Fiat Bravo (2007 - 2014) 1.9 Multijet Active 5d (2007/07) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

This is a car for people who want something a little bit different from the usual Focuses and Astras. Looks are subjective, but in my opinion, it's the best looking car in its class. It's also quite good value new, and staggering value second hand - what other 120bhp diesel, 5-door hatchback can be picked up at 20 months and with 11,000 miles for under £8k?

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Everybody I've spoken to agrees it's a pretty car, with a strong engine.

Would you buy this car again and why?

Probably - the ongoing front suspension issues give me cause for concern, but I'll wait until I've heard more about other Bravo drivers' experiences before deciding whether it's a systematic weakness in them, or if I've just been unlucky

What are you likely to buy next?

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchise

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£7,995

When did you buy the car?

October 2009

Did you get a good deal and why?

The car was bought from Arnold Clark, whose nearly-new sticker prices usually represent excellent value for money anyway compared with other dealerships, but even so I was still able to haggle an extra little amount off the asking price.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

This car offered the best all-round combination of performance, looks, age, mileage, practicality and price within my budget.

What was the dealer like?

Top quality service so far. Within a few months of owning the car, a paint defect on two doors started to appear. I found out that the doors had been repaired at some point prior to me owning the car, so the issue was not technically covered by Fiat's warranty, but the dealer took the car in and did the work FOC and gave me a higher-spec Bravo as a courtesy car for a full week to accommodate my plans for that week.

What's it like to drive?

The car's 0-60 time is held back by the fact that it's sluggish off the line, but from about 15mph in 2nd gear up till about 80mph it pulls as well as any other family hatchback I've driven. The electric power steering isn't the most communicative and when the car's grip levels are exceeded it does tend to understeer, but in normal driving conditions, the Bravo feels solid and sure-footed in a way that Fiats have not always been known to. At speed, although the engine never feels stressed, the car does feel like it would benefit from a sixth forward ratio to improve refinement and fuel economy: newer Bravos do indeed have a 6-speed gearbox, so obviously Fiat agreed with me.

What's it like to park?

The combination of a high rear door line, thick C-pillars and a smallish rear window can make reverse parking a bit of a hair-raising experience where low fences and bollards are concerned, but the car has massive wing mirrors which do help.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Front suspension strut mounts needed replaced at 15,000 miles, and at 22,000 miles they sound as if they're wearing again. According to The AA's website, Bravos with chassis numbers in a certain range were recalled to have badly designed suspension parts replaced. My car doesn't fall in the affected and acknowledged range, but there's clearly something wrong with a car that wears through suspension parts quicker than tyres.

What's most practical about your car?

Good strong diesel engine delivers 120bhp and oodles of torque despite returning 44-50mpg. Width across the rear bench is excellent as well, although legroom is somewhat restricted.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

The sound quality from the standard stereo is excellent. It's an unbranded unit, although I've heard that they're made by Blaupunkt