What is it?
As the name Evo suggests, this is an evolution of the Punto supermini. Unlike the name suggests, the Punto is not going all four-wheel drive and WRC on us. Shame. Never mind, what we have is a Punto with a longer nose thanks to revised grille and bumper, and there are styling tweaks to the front and rear lights, dashboard and seats to give a higher standard of finish
Why's it here?
A facelift - even one called Evo - is not the most exciting prospect. However, Fiat is set to fit its new 1.4-litre MultiAir engine that increases power by 10 percent while reducing emissions by 10 percent compared to the standard 1.4-litre unit in the Punto. Add in improved throttle response and the Punto looks likely to remain one of the more entertaining cars in its class to drive.
Show stopper or floor filler?
The Evo moniker will no doubt attract a fair few visitors to the Fiat stand, but the reality is the revised Punto is more of a stand filler than stand thriller. We like the looks and it should drive well with the new MultiAir engine, but if time is limited on a visit to the show - and with the size of the Frankfurt show this is always a consideration - we’d head elsewhere before the Fiat stand.
Alisdair Suttie - 17 Sep 2009