Fiat Bravo (2007 – 2014) Review

Fiat Bravo (2007 – 2014) At A Glance

3/5

+Roomy cabin and big boot. Five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating. Excellent 1.4 T-Jet petrol. Strong MultiJet diesels.

-Driving position could be better. Artificial steering feel.Essentially a rebodied Stilo.

Insurance Groups are between 11–25
On average it achieves 89% of the official MPG figure

The Fiat Bravo has the kind of stunning styling that Italians somehow seen to do almost effortlessly. In the right colour its probably the best looking mid-size hatchback you can buy.

Yet my first impressions of it werent too good. After a truly spectacular launch in Rome we got to drive a diesel on 18 wheels with 40 profile tyres to Ostia and back. A distance of about 30 miles.

All I learned from this was light, feel-free and unresponsive steering, whatever setting, and terrible ride quality. It wasnt until Fiat delivered a 1.4 T-Jet 150 to me that I got to drive it properly.

A year since the launch I still admire the styling. Like a bigger Grande Punto with an unmistakably Fiat look that doesnt come from its grille shape but from the heart of Italian design. 

Real MPG average for a Fiat Bravo (2007 – 2014)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

89%

Real MPG

30–68 mpg

MPGs submitted

222

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

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Ask Honest John

What's the best car for £5,000 - £7,000?

"Can you recommend a comfortable, reliable and economical car for £5,000 - £7,000? The vehicle must handle long journeys of 600 miles on a regular basis. However, for the majority of the time I'll be doing short journeys and my partner (who recently passed the test) will also be driving the car (so it must be easy to drive and park). The road quality in my area is relatively poor so need something that can handle a few bumps. I've been browsing for a long time but struggling to find something that will fit the bill. I have considered mid-sized hatchbacks such as the Fiat Bravo, Renault Megane or Alfa Romeo Guilietta (although admittedly the latter mainly due to style over practicality). Can you recommend any other suitable vehicles? "
Avoid the Fiat Bravo and older versions of the Renault Megane and Alfa Romeo Guilietta - these cars are costly to fix and have a mixed reputation for reliability. I would also avoid diesel - older diesel cars are much more expensive to maintain than petrol (with DPF and EGR problems costing thousands to put right). If you want a compact and reliable hatch, the Toyota Yaris 1.3 petrol, Fiesta 1.25 petrol or Suzuki Switch 1.2 petrol would be my recommendations. If you need something larger, Honda Jazz or Honda Civic.
Answered by Dan Powell

Will a hybrid car still give good mpg on long journeys and country roads?

"I currently drive a 2011 Fiat Bravo Multijet diesel - I bought it for the MPG and it hasn't disappointed in that regard, although it's irritatingly unreliable and handling isn't great. Despite living in the city centre I regularly commute 200+ miles on both motorways and country roads. The Fiat is living up to it's 'Fix It Again Tomorrow' joke - and I'm worried about taxes coming in on diesels as I regularly work in cities. I need a car that can handle both motorway driving and tricky country roads. I've been looking at hybrids hoping I could get a similar MPG to the diesel, but all the reviews say they're not great on motorways and country roads. Should I give up and go for a petrol engine or take the risk with a diesel? I'm looking for something under £20,000. "
In 2004 I had a Toyota Prius II and its overall average over 3776 miles was 48.83mpg, which wasn't so great. Then in In 2011 had to deliver an Auris hybrid 300 miles, mostly motorway, and it did 63mpg, so they got better. Phenomenal reliability. Low maintenance costs. I'd go for the lighter Toyota Auris rather than the Prius.
Answered by Honest John

What's the best family car for £10,000?

"We are looking for a family car. Our main criteria is: (1) Big enough for a young family yet as car like as possible and easy to drive/park locally; (2) Comfortable on long motorway journeys; (3) Lots of safety equipment; (4) Decent running costs. Our budget is around £10,000, our annual mileage will be around 10,000 miles. Ideally I would like it to be no more than 18 months old (preferably newer). Our shortlist is: (1) Kia Ceed hatch 1.4 petrol (probably level 2); (2) Ford Focus 1.0 ecoboost (possibly titanium); (3) Seat Ibiza Estate 1.2 tsi (possibly FR); (4) Fiat Bravo 1.4 or 1.4 multijet; and (5) Ford C-Max 1.0 ecoboost or 1.6 petrol (possibly titanium). What would your top 3 be (including engine size / trim, if possible) and are there any other contenders that I have missed? "
(1) Kia Ceed hatch 1.4 petrol (probably level 2); If you can get one for the money. (2) Ford Focus 1.0 ecoboost (possibly titanium); If you can get one for the money. (3) Seat Ibiza Estate 1.2 tsi (possibly FR); Good idea. If you can get one for the money. (4) Fiat Bravo 1.4 or 1.4 multijet; Not as good as the others (5) Ford C-Max 1.0 ecoboost or 1.6 petrol (possibly titanium). If you can get one for the money.
Answered by Honest John

Is the Fiat Punto Evo a good replacement for my Fiat Punto Grande?

"I might change my 2009 Fiat Punto Grande for a new Fiat Punto Evo next February or March. In what respects, if any, would the Evo be better than my Grande (apart from age, of course?) and, is there likely to be any new model of Fiat to improve or replace the Evo in the foreseeable future? Fiat has no plans to replace the current Punto or Bravo because they are not moneymakers."
Fiat has stopped calling it the Grande Punto Evo now, and it's back to just plain Punto. Test and video here: www.honestjohn.co.uk/road-tests/fiat/fiat-punto-twinair-2012-road-test//. Fiat has suspended all plans to replace the current Punto and Bravo models and to instead concentrate on models that make more money.
Answered by Honest John
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