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STYLE QUOTIENT Besides the wedge-like waistline, the gorgeous-looking front and rear lights add to the Bravo’s appeal

The wedge-like waistline which rises sharply toward the rear gives the five-door Bravo a seriously sporty and svelte look. The gorgeous-looking front and rear lights only add to its appeal. The Bravo’s design is clearly inspired by the Grande Punto and it looks like a scaled-up version of Fiat’s popular hatchback and that’s a good thing. When the Grande Punto goes on sale in India next January, any association with the premium Bravo will only help.

But what’s it like to drive? I was quite skeptical about how well a direct import would work on Indian roads. The Bravo has no made-for-India suspension, no beefed-up air-con and the ground clearance hasn’t been increased either. What you get in Italy is what you get here; except, of course, for the right-hand-drive layout. The drive from Fiat’s plant in Ranjangaon back to Mumbai was enough to find out if the Bravo could hack it on Indian roads, and it did so with ease.

The first big surprise is that despite its low-profile tyres on big wheels, the ride quality is amazingly supple and well-cushioned. The quiet suspension, which doesn’t crash through every pothole, adds to the pliant feel. At high speeds on the undulating and patchy Chakan Road, the suspension felt a touch soft and perhaps a stiffer set-up would have worked better. Sharp-edged potholes too can be felt but there’s just a muted thud from the wheel wells. The electric steering is fairly accurate but it lacks feel and doesn’t communicate too well. As a result you don’t feel completely in touch with the road. There’s a button on the dash which varies the degree of steering assistance to suit city or high-speed driving.

Fiat will sell the Bravo with the 1.9 JTD engine which delivers a substantial 148bhp. With so much power, the Fiat’s ability to rapidly cover ground is astonishing.

The strong kick from the turbo-diesel propels you to speeds that are ludicrous on Indian roads but we aren’t complaining. This engine however has a narrow power band and power delivery isn’t seamless. Up to 2000rpm it is pretty feisty but beyond that mark all hell breaks loose for another 2000rpm, at which point power rapidly tails off. In the mixed traffic conditions we face, it’s an effort to keep the engine on the boil but the slick gearbox makes the job easier.

The Bravo’s interiors are enormously impressive. It’s stylish, well built and has lots of neat touches like the sporty-looking analogue dials and the built-in USB port. But if you’re thinking of being chauffeur-driven in this one, think again. The rear seat cushion is too low and the narrow windows and thick C-pillar make the rear seat feel gloomy. This is a car meant to be driven.

Bringing the Bravo to India may be an experiment to show Indian consumers how good Fiats have become, but at around Rs. 22 lakh a pop, how many customers will Fiat find to buy a car that is substantially more expensive than an Accord and smaller than a Civic? This is a car that will sell purely on the basis of heart, not head.

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