Fiat Linea Classic images

Common Fiat its 2018 now! Wake up from the unconsciousness and launch some reasonable product in the Indian market. Fiat has been for quite a long time in the Indian market and yet the company has not been able to attract a decent number of buyers. The reasons can be several including the after sales and servicing network of the company. But the most common reason why it is still far behind its competitors is the lack of some good all-rounder product. I am a proud owner of Maruti Suzuki Dzire but I always wanted a Fiat sedan because I have heard about its engine and performance a lot. But there wasn't any other option for me and the dated looks and below average interiors of Linea Classic had put me on the back foot. And let me tell you something about the price. For an expensive price tag of Rs. 6.50 lakhs, I wouldn't be sacrificing a car like Maruti Suzuki Dzire which is much cheaper and scores well in all other aspects. And the world knows the sales and marketing reach of Maruti. So I made a good decision. Fiat! Get some life.

I own a Fiat Linea Dynamic 2010 model. Boy, this is one beautiful car. I think this is actually a two-part story to the car itself. The exterior looks were definitely head turning. They get you the presence wherever you go. The door close with a supreme thud and you can feel the outside world shut off completely. On the inside, however, it is a very different story. It has the least of the quality and looks. Parts keep falling off occasionally, thanks to the amazing Tata part supply then. On the convenience and ergonomics standpoint, the car scores pretty low. It doesn't have an armrest on either the front or the rear. The cup holders are made for the short Italians and have no meaning in the Indian context. No cubby holes that are convenient. The steering rubs against an unsuspecting drivers feet. It is quite unnerving when you feel it the first time. The interior plastics are thoroughly below par. The console is beautiful and lit in orange at night. It is thoroughly customizable and makes it a pleasure look at and read information from. It has all the modern OBD information that is necessary. This model doesn't have a rear AC. I guess the AC is made for the polar regions or for northern Kashmir. It just doesn't work in the Indian summers. The rear occupants constantly nag you to check if the AC button is on, when the blower is running at full speed. The large glass area only adds to the agony. Side curtains would be a definite add-on, really. It has a large boot that can swallow many bags at a time, no complaints there. But again the part quality is sub-par. For example, the hydraulic mechanism of the boot had issues in less than 5 years. The connecting rods did come off and had to reset. The spare tyre is full sized steel tyre. Now coming the engine and performance, the car is one heavy waggon. Not sure if it was designed and engineered by an ex-army chief. This thoroughly hits performance big time with a puny 1.4L petrol inside, tuned for very sedate driving. Therefore the car wakes out of sombre on the first gear. The second gear is not inspiring either and asks you to keep the engine on boil. In the third gear, it starts to behave like the cars we are typically used to and will reach 60 when pushed. The fourth gear is also short. Peak traffic driving is not pleasurable as you really can't move it with agility. Overtaking needs some really scientific planning. This really makes it a slouch in the segment. All that said, add the driving dynamics into the mix, the car is very different. It has a decent ability to hit the top end and stay normally on the road. The suspension setup is beautiful and the car can mask speeds quite well. It can put several of the so-called good cars to shame in this department. I felt that the car has the best cornering ability in the c-segment. You just don't feel any body roll at all. With all the pickup compromises, it still delivers only about 12 KMPL in the city and about 14 on the highway run. The max I could extract was 15 (when driven consistently under 90 KMPH). That's what a lot of steel can do to a car. The service experience is nothing better than asylum. This car deserves a better service network to even hope of some revival in the numbers. Most tier two cities have not Fiat service centres. They make do with an authorised third party service centre, who rarely know what they are doing. This makes it really a troublesome ownership. The service costs are in the neighbourhood of 8k with synthetic oil with 15000 KM interval. The resale thus takes a hit owing to all of this. My advice to used car buyers is a bargain for an amazing deal. You will get it. Maintain and keep it well, it will serve you well.  

Look and Style: Fine looks. It exudes a lot of confidence in style on the road. Comfort: Very good suspension. Feedback of steering is also great, the seats are very comfortable and it has ample leg room. Pickup: The engine has a superb pickup. Breezing past in the city traffic is not a problem and on the highway at speeds post 100kmph, the car feels very planted, solid and can absolutely handle it own. Mileage: In the city with AC, it gives around 11.5kmpl and without AC, it gives - 13kmpl and on the highway, it gives 15-18kmpl which is a decent one. Best Features: The AC is superb, the stereo with Bluetooth connectivity was the first in its class. The seating is very comfortable and ride quality is excellent. Overall Experience: Very happy with this car.

Look and Style: looks and style of Fiat Linea Classic are awesome!!! Comfort: is comfortale!! Pickup: pickup is very good as this is a diesel car with a perfect price tag. Mileage: what mileage a car would bestow upon you depends on the way you drive it...for me it is 23-24km/L highway; whereas while driving it within the city, I enjoy around 18Km/L of mileage. Best Features: Warnings, this feature warn you when any of the doors is left open or loose, hand brake, seat belt etc. Needs to improve: nothing really. Overall Experience: loved driving.

Look and Style Excellent Comfort Best in this price tag Pickup Not so good but it is ok. Mileage Good Best Features Price.

Well, if at all you ask for which is one of the affordable sedan in the Indian market, the answer would be Fiat Linea Classic. This sedan is an entry level of its Linea series and it delivers high performance and offers a decent mileage as well. This compact sedan has got a good overall shape and body line, impressive interiors and excellent driving quality, when compared to other vehicles in this segment. The exterior design of this car looks more aggressive than the regular Linea model. Occupying yourself inside the Fiat Linea Classic sedan, you will certainly feel very comfortable and the company has used good quality material to make the interiors, which will further enhance the overall appearance. It also got a roomy wheelbase, which makes the sedan more spacious from the insides. This sedan brings a high quality internal environment to the customers. The most highlighted factor is the cut down price, which is about Rs 7.6 lakhs (ex-showroom). The model that I took out for a test drive was the top end classic plus variant that is equipped with advanced safety and comfort features. It has been fitted with a 1.3-liter Multijet diesel engine that makes about 75bhp of power and 197Nm of torque. This engine has a five-speed manual transmission, which is smooth and offers about 19.5 kmpl of mileage, when driven under standard conditions. As far as the driving quality and handling is concerned, it is perfectly balanced with a good suspension system, a proficient braking mechanism and very smooth in pick-up and acceleration. It is equipped with innovative features such as ABS with EBD, a central locking system, rear defogger and seat belt warning lamp. Finally, I feel that this car is slightly more affordable option for the mid-sized sedan buyers. The Fiat Linea Classic has amazing looks and a good performance, but it lacks several safety and comfort features.

I found Fiat Linea Classic quite an incredible one in terms of exterior looks as well as the lavish interior cabin. As I have owned and driven the Linea also, hence I didn't find anything changed in the driving mechanism of Linea Classic but it's exceeded length and boot space really won my heart. It has a boot of 500 litres which is just exceptional. It's amazing acceleration and promising fuel economy is one of the reasons that made my mind to go for it. Literally, It is a valiant effort by the Fiat India and should be appreciated. It really has the space inside it that an individual desires or deserves when he/she pays such a hefty sum to purchase a sedan. I can comfortably put 4 suitcases of luggage inside the trunk. In inside the cabin too, it has adequate space for head and legs both in the front and rear seats. I doubt its torque a little bit and hence on high speeds I felt some noise and hiccups. Another thing that attracted me to this sedan was its exquisite safety features. The inclusion of the premium and exclusive Fire Prevention System (FPS) certainly astounded me as it cuts the fuel supply in case of a crash. ABS along with EBD is also there for secondary precautions while braking. Rear fog lamps and defogger are also there to assist you in the inclement and rough weather conditions. Overall, I found it a reliable and genuine sedan which pays off your every penny spent in buying it. Though after sales is a bit of problem but Fiat India is working effectively on this issue very well.