Fiat has added another string to its South African bow with the launch of the Stilo. The new car – available in hatch and Multi-Wagon guises – moves into new territory to take on mainstream competitors like the Toyota RunX, the Renault Megane, the Volkswagen Golf and the Peugeot 307.
Both the three door hatch and the Multi-Wagon Stilo come in 1,6 litre petrol and 1,9 litre turbodiesel versions. The petrol-burning 1,6 litre Stilo Active models offer lower trim levels than the 1,9 JTD Dynamic diesel versions, but are nevertheless very well equipped, with central locking, heated electric door mirrors, alloy wheels, electric front windows, climate control and electrical power steering with a CITY mode being standard.
Safety standards are first class in all versions of the Stilo, with six airbags and ABS brakes with electronic brake-force distribution being fitted as standard across the range.
I found the styling of the three door Stilo to be stunning, with the practical Multi-Wagon being rather more conservative. At the Johannesburg launch I drove both the petrol and diesel versions of the hatch, and felt that the 1.6 was a little disappointing in terms of get-up-and-go. Still, I live on the coast, and the 17% drop in power at reef altitudes can be significant in a 1,6 litre engine, especially if you’re used to driving at sea level. On paper the engine is right up there with the opposition, producing 76 kW at 5 750 rpm and 145 Nm at 4 000 rpm, so perhaps the problem lay with me. The diesel offers 85 kW at 4 000 rpm and 255 Nm at 2 000, with the advantage that the turbocharger prevents that steam being dissipated by altitude. I know which I’d spend my money on if I lived at 6 000 feet above sea level.
Build quality felt very good in both cars, and I liked the interiors, with their low-key trim.
Pricing starts at R154 900 for the Stilo 1.6 Active hatch, with the petrol-engined Stilo 1.6 Active Multi Wagon costing R172 900. The 1.9 JTD Dynamic hatch sells for R189 900 while the Multi-Wagon 1.9 JTD Dynamic retails at R206 900. All models carry Fiat’s three year / 100 000 km warranty.