Fiat has launched the much awaited Fiat Palio Stile with 1.3 Multijet Diesel Engine. Presently, they are depending on Tata motors to improve their customer service and support which was a major contribution to their failure. In Palio Stile the main changes are new front & rear bumpers, bigger double barrel headlamps, new tail lamps and a restyled bonnet. The new bumpers make the car 64mm longer. The interiors are better than before with a beige & brown dual tone dashboard and comfortable seats.
A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive on 4th and 5th gear is standard across variants. Shifting is precise and effortless. All the variants get McPherson Struts in front and torsion axle with coil springs at the rear. It is stable at all speeds, braking is sure footed with ventilated discs in front while in the rear, they have self-adjusting drum brakes. All the variants get tubeless tyres ensuring good traction and road manners.
Beige and dark brown interiors look sporty. The silver coloured centre console is the highlight in the cabin but the speedometer dial colour is not impressive. Interiors of all the four variants exude warmth with dual-tone dashboard in Beige and Brown, fabric-lined seats and door trim with fabric inserts. Fiat has lost an opportunity to spruce up the interiors a bit more to try and offer Palio buyers that bit extra compared to the competition that has left this very capable car way behind in the premium hatch segment. Nonetheless, the new exterior features do give it a freshened, unique look. To increase the stowage space, all the variants come with double-foldable rear seat and a rear parcel shelf.
The car has been competitively priced starting at Rs. 453243 (Ex-Showroom Mumbai) for the base diesel which comes standard with power steering and AC undercutting the arch rival Swift Ldi by around 25000 Rupees. It is available in three models SD, SDE and SDX. Fiat has attempted to make the Palio more acceptable as a small car, one that is affordable and fuel-efficient. Fiat wishes to rebuild its image with its partner Tata. Fiat palio stile is the first new vehicle produced after Tata-Fiat JV hence both the partners will be keen to ensure customers a valuable service and value for money.