TWINTEST FIAT PUNTO EVO GP VS OPEL CORSA LIMITED EDITION:THERE WAS a time in Ireland when some people were so broke they used artifice to pretend their cars were hotter than they really were. Nissan Micras were transformed with a quick trip to accessory shop. A stripe here and a body kit there and you could, if you squinted hard, imagine that there were a few extra horsepower under the bonnet.
Eventually manufacturers gave us the warm versions of their small cars with the styling added in the factory.
When compared to the vindaloo of the hot hatchbacks, these were the mildly spiced korma versions, but we loved them. Cheap to run, they looked the part, even if they were as mild-mannered as Clarke Kent.
Now as the country has to deal with the recession, cuts and carbon emissions, this genre is set to make a comeback. So here are two of the best warm hatchbacks around.
But which is best?
STYLING
Punto GP * * *
Corsa Limited Edition * * * *
Subtle they are not. But that really is the whole point of these cars. They aren’t designed to blend in, but to stand out and to get you noticed.
Starting with the Corsa, this model is known as the Colour edition in other markets. We aren’t quite sure why this name seemed unpalatable to the Irish distributors, but it is essentially the same car. It comes in three colours: white, yellow or the red you see here. The exterior colours are carried on elements of the interior and all have smart, black 17-inch alloy wheels. The car sits on sports suspension too. There are front fog lights, which many owners are sure to use whether there is fog or not. The darkened rear lenses could have come straight out of Halfords. It looks like one of Opel’s high-performance OPC versions. It didn’t take long after we collected it for a chorus of approval to emerge from some passing youths.
The Punto Evo looks good too, but doesn’t have the visual impact of the Opel. It has 16-inch alloy wheels, though 17-inch ones would look better on an otherwise very smart car. Your spine will thank you for choosing the smaller wheels, as the ride is much better in the Punto as a result. Some subtle stripes, sports bumpers front and rear as well as rear privacy glass round off the look of this car. The Corsa perhaps edges it on visual impact, but the Punto’s subtler approach will appeal to a wider audience.
RELIABILITY and QUALITY
Punto GP * * *
Corsa Limited Edition * * *
Fiat’s quality has improved in leaps and bounds and that is borne out with the marked improvement in the fit and finish of the Punto Evo. The Fiat has a smart finish inside, with decent quality plastics used throughout. The stalks could be a little better, but great seats, a nice upright driving position and high equipment levels make this latest Punto feel decades newer than even the previous model. In the past Fiat had a reputation for shaky reliability but, when it comes to its small cars, it tends to fare well in this regard. The Corsa is nicely screwed together too though, and the fit and finish is first rate. The dark plastics are of a very high standard, although the use of the exterior colour on flashes of the interior won’t be to everyone’s taste.
Neither car has been without its issues in the past, but both are long into their life cycles, so most problems will have been well ironed out at this stage.
DRIVING
Punto GP * * * *
Corsa Limited Edition * * *
The Corsa sits on lowered suspension and already has one of the most talented chassis around, but this is almost entirely wasted by the gutless engine fitted to this model. With just 85bhp, there isn’t really enough power to exploit the Corsa’s obvious talents, but you get the idea that with more guts this car would be very entertaining. We know already from having driven the OPC version that this car can be brilliant. The ride is a little too firm on this Limited Edition version to be pleasant around town with bumps magnified to an unpleasant degree.
Not so with the Punto, which is clearly made with poor Italian roads in mind. Despite the sporty looks, it can soak up bumps without much fuss. With a good driving position and a much more talented engine, it allows you to get the most from what is an entertaining chassis. It proves to be more fun than the Corsa, which is just plain frustrating. On the motorway too, the extra power in the Punto makes for more relaxed cruising.
ERGONOMICS and PRACTICALITY
Punto GP * * *
Corsa Limited Edition * * *
Both cars come with three doors (although you can have the Corsa Limited Edition as a five-door) and are aimed at a younger audience. So practicality and comfort aren’t the car’s main selling points, though the front two occupants of both cars are well catered for when it comes to space and comfort. Even tall drivers have enough seat travel up front in both cars to get comfy.
Whoever draws the short straw to sit behind probably will feel more aggrieved in the Corsa, which seems to have less legroom and more awkward access to the rear seats. Boot space is pretty much identical in the two cars when the rear seats are in place or folded.
ENGINES
Punto GP * * * *
Corsa Limited Edition * * *
It really is no contest here as the Punto’s 105bhp MultiAir engine is so much livelier than the Corsa’s 85bhp unit. The Corsa feels like it is dragging its heels at all times, though in its favour we would say that it is very quiet. The engine in the Punto is perhaps less well insulated than the Corsa’s, but it feels so much peppier. The Punto is almost three seconds faster to 100km/h, which is quite a long time if you are driving the slower car. Both cars are quite tame when it comes to torque, so have to be worked hard to get the best out of them. There is a diesel version of the Corsa Limited Edition available, which has a 75bhp CDTi diesel and although it is slower, has much more torque (190Nm) and therefore would offer a more relaxed drive. There is no diesel model now offered in the Punto range in Ireland, which is a shame given Fiat’s undoubted talent at producing diesel engines.
RUNNING COSTS
(Road Tax, Depreciation)
Punto GP * * *
Corsa Limited Edition * * * *
It is pretty hard to fault either of these cars when it comes to running costs. They are both likely to be very cheap to run when it comes to such costs as fuel and insurance. Road tax on both cars is just €156. With more power available, the Punto Evo uses a little extra fuel, but is still good on 5.7 litres per 100km. This is helped by Stop Start technology in the Punto, which cuts the engine out when stopped at traffic lights.
The Corsa can do better though, using 6.9 litres per 100km. Depreciation is always difficult to make a call on, but going on evidence from two- to three-year-old cars, then the Corsa will hold its value fractionally better over most ownership cycles.
EQUIPMENT and SAFETY
Punto GP * * * *
Corsa Limited Edition * * *
We collected the Corsa on what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year so far and, while impressed by the visual adornments inside and out, we were bemused when we jumped inside to find the car had no air conditioning. Seriously.
In 2011 cars should not come with cruise control, which you can use practically nowhere, but without air conditioning. We melted all the way home.
So climbing into the Punto with its fridge-like air conditioning justified the slightly elevated price tag somewhat. Aside from the Corsa’s lack of air conditioning, both cars are very well appointed for the money. The Corsa has cruise control, where the Punto does not, but it is pretty pointless in a car like this anyway.
The Corsa has an auxillary port for an iPod, but the Punto goes one better with Blue Me as standard, which means it has Bluetooth and the facility to play music via a USB connection. It works well once you get around the slightly fiddly set-up. Both cars have at one stage received five stars from Euro NCAP, the European new car assessment programme’s safety tests and, while both cars have multiple airbags and brake assist in addition to an anti-lock braking system neither comes with stability control as standard.
VERDICT FIAT PUNTO EVO GP
This is a close one to call. At the outset, we would have said that the Corsa probably would have been the obvious choice, but the Punto’s vastly superior engine and better ride edges it for us. The Punto Evo can match the Corsa in terms of low-speed fun and handling ability. With a much more forgiving suspension set-up and that talented MultiAir engine, it feels like a much better package.
We like the look and feel of the Corsa, but it is likely to appeal only to a small segment of buyers. The Punto GP is an honest successor to the old Punto Sporting of the last decade and, while it is perhaps a few hundred euro too expensive, it is a seriously charming little car. It gets our vote.
Factfiles
Fiat Punto Evo GP MultiAir
Engine1,368cc four-cylinder petrol
Power105bhp, 130Nm torque
Transmissionsix-speed manual
0-100km/h10.8 seconds
Top speed185km/h
Economy
Urban– 7.5 L100km
Extra urban– 4.7 L/100km
Combined– 5.7 L/100km
Emissions134 g/km
Tax band B(€156 a year)
Boot capacity275 litres to 1,030 litres
Price€16,495
Opel Corsa Limited Edition
Engine1,229cc four-cylinder petrol
Power85bhp, 115Nm torque
Transmissionfive-speed manual
0-100km/h13.6 seconds
Top speed172km/h
Economy
Urban– 6.9 L/100km
Extra urban– 4.4 L/100km
Combined- 5.5 L/100km
Emissions: 124 g/km
Tax band C(€156 a year)
Boot capacity285 litres to 1,050 litres
Price: €16,205
