Fiat Bravo 1.9 Multijet 16V Sport
Content
Well done then. Why Bravo? Well, viewing from memory is not new in the automotive industry either. Okay, but - why Bravo? It's like this: 1100 and 128 are completely taken out of context by name, the first owners of Rhythm are already older and more circumspect, so they no longer fall into this name, Tipo is almost forgotten, and Stilo did not leave a single particularly good feeling. Therefore: Bravo!
Oh, how the (automotive) world has changed in the last twelve years! Let's look back: when the “original” Bravo was born, it was just over four meters long, rather plastic inside, original in design and recognizable, the body was three-door, and there were mostly gasoline engines, among which the most powerful was the sportiest version with a five-cylinder two-liter petrol engine with 147 "horsepower". The only diesel engine did not have a turbocharger and gave (in total) 65 "horsepower", turbodiesels (75 and 101) appeared only a year later.
12 years later, Bravo has more than 20 centimeters of external length, five doors, a prestigious interior, three petrol engines (two of which are on the way) and two turbodiesels, and in terms of power and torque it is far better than anyone else. sports - turbodiesel! The world has changed.
So, technically speaking, there is only one thing in common between Bravo and Bravo 12 years later: the name. Or maybe (and very far away) taillights. Although many people who "grew up" with the first Bravo see the new one as just a slightly more radical update to the old one.
If you look philosophically, then the similarity is greater: both knock on the hearts of the young and young at heart, and this knock, judging by the reviews, is far from unsuccessful. The new Bravo is a great product in terms of design: every line inside the body continues unobtrusively on some other element somewhere, so the final image is also consistent. If you look at it as a whole, it's easy to say - beautiful. He excels as his role model in every way, even if you look at everyone at the same time.
Opening the door pays. The gaze reflects the shape that appears to be made for the eyes. While there is no clearly defined design element inside that is also part of the exterior, the feeling of the exterior blending into the interior is nonetheless real. Disagreement with the appearance here, as well as from the outside, can only be the result of personal prejudice.
The villains will be quick to claim that Bravo is like Grande Punto, but these villains never say A4 is like A6 and this one is like A8. In both cases, this is only the result of family (design) affiliation. The Bravo is recognizably different from the Punto on all sides and more dynamic, although in reality only in the details. Those same villains might argue that Italians always forget about the usability of the form. True, close, but Bravo has the longest.
The ergonomics of the cabin may not be the best either in detail or in general at the moment, but it is close. Close enough to be hard to blame. We will not talk about the progress compared to Stiló, since we have already written enough about it in the pages of this magazine (see “We Rode”, AM 4/2007), but we can find little things that could be better. We have no comments on the main controls, which we only find in less important things. Located relatively deep in the tubes, the meters are sometimes dimly lit (depending on the ambient light), which means they are difficult to read at the same time.
The ASR (anti-slip) button is located right behind the steering wheel, which means there is also a hidden control indicator that tells you if the system is on or not. There are quite a few boxes, but they do not give the feeling that passengers can put their hands and pockets in them without too many problems. The ashtray, for example, has moved into a smaller box with an electrical outlet and a USB port (music in MP3 files!), Which sounds good, but if you put a USB dongle in it, the box becomes useless. And the seat covers, which are otherwise beautiful to look at, are bare to the skin (elbows ...). It is unpleasant, and even a little dirt settles on them, and does not get rid of them.
If we jump out of the car for a moment: you still need to use a key for the fuel filler cap, which Fiat has done much better in the past, and the buttons on the key are still ergonomic and unergonomic. intuitive.
In Brava, it is especially pleasant to sit with the sports equipment package. The seats are predominantly black, and some of the red ones are covered in fine black mesh, which evokes different, always pleasing visual sensations from different angles and under different lighting at the end.
The materials in general, including the dashboard and door trim, are pleasant, soft and give an impression of quality, and the finishing of the part of the dashboard closest to the driver and passengers is particularly interesting. The air conditioner gauges and display are illuminated in orange, while the hidden ceiling lights and behind the door handles are also orange to create a pleasant night atmosphere.
With nice large wheels and red brake calipers behind them, a discreet side spoiler, the aforementioned interior black with an accent on red (also red stitching on the leather-covered steering wheel and gear lever) and nice grippy seats, Bravo gives a hint why this package is called "Sport". Fiat has a long history of dynamic driving experience.
The electric power steering, as promised by one of their development engineers a year ago, is actually a few steps ahead of the steering wheel from the Stiló, which means it is reasonably precise and direct, and above all, gives pretty good feedback when steering which can be especially useful in deteriorating conditions under the wheels. It's not as good as the good old hydraulic servo in the original Bravo, but it's close. This electric servo retains the ability to adjust the servo amplifier in two steps (push button), and especially in this package (equipment, engine) it will have particular flexibility depending on the speed of the vehicle. A very good (return) feel is given by the brakes, which are very difficult to prepare for relaxation due to overheating within a reasonable range of sports driving.
There is theoretically nothing special about the chassis of this Bravo; there are spring mounts at the front and a semi-rigid axle at the rear, but the chassis-to-body suspension is a very good compromise between comfort and sportiness, and the steering wheel geometry is excellent. That's why the Bravo is beautiful, that is, easy to handle in corners, even despite the driver's sporty demands for higher speeds. The driver only feels a slight lean out of the corner due to the front wheel drive and the relatively heavy engine starting to experience extreme physics.
It is not particularly difficult with such a combination of drives: the transmission shifts perfectly under all (normal) conditions (including reverse gear), and the lever is firm enough while driving so that the driver can feel the gear engaged; the engine that we already know well, especially with its torque (and not so much with the maximum value, but with the distribution of torque over the operating range of the engine), which requires a more dynamic ride.
Gear ratios seem quite long at low engine speeds; in sixth gear, such a Bravo moves at a speed of about 60 kilometers per hour at a thousand revolutions. At XNUMX to XNUMX rpm, the engine already has enough torque for good traction, but it's still wise to downshift a few gears to accelerate. So the rpm rises above two thousand a minute, and then the car shows all the beautiful features of the turbodiesel design, which again means that many at the heart and name of a much more sporty car (and the driver in it) must work. it's hard to keep up.
Despite the undeniably sporty nature of the mechanics, including the rather stiff chassis, (this) Bravo doesn't have what Fiat has had for a long time - that the driver could experience these "horses" very sporty, almost raw, for the money deducted. . The Multijet in this Bravo is excellent, but without that crushing nature, the ESP stabilization system, which cannot be turned off, often interferes with the plans of a driver who would like controlled body slip or at least cross-slip of one or another pair of wheels. Plus, the overall mechanics still feel so bland (and gentle) that their roughness and amazing ride can hurt them.
But maybe that's right. Therefore, the ride is much more comfortable (up to excellent sound comfort and muffled vibrations of the mechanics), regardless of the driving dynamics, the engine compensates for the favorable fuel consumption. If you trust the speed of the cruise control, you can expect an average consumption of 130 liters at 6 kilometers at 5 kilometers per hour and only a liter more at 100 kilometers per hour.
In a very dynamic ride (a combination of highway and off-road), in which the hair of a person in blue would be very tense, the motor thirst will increase to eight and a half liters, and only with fully accelerated gas. on the highway, the on-board computer will show more than ten liters per hundred kilometers.
Not all technicians and engineers can still meet with them, but the trade-offs are always "wider" and differ mainly in how they are set. With this Bravo they wanted to please calm and sporty drivers, and most of them are probably preparing something called Abarth. The proposal, especially in the upward direction, has not yet been finalized, but the Bravo we tested is already a very good choice for dynamic drivers with different requirements.
The interior promises comfort for passengers on long journeys, the trunk (in the Bravo test, despite the additional speaker on the left side and by our standards) consumes a lot of luggage, the trip is light and tireless, and the engine is very versatile. at the expense of good character.
As you can imagine, this is entirely your decision, but in any case, this Bravo seems to be the perfect "personification" of the Italian dolce vita or the sweetness of life. All cars are technically good, but not everyone enjoys the looks and driving pleasure. Bravo, for example, is already one of the sweets.
Vinko Kernc, photo :? Aleš Pavletič
Fiat Bravo 1.9 Multijet 16V Sport
Basic data
| Sales: | Avto Triglav doo |
|---|---|
| Base model price: | 19.970 € |
| Test model cost: | 21.734 € |
| Power: | 110kW (150 KM) |
| Acceleration (0-100 km / h): | 9,0 with |
| Maximum speed: | 209 km / h |
| Mixed flow ECE: | 5,6l / 100km |
| Guarantee: | 2 years general warranty, 2 years mobile warranty, 8 years rust warranty, 3 years varnish warranty |
| Oil change every | 30.000 km |
| Systematic review | 30.000 km |
Cost (up to 100.000 km or five years)
| Regular services, works, materials: | 125 € |
|---|---|
| Fuel: | 8.970 € |
| Tires (1) | 2.059 € |
| Compulsory insurance: | 3.225 € |
| CASCO INSURANCE (+ B, K), AO, AO + | 2.545 ( |
| Calculate the cost of auto insurance | |
| Buy up | € 26.940 0,27 (km cost: XNUMX €) |
Technical information
| engine: | 4-cylinder - 4-stroke - in-line - direct injection turbodiesel - mounted transversely in front - bore and stroke 82,0 × 90,4 mm - displacement 1.910 cm3 - compression ratio 17,5:1 - maximum power 110 kW ( 150 hp) at 4.000 hp / min - average piston speed at maximum power 12,1 m / s - specific power 57,6 kW / l (78,3 hp / l) - maximum torque 305 Nm at 2.000 rpm - 2 camshafts in head (timing belt) - 4 valves per cylinder - common rail fuel injection - exhaust gas turbocharger - charge air cooler. |
|---|---|
| Energy transfer: | engine-driven front wheels - 6-speed manual transmission - gear ratio I. 3,800; II. 2,235 hours; III. 1,360 hours; IV. 0,971; V. 0,736; VI. 0,614; reverse 3,545 – differential 3,563 – rims 7J × 18 – tires 225/40 R 18 W, rolling range 1,92 m – speed in 1000 gear at 44 rpm XNUMX km / h. |
| Capacity: | top speed 209 km / h - acceleration 0-100 km / h 9,0 - fuel consumption (ECE) 7,6 / 4,5 / 5,6 l / 100 km |
| Transportation and suspension: | limousine - 5 doors, 5 seats - self-supporting body - front single wishbones, leaf springs, triangular wishbones, stabilizer - rear multi-link axle, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer - front disc brakes (forced cooling), rear disc, parking brake ABS on the rear wheels (lever between seats) - rack and pinion steering wheel, electric power steering, 2,75 turns between extreme points. |
| Mass: | empty vehicle 1.360 kg - permissible total weight 1.870 kg - permissible trailer weight 1.300 kg, without brake 500 kg - permissible roof load 50 kg |
| External dimensions: | vehicle width 1.792 mm - front track 1.538 mm - rear track 1.532 mm - ground clearance 10,4 m. |
| Inner dimensions: | front width 1.460 mm, rear 1.490 - front seat length 540 mm, rear seat 510 - steering wheel diameter 370 mm - fuel tank 58 l. |
| Box: | Trunk volume was measured with a standard AM set of 5 Samsonite suitcases (total volume 278,5 liters): 1 × aircraft suitcase (36 liters); 1 × suitcase (68,5 l); 1 × suitcase (85,5 l) |
Our measurements
| T = 25 ° C / p = 1.080 mbar / rel. Owner: 50% / Tires: Continental ContiSportContact 3/225 / R40 W / Meter reading: 18 km | |
| Acceleration 0-100km: | 9,4s |
|---|---|
| 402m from the city: | 16,7 years ( 136 km / h) |
| 1000m from the city: | 30,4 years ( 172 km / h) |
| Flexibility 50-90km / h: | 10,1 / 17,2s |
| Flexibility 80-120km / h: | 10,4 / 14,3s |
| Maximum speed: | 210km / h (WE.) |
| Minimum consumption: | 7,5l / 100km |
| Maximum consumption: | 10,8l / 100km |
| test consumption: | 9,2 l / 100km |
| Braking distance at 130 km / h: | 63,4m |
| Braking distance at 100 km / h: | 37,6m |
| AM table: | 40m |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 3rd gear | 57dB |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 4rd gear | 56dB |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 5rd gear | 55dB |
| Noise at 50 km / h in 6rd gear | 55dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 3rd gear | 65dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 4rd gear | 64dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 5rd gear | 63dB |
| Noise at 90 km / h in 6rd gear | 62dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 4rd gear | 68dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 5rd gear | 67dB |
| Noise at 130 km / h in 6rd gear | 66dB |
| Idling noise: | 38dB |
| Test errors: | the drawer under the armrest does not open |
Overall rating (348/420)
Bravo has made a huge step forward compared to its predecessors - both technically and in terms of design. It is one of the most comfortable family cars in terms of its interior dimensions, one of the most dynamic sports products in terms of performance, and one of the most beautiful in appearance at the moment.
Exterior (15/15)
The Bravo is handsome yet technically perfect - the body joints are precise.
Interior (111/140)
In the sun, they are worried about poorly visible sensors and a few useful boxes, but they are impressive with their appearance, equipment and ergonomics.
Engine, transmission (38
/ 40)A slightly lazy engine below XNUMX rpm, and above this value it is very dynamic and responsive. Very good gearbox.
Driving performance (83
/ 95)Very good steering wheel (electric power steering!), Excellent position on the road and stability. Slightly awkwardly positioned pedals.
Performance (30/35)
Over a thousand rpm, flexibility is excellent and this turbodiesel proves once again that diesels can be put alongside the best gasoline engines in terms of performance.
Security (31/45)
The brakes resist overheating for a long time, and the limited rear visibility (small rear window!) Is a bit embarrassing.
Economy
Even when the engine is started, its thirst does not increase to more than 11 liters per 100 kilometers, but when driving softly, it is very economical.
We praise and reproach
engine
Transmission
external and internal view
combination of interior colors
ease of driving
open space
trunk
equipment (in general)
mostly useless inner drawers
one-way trip computer
slightly rough interior materials
poor readability of meter readings during the day
buttons on the key
opening the fuel filler flap only with a key
dirt-sensitive seats
