Today, following a change in corporate culture and mentality, the name Fiat is still fraught with meaning, and not only on account of the cars they produce ? cars with attractive styling and exciting engines, cars that are accessible and improve the quality of everyday life.

Although the Fiat Punto is rather small ? a bit less than one hundred and sixty inches in length ? the small, stylish details like head lamps which sweep back and chic, chunky door handles, the car does not seem small at all. Quite the contrary, with its flourishing front end, its sides which are rather sporty and cool, and the neat but solid and stolid rear end, the Fiat Punto is a car quite unlike any other of its kind.

Inside, the Fiat Punto's interior is comprised of hard, sleek, and durable plastics, with a very handsome matte finish which not only keeps it from being too boring and austere and instead turns it into something stylish and really rather chic. This vision is continued with the exquisitely precise panels and the perfect way they line up; it is evocative of a decidedly Swiss sense of order and clean, concise design.

Furthermore, the Fiat Punto is a beautifully urbanised vehicle, designed for city streets in addition to country drives. Nevertheless, the seats are extraordinarily comfortable, to the point that they practically beg to be sat in during longer drives and road trips. The driver's seat features a choice of manual adjustments. The designers of the Fiat Punto also know the value of spatial economy: there is ample space for both the driver and the passenger in the front; in the back, the rear seats can seat two full grown adults with plenty of room left over ? and three full grown adults while still offering a wealth of shoulder room and leg room. Morever, the hatchback has plenty of room for cargo and storage.

The Fiat Punto's driving capability has actually been referred to as a masterpiece. The engine is a peppy, revving little creature. Despite the fact that the engine features seventy seven horsepower and two valves per cylinder, the Fiat Punto has also been called a mini Ferrari and really, who can ask for a better experience than that?

There is the option for a Duo-drive semi automatic transmission with a five speed manual transmission that is controlled by a computer, and the clutch is under the hood. When left to its own devices in straight automatic mode, the driver need not do anything ? the car takes care of it all.

As a matter of fact, both critics and drivers alike insist that the Fiat Punto is the closest that one can get to driving a manual transmission while actually driving a vehicle with an automatic transmission. The gears change practically instantaneously, and they shift quickly and smoothly. Reverse is excellent, neutral actually has a purchase, and when drivers accelerate while the car is standing still, they will even feel a thrilling little purr of vibrations.

The Fiat Punto was ideally designed for excellent driving in European cities, and while it can handle country roads and back roads just as beautifully, it is perfect for city driving, thanks to the light touch, electronic speed, sensitive steering system. The steering tightens itself up a bit when drivers reach higher and faster speeds, making for all the necessary control. The Fiat Punto also knows how to take a tight curve like an expert.

The Fiat Punto's suspension system is extraordinarily comfortable. In the city, even the standard Fiat Punto takes the typical city abuses like they were nothing at all, thus continuing its whole fun factor. All in all, the Fiat Punto is a car that is extremely easy to manage, has a whopping, impressive engine, a rip roaringly excellent transmission, exquisite handling, and an enviable fuel economy, making it both environmentally friendly and a great time to drive, all at the same time.