Mar 24, 2002 02:39 PM
9112 Views
(Updated Mar 24, 2002 02:59 PM)
The 1.6 Petrol Version of the FIAT Palio is undoubtedly the real Josh machine of India.
I, being a car lover, was immediately taken over by the looks of the Palio, and its engine specifications.
So, here I was, of to the FIAT Dealer, to test drive the Palio.
I was lucky enough to be able to test drive both the Versions :)
1.6 Version (5 Lakhs) I was more than anxious to get my hands on the wheel of this beauty. It looked stunning from outside to say the least. I found that with nearly 100 hp under it's was the best car to rip. This car is the one which gives you the engine which compares really well with the likes of Honda which is in a much higher price bracket. The gear ratios were perfect. So were the brakes. I couldn't find too many faults with the car even if I wanted to.
1.2 Version (3.5 Lakhs) I was expecting the performance to drop drastically. But in actual performance, a fully loaded car (5 passengers) was a breeze to handle at high speeds. Compared to the 1.6 Version it was a bit slower, but when compared to the likes of Santro n Zen, it was way way higher to say the least.
About the Exteriors, you can find people staring at your car, for one look at this baby, and it's tough to get your eyes of it.
The Interiors are a tad disappointing. From the exteriors and Engine, you think it's a European car, but the interiors let it down a bit. One can find cheap quality plastic everywhere. The 1.6 Version does has some cosmetic changes made.
Plus points of the interior - Loads of passenger space. Perfect family car. 3 people can sit behind abreast very comfortably. The dash board is good looking with its silver finish.
The Boot is really huge, and is equal to, if not more than the boot space of a Sedan.
Another thing to keep in mind is the 'After Sales Service'.
FIAT India has spoilt it's name along with Premier Automobiles. Even their dealers for the Sienna & Uno were really bad. But, before launching the Palio, they completely revamped their dealers. Recent reports have stated that a majority of the dealers have crossed the industry standards.
Few of my friends were lucky enough to become the owners of a Palio. From their reviews, petrol consumption is a bit on the higher side, though a lot depends on the way one drives the car.
Recently, FIAT came out with the Sachin Version and the Sports Version. Both are basically the 1.6 engine wih cosmetic changes. They cost a lot more on the pocket though. They charge a heavy premium for their individuality.
One can go in for either the 1.2 Version or the 1.6 Version depending on the needs of the person. The 1.6 Version is the car for the car lover.
Finally, remember this whenever you sit behind the wheel of the Palio...it's a car made by the owners of Ferrari...yeah FIAT owns Ferrari! Go ahead...drive like Schumi:)
