cc and 51bhp spells a simple recipe for building a hot hatch.

It's got the visual cues to match the additional grunt as well. It is only available in a three-door body style and racy 15-inch alloy wheels. Inside, the front occupants sit in more supportive seats that are upholstered with a bronze-coloured fabric. As with most hot hatches, drilled aluminium pedals are also present and accounted for.

How it Performs
Here's another similarity between a 'proper' espresso and the Punto HGT, first impression are warm, rather than hot. Driven at moderate speeds, the Punto HGT is just as pliant easy to use as the entry 1.2-litre model, responding with rubbery gearshifts and vague steering feedback.

Being more liberal with the throttle however, changes the HGT's personality completely. To get the best from the Punto, you basically have to drive it the way Michael Caine drove his Mini in the Italian Job on the streets of Turin.

With the engine giving its best only at around 70 percent of the rev band, frequent gear changes are the order of the day which add to the sense of occasion when you're piloting an HGT. At this speed, the steering and suspension feedback is more coherent and the power unit provide an appropriately buzzy soundtrack that gets it driver in the mood to defiantly zip in and out of traffic.

Bring things back to an urban crawl and Punto HGT goes back to being a housewife's runabout again with even a 'City' button that boosts the power steering assistance for good measure.

How it Stacks Up
Although the Punto HGT keeps to the 'old school' hot hatch formula of a big engine in a small body, mounted on a sporty suspension, it is by no means bare when it comes to it equipment list.

In addition to the climate control air-conditioning, the HGT also comes with a factory-fitted integrated Blaupunkt stereo and a comprehensive trip computer.

While hatch backs have made a comeback in popularity, finding one with credible sporting intent normally means something priced the wrong side of $100,000. With the Fiat Punto HGT, an alternative can now be had for a lot less.

Technical Specifications

MODEL Fiat Punto HGT ENGINE Engine: 1,747cc 16V in-line 4 Max Power: 130bhp @ 6,300rpm Max Torque: 164Nm @ 4,300rpm TRANSMISSION 5-speed manual TOP SPEED 205km/h 0-100km/h 8.6s