BY JONATHAN CROUCH
Fiats Brava was launched at the very end of 1995, the five-door twin to the three-door Bravo, announced at the same time. This was the car that finally began to convince the British buying public that Fiat could indeed make a class-leading family hatchback that would last.
Forget anything you ever thought about small cheap Italian cars: doors that clang, switches that separate in your hands and driving positions designed for primeval beings. The Brava has none of these drawbacks with build quality that, in the main, was pretty good. There are some nice design touches too. Like the jack that converts like a Swiss army knife into a complete tool kit.
Or the security screen that pops out of the facia to hide the high-mounted anti-theft stereo. Admiring the easy, sculpted lines that dominate both inside and out, it's easy to speculate that practicality may have given way to personality. Thats a claim which Fiat dealers quickly refute. Those swoopy lines may suggest styling took priority over function but the Italian designers have also managed to create a surprisingly roomy car. True, rearward visibility isn't quite as good as some competitors, but in every other respect you'll be extremely comfortable, wherever you end up in the cabin.
Curiously, the trade tends to value the five-door Brava at around £100 less than the three-door Bravo. You won't find a Brava for less than about £400 and that will be an early 1.4S version - not the most desirable model (later 1.4 SX models range between £300-£450). The 1.6 is a better bet as you get the economy but performance is much better. A 97P-reg 1.6 SX should be around £500 with 99S-platers at £1,000 and 2001Xs at about £1,400. A 1.2-litre version with engine borrowed from the Punto arrived in 1999 and is available from about £1,350 on 99S plates. Dont dismiss it as underpowered until youve tried one as this engine replaced a 1.6 in the Punto range. If you want something sportier, the well-equipped 1.8 ELX starts at around £600 on a 95N-plate with later 99Ts and 2000Ws between £1,600 and £1,800. The better of the diesel turbos is the more powerful TD 100SX version. For a 96N-plate model, expect to pay about £650 (or between £700-£1,050 for later 97Ps and 99Ss). The TD 75SX ranges from £600 to £1,350 on 96N to 2001X-plates.
Finally, Fiats excellent JTD diesel engine found its way into the Brava in 1999, youll pay from £1,100 for an SX model today.
Nothing particularly notable, though there have been reports of minor trim defects and some awkwardness in engaging reverse gear.
(approx based on a P-reg 1.6 excl VAT) A clutch assembly will be around £120 and a full exhaust system could be up to £190. An alternator should be close to £80 and a starter motor around £100. Front brake pads are around £39, rear brake pads will be £54 and a replacement headlamp close to £113.
As previously mentioned, the 1.6 is probably the pick of the three mainstream petrol engines. Two sophisticated turbo diesel engines are also an important part of the line-up - the TD 75 and the TD 100 (the figures representing the brake horsepower output of the respective engines). The fuel consumption figures for both are near enough identical (you'll average around 32mpg around town), but, as you might expect, the TD 100 is significantly quicker, making rest to sixty in 11.0s on the way to 112mph. On the road, you don't need reminding that the body structure is one of the stiffest in the class - it feels it. Not only over potholes either, when you wait in vain for the whole car to shake. A VW Golf might feel equally solid, but it wouldn't keep a Brava in sight on a twisting country road. Fiat is now a company run by car enthusiasts and it's obvious from behind the wheel. The rubbery gearchange, wayward steering and woolly handling of previous models have been banished in cars that are accurate, instant and enjoyable in their reactions.
On the face of it, then, Fiat invested its £1.4 billion development budget wisely in this car. Its only drawback is that it doesnt feel quite as solid as a Golf or an Astra, though in most cases, this feeling is illusory. For used buyers, that means affordable prices.
And a solid family buy. Take the plunge and you'll probably like this Italian job almost as much as Fiat does. In the land of pasta, designing cars is a passion. These days it shows.
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