Fiat Bravo (2007 – 2014) Review

Fiat Bravo (2007 – 2014) At A Glance

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.

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

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.

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.

Satisfaction Index

Reviews for Fiat Bravo (2007 – 2014)'s top 3 rivals

Alfa Romeo Giulietta

More likely to turn heads than a Vauxhall Astra. Eager petrol and diesel engines.

Renault Megane

Soft riding, yet fine handling hatchback with superb steering. Improved for 2012 with new 1.2 TCe 115...

Citroen C4

Most models are well equipped. Punchy diesel engines offer strong economy. Decent-sized boot.

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

More Questions

Inside of the Fiat Bravo (2007 – 2014)

• Boot space is 365–1175 litres

It's roomy inside, with plenty of space for five, and a boot that can take 400 litres of luggage, which is more than any other car in its class. There is even room beneath the boot floor for a full-sized spare tyre, so we will have to hope that when the car arrives in the UK in July they will give us one. (The test car had polystyrene packing and an emergency Fix&Go puncture repair kit.)

Fiat has embraced some impressive new Microsoft technology called Blue&Me that mixes Bluetooth hands-free phone, entertainment, information, satellite navigation and telematics in a low priced package that outperforms and beats aftermarket kit, and is readily upgradeable with updated mapping. Theres even a USB port to facilitate this. Much hand-clapping ensued.

Inside, too, it looks good with a sort of carbon fibre stippled effect to the dashtop that doesnt reflect in the windscreen. But, after 750 miles in a Yaris I found it really difficult to get comfortable.

Seat and steering wheel seemed to me to be at the wrong angles and wrong relationship. With the seat low the squab falls away at the front and the steering wheel is too high, even at its lowest setting. Worse still in low winter sunlight, the speedo is all but invisible unless you have the cars lights one. Though maybe with forthcoming EU laws, thats intentional.

Child seats that fit a Fiat Bravo (2007 – 2014)

Our unique Car Seat Chooser shows you which child car seats will fit this car and which seat positions that they will fit, so that you don't have to check every car seat manufacturer's website for compatibility.

Which car seat will suit you?

Driving Fiat Bravo (2007 – 2014)

• Engines range from 1.4 to 2.0 MultiJet 165
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 30–68 mpg

The Bravo is frankly disappointing.  We seem to have got a Sport 150 Multijet fitted with optional 18 alloy wheels and 225/40 tyres. Seat comfort and range of seat and steering wheel adjustment are fine. There was nothing wrong with the quality of plastics and interior upholstery, including the carbon look fascia band, though the leather covered parking brake lever was already rubbing its leather against the edge of its aperture. The fascia doesnt reflect in the steeply raked screen. But, like the Alfa Brera, the Sports instrument graphics on the speedo and rev counter make them difficult to read in strong daytime sunshine.

I'd never actually driven a Stilo, which contributed its underpinnings to the new car. But if thats what a Stilo was like I can fully understand its lack of success. The chassis has no brio at all. Steering is light, feel-free and unresponsive. The gearchange is slow and cumbersome. The 150PS diesel engine we drove felt like it had 120PS. The ride quality on 18 wheels with 40 section tyres was terrible. It may have been developed in record time by computer, but the reality is a beautiful body clothing a very ordinary car.

But on the strength of the one car we drove, either it needs more work or they need to ditch the 18 wheels option. Hopefully Fiat will be able to get this sorted by the time the Bravo reaches the UK. The 6-speed gearbox is precise, yet clunky, as if you can actually feel the cogs swapping, which you cant because its a cable system.

But the engine is a gem. Quite how they managed to squeeze 150HP out of a 1.4 is a source of amazement. The horses actually feel stronger and more eager than the 150 in the Peugeot 308 1.6 THP I drove a few weeks previously. Smooth too, even after a cold start. Its a really excellent engine.

On the move the car feels somehow disjointed, letting slip its humble Stilo origins as the engine overtakes its tyres. Its not bad. It goes round corners well enough. And the ride quality on 205/55 R16 tyres doesnt remind you to e-mail complaints to The Highways Agency. Its just not as supple as a Focus, or a 308, or an Auris, and not quite as good as a Kia Ceed or Hyundai i30.

Final drive is sensibly geared at about 25mph per 1,000rpm in top, the same as the SEAT Leon 20VT I ran five years ago. The radio is good. Controls like the hazard warning on switch and Traffic Announcements off switch all logical and easy to find in an emergency, even when not familiar with the car.

On an 160 mile round trip it simply got on with the job, putting a smile on my face with its eagerness whenever I had to overtake uphill. Still belt-cam, unfortunately, but probably the ultimate Fiat FIRE engine and promises to turn the Grande Punto and 500 Abarth into real little scorchers. Id like to sit it on a chassis dynamometer and see what it really puts out against a Peugeot THP 150.

Fiat Bravo (2007 – 2014) Models and Specs

On sale until September 2014

On sale until May 2014

On sale until March 2013

On sale until November 2012

On sale until April 2012

On sale until September 2010

On sale until March 2010

On sale until May 2009

On sale until April 2009

On sale until July 2008

On sale until May 2008

On sale until April 2008

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What to watch out for

Model History

• January 2007: Fiat Bravo launched
• December 2008
• June 2009
• August 2011