Fiat Grande Punto Van
Fiat stuck a Grande in front of its latest Punto supermini in a bid to emphasise the cars generous size and spaciousness. It bodes well for the Grande Puntos commercial vehicle conversion but will the superminis other qualities make the transition into van guise an effective one?
Fiats Punto has been a leading supermini in the UK market for a number of years and those superminis have usually been offered to businesses in van form. The problem in the past was that the qualities which made the Punto a good supermini didnt necessarily make it a good van. The passenger car Punto has traditionally sold on its vibrant Italian design and sparky driving experience whereas the robust build quality and reliability that operators look for in their small vans has sometimes been lacking. Initially, the latest Grande Punto looks a far better commercial vehicle bet, retaining the flair of Punto generations past while upping the quality anti a few notches.
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The headline figure is the 62.8mpg fuel economy that the Grande Punto Van can achieve on the combined cycle, making it one of the most fuel efficient light commercial vehicles you can buy. Performance isnt brutal and if youre caught out of the engines prime torque band, the van can flounder slightly but with peak torque of 190Nm available from 1,750rpm, that isnt a regular occurrence. Keep the engine on the boil and its possible to make sprightly progress in the Grande Punto with the firm suspension providing just enough suppleness on poor roads.
"Fiats Grande Punto lives up to its billing with a spacious interior"
The power-assisted steering is well weighted under normal circumstances and allows for some accuracy when turning into corners. Hit the dash mounted City button, however, and the wheel lightens up allowing you to twirl your way through tricky manoeuvres with a feather touch. Its a unique feature in a light van and one that definitely adds to the Grande Punto package. On the open road, where the figures suggest the van might attain as much as 80mpg, wind noise is well controlled and the engine sounds smooth at cruising speeds.
It does get a bit thrashy at the top of its rev-range but most will be content to stay away from that and enjoy the fuel economy. The Grande PuntoVan will do the 0-60mph sprint in 13.6s and hit a 103mph top speed on a good day. Giorgetto Giugiaro doesnt design too many vans but he did do this one and if prettiness is top of your priorities when choosing a commercial vehicle, you may just have met your match.
The great mans work on the Grande Punto passenger car is carried across unmolested to the van. The rear windows are replaced with grooved panels but otherwise the sleek, curving lines of the Punto remain intact. Lift the tailgate and the load area presents itself. The rear seats are gone and theres a large and usefully square space ready to take the tools of your trade.
Climb inside and the Grande Punto cab area instantly impresses. Weve grown used to some questionable build quality on Fiat products over the years but the Grande definitely inspires confidence. The centre consoles clean design makes the ventilation and stereo systems extremely easy to use and theres a solidity thats common to all of the controls with the possible exception of the indicator stalk. The seating is firm and supportive with strong side bolsters and plenty of adjustment for even the very tall to get a good driving position.
The unusually shaped steering wheel feels great in the hands and the creative choice of trim materials is preferable to the overwhelming grey you get in some rivals. The Grande Punto is one of the better load-luggers in the supermini-derived van sector with its 1m3 load volume. This capacity is obviously well down on vans that are built for the purpose but Fiat have done a thorough job converting the Grande Punto supermini with a full-height mesh bulkhead and a handy soft load cover that can be extended across to shield your cargo from prying eyes. The floor is lined with tough matting, although theres quite a lip to be negotiated while loading, the tailgate aperture is nice and wide.
As tends to be the case in car-derived vans, storage space in the cab area is very limited. Even the owners manual has to settle for a place in the door pocket as the promisingly wide glovebox lid reveals only a very small area. There are small cubbies in front of the gearlever and the general spaciousness of the Grande Punto means that the passenger seat can be slid forward to create a storage opportunity behind. Failing that, larger Items that wont go in the back may have to be plonked in the passenger foot well.
Standard equipment levels include a CD stereo, remote central locking, electric wing mirrors, a height and reach adjustable steering column and the dual drive electric power steering. Externally, the car keeps up appearances with body-coloured bumpers, body-coloured side panels and a natty set of wheel trims. Climate control air-conditioning, alloy wheels, front fog lights and reverse parking sensors are available from the options list but ABS with EBD is standard on all models. The Grande Punto needs to convince the supermini-derived van market of its merits in the face of competition from the likes of Vauxhalls Corsavan, Fords Fiesta Sport Van and Peugeots 207 Van.
A key strength is the way it looks but its very competitive in terms of load and cabin space and none can beat the economy of its engine. The UK market for vans based on supermini passenger cars is limited simply because of their limited carrying capacity but their manoeuvrability, low running costs and appealing driving dynamics attract enough customers to convince these leading brands that its worth fighting over a slice of the pie. Youd expect a van based on a small Italian car to be vibrant and stylish but what about the qualities that commercial vehicle operators really look for? Fiats Grande Punto lives up to its billing with a spacious interior split into a comfortable cabin and a practical loadbay. The quality of materials and construction is way better than the manufacturers reputation might lead some people to expect and the economical 1.
3-litre diesel engine keeps running costs manageable. The abundant space in the front could have been better utilised to lay-on additional storage options and the enjoyable driving experience is hampered somewhat by an awkward gearchange but otherwise, the Grande Punto van does a commendable job. Supermini-derived vans wont meet everyones requirement but if you can live with the limited carrying capacity, this fun little Fiat is well worth a look.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
MANUFACTURER: Fiat MODEL: Grande Punto Van BHP: 75bhp PAY
LOAD CAPACITY: 500kg [est] LOAD VOLUME: 1m3 GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT: N/A LENGTH: 4,030mm WIDTH: 1,687mm HEIGHT: 1,490mm November 15th 2007
