Ciao baby! Look good driving around town in this 'unmistakably Italian' car. PHOTO/GEORGE NOVAK
CAN YOU be both a fashion statement and a budget buy? Yes, says Fiat. The brand that invented the small car is not going to let it become uncool.
Economical can still be stylish - especially when it is European.
Think a glass of Chianti and spaghetti with tomato and garlic in a plaza in Rome. Jeans and a white cotton shirt with a silk scarf and leather loafers for added luxury.
Unmistakably Italian - it is the slogan of the Fiat in New Zealand.
A brand around for about 100 years in Italy, for something so iconically Iti-chic, and eye-catching cute, it is surprisingly well priced here.
The least expensive in the range - the Panda, currently coming in at an attractive $15,000.
The Fiat Punto is priced between the Panda and the popular top of the class Fiat 500 and its derivatives.
In three ranges - Punto Pop (from $17,490), Easy and Lounge - even the top of the range Lounge, at $22,990, gives you a fine array of extras - hard to beat for this price range, if you compare it with its New Zealand peers, Suzuki Swift and Toyota Yaris.
The Punto Lounge boasts leather seats, rain sensors, climate control air con, Bluetooth, 16in alloy wheels, tinted windows, a sports body with chrome features and front fog lights.
Seven airbags.
Oh and did I mention it's European?
The Punto Lounge I am testing comes in a cheeky bright red - called exotica red.
You can also personalise your Fiat with roof racks, racing stripes, alloys and so on.
You can also buy a portable TomTom satellite navigation unit that's configured for the car.
It plugs into a special dock on the Punto's dashboard and acts both as a navigation device, and control screen for the Bluetooth and media player, including integration with the remote controls on the steering wheel.
If you are used to driving cars of this size it is a little bit different.
It is automatic but the dualogic gearbox thinks like a manual.
The dualogic gearbox works like a robotised manual.
It takes a bit of getting used to and works best if you vary your foot pressure on the pedal, anticipating gear changes almost like driving it like a manual but without the clutch.
For manoeuvring around the city it is very adaptable, as I found when I took it out for a day at the races.
First stop early in the morning was a ride over the harbour bridge to get hair and makeup done at Sisters and Co.
It works in the stop start traffic of the bridge perfectly with its stop start function.
Then back to town to Hammon Diamond Jewellers - cruising for a park is a pain in Tauranga on Saturday but the vehicle seemed designed for it and when we spotted a spare we swept in nimbly without any manoeuvring.
Bling on, we powered down Cameron Rd to Tauranga Racecourse where the car got as many admiring looks as some of the Fashion in the Fields outfits.