I can only talk from experience from the Sony Unit in my Focus. It looks button heavy but once you actually start using it all makes sense.

Want to adjust the equaliser it's one button, want to access the phone it's one button. It make sense as your not going through loads of menus.

Also, the blue tooth system in my Focus is actually the same as blue and my, except it actually works, and doesn't keep telling me it's building the media data base.

JimbbobW1977 said:

I can only talk from experience from the Sony Unit in my Focus. It looks button heavy but once you actually start using it all makes sense.

Want to adjust the equaliser it's one button, want to access the phone it's one button. It make sense as your not going through loads of menus.

Also, the blue tooth system in my Focus is actually the same as blue and my, except it actually works, and doesn't keep telling me it's building the media data base.

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I didn't say it didn't work, I said I hated it. Like most things that Ford produce (that I can afford) 'it does what it says on the tin'. Unfortunately there is no passion involved it is just functional which makes it boring IMHO.

scout said:

I didn't say it didn't work, I said I hated it. Like most things that Ford produce (that I can afford) 'it does what it says on the tin'. Unfortunately there is no passion involved it is just functional which makes it boring IMHO.

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Yeah, for me cars are an emotional purchase, not a logical one. Fords, vws, Vauxhalls etc just leave me cold; I don't see myself ever buying one.

jameshobiecat said:

Yeah, for me cars are an emotional purchase, not a logical one. Fords, vws, Vauxhalls etc just leave me cold; I don't see myself ever buying one.

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Very true, if logic was the only factor nobody would buy a supercar, or anything over 1600cc if I'm honest. The 500L with an 875cc engine can move 5 people plus luggage around just as easily as a Merc S500 and would probably be easier to park.

Has Fiat really got a passion for its cars anymore?

A lot of what its producing of late seems to be hobbled together. Yes what's on the outside is nice looking apart from the hideous 500l or MPW.

Look closer at the GP - it looks nice on the outside granted. The interior of the first one was very bland and plasticky and poor built with dropping glove boxes etc. Not pretty, and no different to your standard run of the mill hatch.

On top of that reading the comments of "I would never buy a Vauxhall" what do you think some of the tech fiat use is from? They bygone GM era.

The GP is. 30% Vauxhall Corsa underneath sharing various mechanical and electrical components. Throw into the mix it's worse to drive and does not have the old Italian verve, most of the engines are sluggish old school and noisy bar the top ones. They don't rev and sing like an Italian engine would be expected of. The GP is simply a typical eurobox hatch that's look nice.

The 500 is based on an old chassis of the panda, and again a nice looking car, but one again spoilt by its drive and GM gear boxes. Interestingly enough, licence the car to ford, and what do they do? Make it drive properly - give it that bit of Italian verve in its driving it was missing.

If the marque was still passionate about the cars it was building I can understand why, however the company itself has no idea where it is going or what it's building Sergio seems to forget himself.

These comments of I would never buy another marque interest me. As I have said before, yes I have a ford, but do you know what? My model is actually nice looking, very well equipped, well built and amazing to drive - a family diesel estate car shouldn't not out perform or out handle a t jet but it does by a good mile whilst riding it out in comfort. And if I wanted to draw links? The engine in my car is used by Fiat in the Scudo - the blue tooth is the same as blue and me.

Years ago fiat did make very passionate cars that you brought with your heart because of how they drove, performed and looked. They we're let down by build and rot. Take fiat x/19 for example, the dino etc.

Well some can rest happy because the punto/punto evo will eventually cease production and not be replaced.

I cast my mind back to the days when I had my Uno 45s what a hoot that was to drive with it's 1.0 fire engine! Hah

Times have most definitely changed with merging and collaborating motor manufacturers, the good old days are a thing if the past......

stepheno said:

Well some can rest happy because the punto/punto evo will eventually cease production and not be replaced.

I cast my mind back to the days when I had my Uno 45s what a hoot that was to drive with it's 1.0 fire engine! Hah

Times have most definitely changed with merging and collaborating motor manufacturers, the good old days are a thing if the past......

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That is still a question sitting on Sergio's table, he has changed his mind again by the looks of it and it may well be replaced!

http://www.autocar.co.uk/blogs/indu...and-bravo-revival-great-news-supermini-lovers

Great news, last I heard they were making 60 variations of the 500

Hopefully with the tie up with Chrysler they can start building cars that stir the soul again. Some of the Chrysler tech is starting to filter through. They should have a pool of money to dip into now and start developing cars properly.

The new Jeep Renegade looks very nice I have to say and is built by fiat on the 500l platform.

They also need to make more use of the Giulietta chassis as that is very good as opposed to basing everything on the Gamma platform which is very old now and can trace some lineage back to the 80's Vauxhall Nova.

First I will start by saying I've never driven anything but a basic spec gp. But 6 years ago just after my mk1 punto had gone the swift went in for a recall I got given 1.2 active punto of the same age and roughly at the same time cost of my swift. This is still despite plundering fiat and suzukis back catalogue for courtesy cars before and since one of the worst cars I have driven. It just got all the basics wrong. In spirit it should have been like a 55s, making up for the lack of pace with lots of revs and cornering on the door handles, but it just wasn't, the controls saw to that, the steering was lifeless, the brakes were either on or off and it didn't matter how hard you revved it it didn't go.

At the time I was happy cos the car I had felt 10 years more advanced, but tbf my mk1 16v felt more advanced too so maybe the bottom spec ones are significantly worse than an average one.

stepheno said:

Well some can rest happy because the punto/punto evo will eventually cease production and not be replaced.

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Where have you seen this? I've doubtful as other than the 500 the GP/Evo is currently probably Fiat's 2nd best seller globally.

Had 8 years drama free driving in my 06 punto..Had two recalls ,one minor,knee protection to be fitted ,one major ,for steering..

Italian cars have never been forgiven for being rusty in the 70's like every manufaturers cars did..I have recently boughta MITO (grande platform) and that gets slated as well,even though it came first in a MOT survey as being best in first time passes at three years ,and for the ones that did fail,cost of repair was cheapest

I bet the fiesta is dearer to buy new..Having not read the survey .are the comments from the owners who have purchased fro new ??

Also I never bother with surveys ,generally people with a chip on their shoulder

Sure I read it on the forum somewhere...a while back

stepheno said:

Sure I read it on the forum somewhere...a while back

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It was on the cards, as the focus was going to be on the 500 and the cross over variants of it.

Yeah it was on the cards for while but I think that has changed now...

http://www.motorbeam.com/cars/fiat/punto-brand-name-to-be-discontinued-as-fiat-bets-on-500/

JimbbobW1977 said:

It was on the cards, as the focus was going to be on the 500 and the cross over variants of it.

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I remember an gopping auto express mock up of a focus sized car with a front like a 500L.

Fiat should just man up and bring out the punto evoluzione ? an smash the likes of fiesta in the teeth hah or even bring back the uno name

StevenRB45 said:

I remember an gopping auto express mock up of a focus sized car with a front like a 500L.

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Yeah i remember that too :yuck:

kingdean1 said:

I have a 58 plate t jet n a 09 plate fiesta i think tha gp is miles better nicer drive more gadgets tha new fiesta might be better bit my gp is better than a fiesta of roughly tha same age

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that's my take,
with a mito and X1 on the list .. it can't be a GP in comparison..,

either an EVO, or Punto - by which time it's a better specced ( trendier) car again.

YES the car has it's flaws.. but a lot of "issues" are down to lack of care / neglect by inexerienced - disinterested owners,
+ lack of proper servicing,
Charlie

stepheno said:

Fiat should just man up and bring out the punto evoluzione ? an smash the likes of fiesta in the teeth hah or even bring back the uno name

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Uno is still going strong in Brazil http://uno.fiat.com.br/