Fiat Punto Evo (10 on) - Review

Despite a firm ride - which somewhat takes the edge off refinement - the Punto Evo manages to retain decent levels of passenger comfort. Wind noise is minimal, although it seems more noticeable on the three-door, especially around the mirrors, while engine sound is kept reasonably low in everyday driving. There's good space for four adults on board, but legroom for taller passengers in the rear can be an issue. Getting into the back of the three-door models can also be tricky, although this is the same on all three-door cars of this size. All models come with electric front windows but air conditioning isn't standard on Active models - although it is available as an optional extra. The seats have been improved from the Grande Punto and offer better support, especially welcome on longer journeys.

All models come with Fiat's Blue&Me system which was developed with Microsoft. This includes Bluetooth, which allows you to make and receive calls on the move and can read out texts via the car's speakers - even if it's abbreviated text. As well as this it allows you to listen to MP3 players or music stored on memory sticks via the USB port. In terms of boot space, the 275 litres the Punto offers is about average for a car this size, although others like the Ford Fiesta and SEAT Ibiza can carry more. All models (except the Active) come with rear seats that split 60/40 and fold down to make it easier to carry larger items while models fitted with ESP also have a 'hill holder' which, as the name suggests, holds the car on inclines, making hill starts much easier.

The interior isn't a massive departure from the Grande Punto but there have been some key improvements. The flowing dashboard gives it a far more inviting and softer look, helped by a sleek stereo and neat ventilation controls. The quality and finish are very good, but some of the plastics are quite hard where other small cars use softer-touch materials. That aside, it's still stylish and the instrument dials are easy to read while the ambient lighting (on more expensive models) adds to the quality feel. The driving position is good too with plenty of movement in the seat along with height and reach adjustment in the steering column.