Fiat Linea 1.3 Multijet

The car you see before you, the Linea, shares its platform with the Grande Punto but it’s difficult to see what’s common between the two. That’s because the Linea isn’t a Grande Punto with a boot. Not one panel is shared and the Linea was completey re-skinned to give it its own distinct identity. Fiat’s design director Frank Stephenson was someone more accustomed to doing Ferraris and Maseratis on one hand or Minis or new Fiat 500 on the other. Some of that genius seems to have seeped into the Linea too. It’s got some genuinely pretty bits, like the sweep of the roof, the brilliant nose with its two-part grille, or the tipped- forward glasshouse. The wheelbase of the Grande Punto has been stretched by more than 90mm. Under the skin this car has the regular front-wheel-drive layout; transversely mounted engine, MacPherson struts up front, non-independent torsion axle at the rear, anti-roll bars all around and a hydraulic steering. But it’s in the detail that this suspension really impresses. The front suspension arms are pressed steel sections, so unsprung mass is reduced, there is an aluminum crossbeam that improves the rigidity of the front section and there is an anti-roll bar at the rear. ABS is standard on this top-end model we tested.

The boot is a large 500 litres but the loading area is disappointingly narrow thanks to the large taillights. The suspension has been beefed up and the ride height raised, which works well with the standard 195/60 R15 tyres.

Until now Fiats sold in India never had really attractive-looking interiors. All this changes with the Linea. There’s a beautifully crafted multi-function steering wheel, those retro chronometer dial instruments, superbly built central console and the two-tone dash with a chrome slash running through it. Fiat’s Blue and Me system, made in collaboration with Microsoft, adds something extra to the interiors and you get a full fledged trip computer as well, which is one of the most accurate ones we’ve ever tested.

The steering wheel doesn’t adjust for reach and short drivers will find it too ‘in your face.’ The seat height adjust is very basic too, so you have to work hard to find the right driving position. But once you do, the driving position is quite good and the layout of the centre console and instruments are simply spot on. The seats themselves are large and offer plenty of thigh support and the adjustable arm rest adds to the comfort. Visibility out of the cabin is great and not impeded by the severely raked A-pillar, which gives a sense of space as the windscreen falls far ahead of you.

Storage space around the cabin however isn’t too impressive. The cupholders are small, the door pockets don’t take water bottles and space in the elbow box is shallow too. And though Fiat has managed to keep that solid plastic feel for many of the interior bits, some of the plastics panels feel a bit crudely built. There are some hard plastic bits too that detract from the otherwise luxurious cabin Fiat has created.

The rear seats are incredibly comfy with a high seating position, lots of underthigh support thanks to a long squab and a perfectly angled back rest. However, in terms of space the Linea’s rear seats aren’t as generous as you would have imagined. Though seat width is pretty good, legroom isn’t that impressive with cars like the City and substantially cheaper Logan having more of it. A big disappointment is the lack of headroom and even reasonably short passengers can muss up their hairstyle on the Linea’s well finished roof liner.

The Linea, however, does have a rear air con vent and a rear sun blind on this Emotion version as well, which is great for keeping the sun out.  

The motor under the hood is a very familiar one. Fiat’s 1.3 Multi-jet powers everything from the Palio, to the Swift to the Indica Vista and that’s because it truly is an outstanding motor. But isn’t a 1.3 litre too puny for something as large as this car? Ordinarily it would be. Fiat however has made alterations to the motor that has increased its volumetric efficiency. A larger capacity variable vane turbo replaces the smaller fixed turbo and that in effect means that this motor now behaves like a larger capacity motor. Power is up to 90bhp from the normal 75 and there is an increase in torque too. The variable geometry turbo acts like a small capacity turbo at low engine speeds, responding quickly, and then, when more power is required at higher engine speeds, the vanes change position offering a greater surface area and increased turbo boost for additional power. The car in India also has a larger capacity radiator, underbody protection and a more powerful air con system.

We expected the larger body of the Linea to mask the diesel clatter of the 1.3 Multi-jet better than the small cars this motor otherwise powers. However, this is not the case. Though idle is smooth and vibration-free, the motor turns slightly gruff and boomy in the midrange. It’s not intolerable and is actually much quieter than the diesels in the Skodas but we feel the Linea could have been less noisy.
The Linea’s motor displays the same non-linear or peaky power delivery that that is characteristic of this Multi-jet engine. You get the same rush of torque but with the VGT, the turbo kicks in much earlier. Though there is a noticeable turbo lag initially, the motor gets progressively more responsive from 1400rpm and you are well and truly on boost once you cross 1800rpm. The midrange is nice and punchy and the bigger turbo also means the motor has more pulling power and goes on hard till 4500rpm. The Linea’s short gearing is great for city driving and the big Fiat always feels like it has a spring in its step. Floor it, wait a bit and then whoosh, the Linea takes off in a way that makes you think it has more than 90bhp under its hood. The in-gear acceleration times which are actually faster than more powerful rivals like the Verna diesel confirm Linea’s mid-range potency.

The strong mid-range is great for overtaking on the highway too but flat out acceleration, the kind you need when overtaking a fast-moving car, isn’t that impressive. It takes 15 seconds to reach 100 and 30.8 to reach 140kph. This is good going if you place the Linea next to the Fiesta, but cars like the Verna will still eat it for lunch.
The gearbox has a long throw but the shift action is delightfully positive and relatively light too.

For its size and weight, the Linea returned some impressive figures. The short gearing, which allows the car to run in the higher gears at city speeds, paid dividends in our urban cycle and the car posted an average of 12.9kpl, with only the lighter saloons doing better. On the highway, a figure of 17.5kpl was not as impressive, the short gearing not ideal for highway economy.

Ever single passenger and driver who sat in the Linea commented on the superb ride quality that is totally unfazed by our roads. It’s the perfect balance between low and high speed ride comfort that the Linea has managed to strike that makes it special. As a result, it’s at home at any speed on just about any surface. There is a firm side to the suspension which you can feel and the odd thud, the result of short tyre sidewalls, does filter through but it’s not jarring or disturbing in any way. As a result you tend to carry much more speed over poor roads, the Linea maintaining its composure impressively.
The chassis and especially the front suspension are so well set up that the front end bite from the Linea is unreal. The front wheels have so much grip you are miles away from the limit, the first few times you push through a serries of corners. The Linea holds onto its line effortlessly at speeds you expect the front tyres to give way and scrabble for grip but instead, the grippy Goodyear GT3 195 tyres feel like they are slicks.

The increased ground clearance for India doesn’t seem to have affected the handling adversely with body roll well under control.

The brilliant hydraulic steering is responsive, accurate and bristling with feedback at all speeds and a key element in the Linea’s impeccable handling. It always allows you to be in touch with the road and gives you the confidence to push harder than you would dare in another car.
Straight line stability is ‘hands off the wheel’ good, even as high as 160kph and the ABS-equipped brakes do a very good job, even though the discs aren’t too large

Fiat Linea

NA * on road price (New Delhi)

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