It would seem that the motor industry has taken a page out of Hollywood’s book with face-lifted models being launched faster than a trip to the Botox quack. Fiat is no exception with the Bravo being the latest nip/tuck recipient.
However, unlike its Hollywood counterparts, the Bravo’s facelift is ever so subtle. There’s a new grille up front which features a burnished metallic finish. The headlights are now smoked and the direction indicators are clear as opposed to amber.
Fiat says there have also been appreciable improvements in the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) departments, although it’s difficult to tell without driving the two models back to back.
Inside, it’s just the door panels that have been reworked to incorporate reflectors and the rear middle passenger now gets a headrest as well. However, the best thing about the 2010 Fiat Bravo is something that hasn’t changed at all; the corking 1.4-litre T-Jet engine still develops 110kW and 230Nm for a 0-100km dash of 8.2 seconds. Not bad for a family hatch.
It’s also fairly frugal for such a sporting persona. Fiat claims that it will sip just 7.1 litres/100km on the combined cycle but some heavy-footedness on the launch saw it climb as high as 14.
Finally, there’s even more incentive to get into the driver’s seat of a Bravo as the pricing has also had a bit of a snip and now retails at R239 900 including a five-year 90 000km service plan as standard..
