Fiat Motors India Limited have been moving on their own in India since their split with Premier Motors way back in the 90s. Recently when they joined up with Tata Motors, it became evident that Fiat Motors India Limited are taking their innings in India seriously. The tie up has resulted in Fiat cars been sold in Tata show rooms and also Tata Motors taking care of the servicing part of the Fiat cars. Now, the first car on their remergence path is the Fiat Palio Stile in India. Essentially it is the old Fiat Palio with a refreshed interior-exterior combination along with new engines under the hood. We give you the complete review of this car.
Looks
The looks of the Fiat Palio Stile in India haven’t changed much from the old car. All that has changed is that the car is now more rounded than the sharp edged one it was earlier. The front end bears a resemblance to the now famous Fiat Punto. Actually speaking, we liked the looks of the old car rather than this new one. It seems that the car has lost its character. The peeled back head lamps complement the cross section grille. They are double barelled and feature clear lens as part of the package. The fog lamps are also protruding which make quite a style statement on their own.
The side profile shows body colored mirrors and body colored door handles with 14 inch tubeless tyres. The car seriously looks undertired even on those 14 inchers. The rear end also shows clear lens tail lamps with a single wiper doing duties. The rear bumper is also neatly moulded into the overall structure of the car.
Interiors
Earlier, the Fiat Palio had dark interiors however the new Fiat Palio Stile in India features dual tone beige interiors. This adds to the airiness of the cabin and enhances the space quotient inside. The steering wheel is devoid of any audio controls but it is good to hold. The dials look very simple and don’t evoke any good emotions. The gear lever also looks borrowed from the previous version. The HVAC controls also look odd and old fashioned. There are fabric inserts on the door trim. The mirrors are also manually adjustable. There is enough of space at the front seats and they are supportive as well. The rear seats are comfortable but felt a bit low in the knee room department.
There are not too many cubby holes however the build of the car feels solid. The materials used for construction mirror partner Tata Motors efforts and this means a bad thing since Tata cars aren’t known for their use of materials in the cabin. The boot space is also small at 260 liters.
Handling and ride quality
The Fiat Palio was known for its good ride and handling and the Fiat Palio Stile in India is no different. The Torsion axle, coil springs, stabilizing bar and telescopic dual effect shock absorbers at the rear end whereas the Independent Wheel, McPherson type with lower wishbone anchored to cross member, coil springs at the front are hard sprung. This makes the ride quality a bit firm but does aid in the handling of the car. The steering wheel however spoils the party with it been a bit wooden in its operation. It lacks proper feel and feedback. Ride quality however becomes more comfortable at speeds and even overloading doesn’t let the suspension to bottom out. Ride height is also good at 170mm.
Engine,Performance and fuel efficiency
The Fiat Palio Stile in India is offered with three engine options. The 1.1 liter FIRE petrol engine makes 52 Ps @ 5250 rpm whereas the torque provided is 92 Nm @ 2750 rpm. The 1.3 liter multijet diesel engine produces 75 Ps @ 4000 rpm whereas the torque generated is 184 Nm @ 2000 rpm. The last of the trio, the 1.6 liter engine makes 100 Ps @ 6000 rpm and the maximum torque generated is 143 Nm @ 4250 rpm. The 1.1 liter engine is the least powered and this shows in its 0-100 kmph run timings where it breaches the mark in 17.9 seconds and struggles to reach its top speed of 142 kmph. The diesel on the other hand is well acclaimed in India and reaches 100 kmph in 15.4 seconds. Its top speed is also good at 151 kmph. The 1.6 liter motor is a stonker and the ton mark is reached in only 12.4 seconds whereas the top speed is also high at 163 kmph.
All three engines are mated to a 5 speed gearbox. The feel from the gearbox is also rubbery and doesn’t give a good experience of the drive. Brake pedal feel is also wooden in the smaller capacity engines whereas for the 1.6 liter model, it is properly modulated. Assisting the brakes are ABS and EBD. Safety is well tended for with the Fiat Palio Stile in India getting Fire Prevention System {FPS}, collapsible steering wheel, child locks and 2 air bags.
Fuel efficiency has always been the Achilles heel for the Fiat Palio in India. The 1.1 liter engine returns an overall efficiency figure of 12.3 kmpl, the multijet engine returns 15.5 kmpl overall and the 1.6 liter engine returning 12.0 kmpl. Unfortunately the Achilles heel still persists with the petrol motors whereas the diesel motor is par for the class.
Verdict
The Fiat Palio Stile in India is offered in 3 variants for the 1.1L petrol and 1.3L diesel. For the 1.6 liter petrol, there is only one trim. The trim levels are the Fiat Palio Stile 1.1 SL, Fiat Palio Stile 1.1 SLE and the Fiat Palio Stile 1.1 SLX. For diesel, the trim levels are Fiat Palio Stile 1.3 multijet SL, Fiat Palio Stile 1.3 multijet SLE and Fiat Palio Stile 1.3 multijet SLX. The 1.6 liter gets the variant name as Fiat Palio Stile 1.6 SLX. The Fiat Palio Stile in India is a good option for those looking for a competent hatchback with solid build quality and good space from a small car. Those looking for outright performance would be disappointed with the anemic 1.1 and 1.3 L motors. The Fiat Palio Stile price in India for the base petrol is Rs 3,41,243 and goes upto Rs 5,43,660 for the 1.6 liter petrol {ex-show room, Delhi}.
Technical specifications of the Fiat Palio Stile 1.1
Engine details: 1108 cc In-Line FIRE Engine
No. of Cylinders: 4
Maximum Power: 57 Ps @ 5,250 rpm
Maximum Torque: 92 Nm @ 2,750 rpm
Valve Configuration: SOHC
Valves Per Cylinder: 2
Fuel Supply System: MPFI
Bore x Stroke: 70 x 71 mm
Compression Ratio: 9.6:3
Transmission Type: 5 Speed Manual
Drive Type: FWD
Clutch Type: Hydraulic Clutch
Front Suspension: Independent Wheel, MacPherson type with lower wishbone & coil springs
Rear Suspension: Torsion axle with coil springs & stabilizing bar
Shock Absorbers Type: Telescopic with particles
Steering details: Hydraulic Power assisted with Rack & Pinion
Turning Radius (wheel base): 5.1 m
Front Brake Type: Ventilated Disc
Rear Brake Type: Self-Adjusting Drum
Top Speed: 142 kmph
Acceleration (0-100 kmph): 17.9 seconds
Drag Coefficient: 0.31 C
Mileage-City (kmpl): 11.9
Mileage-Highway (kmpl): 15.5
Fuel Type: Petrol
Fuel Tank Capacity (litres): 48
Emission Norm Compliance: Bharat Stage III
Tyre Size: 165/80 R14
Tyre Type: Tubeless Radial
Wheel Size: 14 x 5.0 B
Seating Capacity: 5
No of Doors: 4
Cargo Volume: 260 liters
Technical specifications of the Fiat Palio Stile 1.6
Engine details: 1596 cc In-Line FIRE Engine
No. of Cylinders: 4
Maximum Power: 100 bhp @ 6,000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 143 Nm @ 4,250 rpm
Valve Configuration: DOHC
Valves Per Cylinder: 4
Fuel Supply System: MPFI
Bore x Stroke: 80.5 x 79 mm
Compression Ratio: 9.5:2
Transmission Type: 5 Speed Manual
Clutch Type: Hydraulic Clutch
Drive Type: FWD
Front Suspension: Independent Wheel, MacPherson type with lower wishbone & coil springs
Rear Suspension: Torsion axle with coil springs & stabilizing bar
ShockAbsorbers Type: Telescopic with particles
Steering details: Hydraulic Power assisted with Rack & Pinion
Turning Radius (wheel base): 5.1 m
Front Brake Type: Ventilated Disc
Rear Brake Type: Self-Adjusting Drum
Top Speed: 163 kmph
Acceleration (0-100 kmph): 12.4 seconds
Drag Coefficient: 0.31 C
Mileage-City (kmpl): 9.0
Mileage-Highway (kmpl): 13.1
Fuel Type: Petrol
Fuel Tank Capacity (litres): 48
Emission Norm Compliance: Bharat Stage III
Tyre Size: 175/65 R14
Tyre Type: Tubeless Radial
Wheel Size: 14 x 5.5 J
Alloy Wheel Size: 14 inches
Seating Capacity: 5
No of Doors: 4
Cargo Volume: 260 liters
