Jun 07, 2007 12:29 PM
16825 Views
(Updated Jun 07, 2007 12:38 PM)
Well.I, like all of us here.read a lot of reviews(or whatever was available on the net) before jumping in on this purchase. This was my second car(have a Hyundai Accent 16. GLS) as my 1st.
A few facts:
Car is astonishing to look at(I have the Ferrari Red) with all the cladding and the frills, Hella's, Bull Guard and Roof Rails.
Tyres are great(Pirelli Tubeless) for Bangalore Roads and the type of stretches we have here.
Space inside is also good and you can muster any thing in the boot. Also the flap extend tray also acts as a AC saver when you put it on extended, so that the lower part of the boot does not get cooling.
Panels and Button's inside are good, although FIAT could have done better, as Italy is synonyms to designer stuff.
Upholstery on the interiors is OK and not too appealing. I tried to get the same redone but gave up the idea as the Car Accessories person made me realise that the Door Trims are having too much of Upholstery and Foam Stitched padding and he would not be able to redo the same with a leather.
Mine came with No Audio hence I had to get the Audio done. However I feel the same is not done properly as the Car has a really big boot and no place for speaker, hence you need to box them up. Also you MUST have a sub woofer in this car as otherwise you shall get no thrills. Mine does not have it however now I plan to put one.
The ride:
A. 100BHP 1.6 Engine is the least this car could have. With the weight of 1.2tonnes, I still feel the gear ratios are not correct. Although I have driven 2000 KM's I feel te drive is very demanding. In city conditions, it can be strenuous to ride this beast as the constant gear shift is not easy. I also have the bias of comparing the same to my Accent . That has a 104BHP 1.6 Engine and much lighter as compared to the Adventure, hence that car is a zoomer and also great in city conditions.
B. Road Handling: Well, it is a car that you need to go for long rides on.that is why perhaps they named it ADVENTURE. I had a short trip to a place appx. 100KM from Bangalore via Dodballapur. In one staying in Bangalore would know it. Well.I must tell you that road is non existent in that part and I had a great time driving the Adventure. The ease by which it went over the 1 foot deep trenches with it's high ground clearance made me realise that the beauty of this car is in the wild. I could never imagine my Accent on that stretch. On the way back, it had rained, and there were no lights on the road, with front 2 fogs on and on hi beam, I could well light up the road for the cars ahead of me.
C. Steering the vehicle is a little tiring as the turning radius is large and roads are small here. Also the effort required to steer is slightly higher owing to the weight and the Broad tyres.
- Dealers and Spare: I think that is the weakest part in the whole deal. Although FIAT is now sold by TATA's, much is needed for the dealership still. I had couple of issues. Post delivery I realised that the rear windscreen defogger is not working. On inspection I was told that it needs to be replaced. Well I am waiting for over 2months now but there is no news on the part to arrive. So spares are really bad in supply.
Overall I would recommend this vehicle for people needing a comfortable ride on bad roads and who venture out a lot.
