2010 Fiat Bravo Malaysia Reviews & Ratings, Expert Car Reviews on LIVE LIFE DRIVE

Probably the best-looking car in its class, the 2010 Fiat Bravo is far more convincing than its predecessor, the Fiat Stilo, ever was. But in a class where excellence is the norm, the 2010 Fiat Bravo just falls short on too many counts.

2010 Fiat Bravo quick specs

Body Style	Hatchback
Class	Mid-size Family
Assembled	-

Engine Range	-
Fuel Options	-
Seating Capacity	5

2010 Fiat Bravo ratings (overall rating : 3.5/5.0)

Styling
Handling
Comfort
Quality + Reliability
Performance

Roominess
Running Costs
Value for Money
Equipment
Environment

Styling

The Italians know how to design pretty cars. And the 2010 Fiat Bravo is further evidence of that. This Italian mid-size hatchback is well-proportioned and features handsome detailing alongside the sleek coupe-like lines. For some, the 2010 Fiat Bravo could well be the best-looking car in the class. But we can not help thinking that a more imposing grille would turn the Italian sexiness up a notch.

Handling

With merely average dynamics, the 2010 Fiat Bravo is some way off pace set by the class-leaders. Through corners, the Italian turns in quite sharply, grips on well and remains composed. However, the amount of body roll limits adventure, and the vague, artificial steering feel forms the weakest dynamic link. So, while the 2010 Fiat Bravo beats many dynamically inert rivals, it exhibits none of the sophistication and finesse of both the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.

Comfort

The 2010 Fiat Bravo's firm suspension struggles to deal with road imperfections, serving up a jittery ride that crashes over bigger potholes or sharper ridges. One of the Fiat Bravo's key strengths lies in its refinement: road, wind and engine noise are well-contained at cruising speeds. Despite the seat-height and two-way steering adjustments, the driving position may not suit all, due to the undesirable “short leg, long arm” classic Italian stance. The rear seats lack under-thigh support, too. All-round visibility is marred by a number of blind spots, no thanks to the small rear window, rising window line and chunky C-pillars.

Quality + Reliability

It took some time for Fiat to get this right—the 2010 Fiat Bravo's cabin looks stylish and feels solid. A combination of an attractive trim, dual-textured dashboard and classy instruments are complemented by the use of quality material. Hard, shiny plastics lurk in the lower reaches of the interior, however, and many cabin panels are not properly aligned. Fiat's long-running poor reliability record is hardly reassuring. But the 2010 Fiat Bravo feels well-engineered and has decent quality, so it now needs to prove that it can last.

Performance

Two drivetrains are up for selection: a 118-bhp 1.4-litre with a six-speed automated-manual Duologic gearbox, and a 148-bhp 1.4-litre with a six-speed manual gearbox. Both versions of the same 1.4-litre turbocharged engine deliver energetic performance on the road. But considering that you get more power for less money, the 148-bhp 1.4-litre is easily the pick of the two. There is little turbo lag to speak of, and the available performance is almost hot-hatch like. The engines sound a little vocal when revved, but settle at a cruise.

Roominess

Despite the sloping roofline, headroom is more than adequate for the front and rear. But while the front gets decent legroom, the rear legroom is tight by class standards. There is no lack of cabin storage areas, however, with cupholders and even a tray that holds your mobile phone. The best part is the large, deep boot, which can be extended by folding the rear seats. The rear wheel-arches intrude, though, making it all but impossible to load wider items.

Running Costs

Fiats are relatively expensive to run by class standards. Not because of the fuel economy or servicing/maintenance fees, but because of depreciation. The engine is smaller than most in the class and offers superior fuel economy thanks to turbocharging. The concern is the potential depreciation. Fiat may be Italian, but as a brand, it is far less desirable than its Italian peers. Then, there are the reliability or perceived reliability issues, which, when combine with the lack of desirability, only point to steep depreciation.

Value for Money

Good-looking, refined and strong on the roads, the 2010 Fiat Bravo is brilliant compared to its predecessor, the Fiat Stilo, which by most standards was a complete disaster. But in a class where excellence is the norm, the Fiat Bravo falls short in too many areas; rivals such as the Mazda 3, Honda Civic and Ford Focus all cost less to buy and yet have proven themselves to be more competent. Other than for its style, it becomes hard to recommend the 2010 Fiat Bravo.

Equipment

The 2010 Fiat Bravo is impressively equipped, with standard items such as bi-xenon headlamps, fog lamps, single-zone automatic climate control with rear vents, sunroof and moon roof, CD/MP3/radio audio system with 8.1 speaker setup and USB connectivity, and Fiat's Blue&Me system, a system jointly developed by Fiat and Microsoft. Safety equipments include 8 airbags, stability control, anti-lock brakes and Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR).

Environment

The stronger 148-bhp 1.4-litre manual emits 165 grams/km of carbon dioxide and consumes 14.3 km/litre of petrol—excellent figures for such a sporty car with such performance. Fiat is going “green” by downsizing and turbocharging their engines, which would cut emissions and consumption while increasing performance; it seems to be working well with the 2010 Fiat Bravo.

Browse by make

Browse by category

Select by make

Select by body style

2010 Fiat Bravo Review

2010 Fiat Bravo at a glance