Retro-styled Punto Evo overtakes Grande Punto to offer greener motoring

FIAT has relaunched its best-selling car, the Punto hatchback, which comes with a new body, featuring a dumpy back and face that echoes the cute personality of its retro 500.

• Punto Evo

Known as the Punto Evo – formerly the Grande Punto – the new model has also had its petrol and diesel engines tweaked to offer better economy and lower carbon emission. The Evo's cabins are also smarter than its predecessor's.

Prices start at 10,995 which brings the 77hp 1.4 petrol in its lowest tune, three doors and Active trim. Rear doors add 600. A 105hp 1.4 version is also available. The cheapest diesel is the 75hp 1.3 three-door Active at 12,995, a whacking, monstrous 2,000 mark-up over the 77hp 1.4 petrol. Further up the range there is a 1,100 gap between the 105hp petrol and the 95hp diesel.

All the petrol engines are 1.4 litres and called Multiair. The diesels, all 1.3, are called MultiJet – a familiar name at Fiat for the common-rail injection system it pioneered in 1997. The gearbox is a manual five-speed on most models. Semi-automatic "Dualogic" gears are available on the 77hp petrol Dynamic model, from 12,195 for the three-door, and 15,595 for the 95hp diesel in top Eleganza five-door format. All models have stop-start ignition to save fuel in urban driving.

The Punto brand succeeded the Uno and on its debut it was 1995's Car of the Year. Seven million have been sold, of which 700,000 came to Britain, not with terrific reliability in the early days, when Fiat UK was wobbling.

Today the giant brand, owner of Ferrari, maker of diesel trains, is flourishing. It specialises in smaller cars with bright personalities. The 2010 Punto models come with a standard suspension or, for an extra 1,200, a tarted up GP sports model for the driver who can cope with a firm and sometimes uncomfortable ride to gain sharper car control.

Blue & Me phone connection and a driver's knee airbag are standard. The Eleganza has stability control and a hill-holder clutch (alone in this market sector), optional on the other models. At extra cost you can specify on all models, bar the Active, Tom Tom touch-screen navigation.

Fiat showed the Punto Evo to the UK press from a base at the Hotel du Vin in Cheltenham at a time when the rivers were up and the roads were awash.

We tried the 75hp diesel in Dynamic trim with five doors and yours for 14,395 plus 400 for its Underground Grey metallic paint and 500 for extra metallic detailing, 15in alloys and front fog lights that come on, left or right, when you are turning into a tight bend.

It rode nicely on the regular suspension, had a sweet enough gearshift and an engine that revved freely, sounding lively at lower revs but not rough or stretched. In fact, a nice motor. The stop-start system took a bit of patience, with some embarrassing delays. This system does not re-start until you select first gear.

Top speed is listed at 103mph with 0-62mph in 13.6 seconds. Fiat quotes 54 miles a gallon in town, 81mpg out of town and 69mpg combined. Maybe so, but on our moderately gentle 50-mile run it showed 55mpg on the trip computer. The carbon dioxide rating is 108g/km. The driver's area is confused by placing the speed dial on the left and the rev counter on the right.

The trouble is that Brits are accustomed to seeing the speedo on the right. (Too often I was thinking the engine speed was the road speed, Your Honour.)

The dashboard has an unusual overlapping layer which comes part way down in a wavy line. When the lights are on you get a chink of illumination through the meeting point of the upper and lower layers. As I say, unusual.

Next drive, the most powerful Punto Evo, the 135hp 1.4 Sporting which is quoted at 127mph, 0-62mph in 8.5 seconds, 50mpg and 129g/km. It is sold only as a three-door at 15,295.

On smooth roads, it is lots of fun, quick and able. On the familiar patched roads it can be as jittery as a cat with fleas. Driven a little more briskly than the diesel over another 50 miles it showed 30mpg on the dashboard computer.

It is: The next stage in the Punto story, with three-door and five-door bodies and five trim levels. The core "comfort" model is the Dynamic and the core sports model is the GP.

Price: From 10,995 for the three-door 1.4 petrol Active. Kit includes stop-start ignition, ABS brakes, a knee airbag, Blue & Me phone connection, steering wheel controls for the audio and MP3, 15in steel wheels, remote central locking, electric power steering.

Motors: Petrol 1.4 in 77hp, 105hp and 135hp tune. Diesel 1.3 in 75hp and 95hp tune. A five-speed gearbox is fitted to all but the 105hp petrol engine. Dualogic semi-auto box is offered with the 77hp petrol, Dynamic, and 95hp diesel Eleganza five-door.