Test drive Fiat Brava 1995 - 2001 hatchback

Fiat Brava SX

Some time ago, fate threw me into the Slovak Republic, part of the former Czechoslovakia. Accordingly, I bought the car there already and operated it too, of course, there. And in a year I drove on it on the roads of Central Europe 50,000 kilometers.
On one of the warm August days of 1996, the brand new Fiat Brava SX left the gate of the Scotti Auto technical center in Bratislava. Why did I choose this particular car, and not, say, so popular Skoda Felicia? Firstly, it attracted the design. Italians know a lot about beauty. Secondly, the title of 1996 car received by Brava at the Geneva Motor Show also says a lot. Well, thirdly, a rather low price played a role (although the same Felicia is much cheaper).
 
From classmates and competitors to the place of Brava, Renault Megane persistently asked, but was rejected, as he liked less externally. Brava looks more original, one might say, futuristic and attracts the streamlines of its forms (I have not found a single sharp angle throughout the body). In addition, I could never get used to the sound signal button located on the steering wheel. I’m used to hinging the whole palm or in an extreme case with an elbow, I got used to the belief that I will never miss this important button. In Megane, while you feel a signal under the wheel, anything can happen.
 
The purchase of a car in installments for a European is a common thing. In order to buy a car on credit, it is not necessary to have an astronomical account in a bank or, say, lay an apartment. It is enough to enlist the signatures of two respectable local residents who have work with a middle salary, insure the car from all conceivable and unthinkable troubles ($ 1000 per year) and pay 25% of its cost. After that, the car can be taken, but with the condition: regularly for 4 years, on a quarterly equal shares, pay the remaining part of the cost. Until the loan repayment of the loan, the car is the property of the bank, but there are no restrictions on the rights of using the machine (except for sale), you can do anything with it: to transfer the mother-in-law for the removal of the crop of potatoes from the cottage or give to someone from the younger members of the family to be torn to pieces . But it is better to ride yourself, enjoying the comfort and grace of this cute European car.
 
The SX modification cost $ 1000 more than an absolutely empty Brava, but for this I received a steering wheel, electric drives of rear -view mirrors and windows, as well as separately leaning backs of the rear seats. This is very convenient when, for example, you go to high tatra and the question arises: who to take, passengers or their skis.
 
The standard package also includes a capacity of the driver, a radio pillow, the front seats adjustable in height, clock, immobilizer, slightly tinted glass, trunk opening handle from the driver's seat and many other pleasant little things.
 
Sitting behind the wheel, I realized that I would get used to Brava very quickly. The car immediately liked the smoothness and the convenience of the driver's place. Minus is a rather weak motor (1.4 liters, 12 valves, 80 hp). But in the city or in the car, this does not interfere at all. Let's just say, for traveling around the city or to the weekend to the country of a more powerful motor and is not required, and in return I received ridiculously low fuel consumption (in the city about 8 l/100 km), which is important at European gas prices.
 
A hard suspension attracted attention - for a car with such an engine, you could put springs and softer. Once I had a real sports car, but even on it I still felt more that the manufacturer provided some softening elements between the wheels and the soft place of the driver. On Brava, you feel so much bumps and bumps that at first I thought that the wheels were pumped.
 
But the hard suspension also has advantages - it helps the car maintain stability and keep the road. And Brava holds the road excellent! There was no doubt left after I experienced its running qualities in the limit modes at the local cardodrome.
 
The salon is modest, made with taste, except that all sorts of plastic-razin details are too much. Smooth outlines and rounded forms of the salon are in the spirit of the external appearance of the machine.
 
The steering column is adjustable along the angle of inclination, seats - in height. I sit optimally, I see everything - the road, devices. On the shield - a standard set: speedometer, tachometer, coolant temperature indicators and fuel levels. All other information is displayed on indicator bulbs. The angle of inclination of the headlights can be adjusted directly from the cabin. By the way, in addition to excellent optics, there are fog.
 
On the central console, there is an unpretentious radio tape recorder of an original shape (less likely to be stolen). Music wow, sorry only, reverse is not provided.
 
The ashtray is huge - the addiction of Italians to tobacco is taken into account. Nearby is a cigarette lighter. About smokers sitting from behind, they also did not forget, for them there is an ashtray on the back of the console separating the front seats.
 
The stove is simple, but there is a lever for switching the flow, in the cork you can turn off the flow of toxic air from the street. By the way, the stove warms perfectly that I had a chance to experience when 30-degree frosts struck at Christmas.
 
A little saddened the review from the driver's place. Firstly, a massive front stand interferes. With maneuvers, you have to twist your head to see what is happening on the left. Secondly, the rear window of the car is not so small - scanty. Emphrack is some kind of honest word! The size of the rear window was donated to increase the volume of the trunk. As a result, when reversing moves, you have to rely only on intuition. But the trunk turned out to be really large, and if you lay out the rear seats in Brava, you can place a medium -sized refrigerator and another place for a couple of suitcases will remain.
 
The gear lever is on the spot, it is easy to work for them, and the handle is comfortable. The steering wheel amplifier is with a progressive characteristic, the steering wheel rotates very easily when parking and becomes harder at speed.
 
In Europe, cars live easier - the climate is softer, the winter is shorter, the salts pour less, and the roads are better, although not everywhere. For example, in Budapest, the streets are such that it is better to ride on a strong SUV than on Brava, they are so rich in bumps and tram interchanges.
 
In addition, cars are being watched here. The European accustomed to order goes to the service exactly then and does exactly what is written in his service book. Many of the age of twenty years run here and most of them look like new ones.
 
On the Brava speedometer - 15,000 kilometers. It's time for the first. The SCOTTI AUTO Fiat dealer’s car service was surprisingly small - only 3 lifts, even they make a collapse in a neighboring service, because there is no stand. But the mechanics are fully coped with their business, and after two hours I could already pick up the car. I was replaced by oil, candles and for some reason the front brake pads. In support of the fact that they really demanded replacement, they put the old pads erased to metal in the trunk. I don’t know mine or not, but it seemed that 15,000 km for pads ($ 70 per set) is not enough.
 
The story repeated when the speedometer was 30,000 km. Again, the oil, candles and the front pads were replaced. Then I could not stand it. Of course, the service life of the pads is highly dependent on the driving manner, but I am not so a sharp driver. As a result of a brief but substantial conversation with the master-receiver and director of the technical center, the score was halved. And the owner of the technical center at each meeting calls me to beer.
 
Since it came to a car service, one cannot but mention warranty repairs. Brava did not escape a couple of serious breakdowns. The third gear from the very beginning turned on fuzzy, then flared up and the fourth. There was no doubt that this is a factory marriage, synchronizers work poorly. When I turned to the technical center with this problem, a disgruntled grimace appeared on the face of the master-receiver-of course, they didn’t want to change the entire box, so they offered to pour some special fiat's additive into the oil, which supposedly should eliminate the problem for 5,000 km. Of course, modern chemistry can work miracles, but you can’t cure such malfunctions, here not to pass surgery. As a result, the box was still replaced. Under warranty.
 
The second breakdown occurred a little later - the force on the steering wheel increased sharply. Undoubtedly, the pumping pump. When exercising the shoulder girdle on the road to the service station, I recalled classic Lada. It turned out that Fiat was already recalling a large batch of cars to replace faulty steering wheel drive pumps, but many dealers decided to save and repair on this only if the client himself was circulating. I turned - they replaced me.
 
Otherwise, the car showed itself well, served me correctly and devotedly, and in general we became very attached to each other. She did not burden her wallet - gasoline requires a little, and in the service during the planned, I did not pay more than $ 150. Fiat Brava is a good car in its class. Functionality/price ratio is optimal for people with average income. At the same time, the machine pleases with a wide range of standard equipment, pleasant original appearance and comfort. During the first year of our friendly relations, they did not overshadow the breakdown during the first year; Everyone knows that at first a factory marriage is always crawling out of the car, so I did not accept these little things to heart. I believe that I made the right choice and was not in vain spent money.
 
Andrey Minakov

  

Source: Motor magazine [No. 9/1997]