Admin,
I lately developed an interest in automobiles and just coming to know the meaning of torque, bhp, rpm etc etc….found your site a very good one, constatntly updated and best of the rest with respect to presentation aspects…keep up the good work.

You are the first one among the blogs/websites who wrote a very good initial review of Palio Multijet and I really appreciate it

I second the above post. You people update like magic.. so fast so instantaneous.. Really appreciate the effort.. keep up the good work.

I WAS EAGERLY WAITING FOR THE TEST REVIEWS ON MJD….THANKS A LOT FOR THE POST..STILL WAITING FOR MORE …POSSIBLEY I WILL HAVE A TEST DRIVE THIS WEEK END..I AM SURE ITS GONNA BE AN AWESOME MACHINE…

Dear friends, as soon as i saw the fiat palio multijet ad in paper today i was too excited i went to the showroom which is next to my house but bad luck no sales person came to know about it they dont have any information about it and they dont know when they will get the display also

This is great news, really palio takes like a jet with this new engine for the kind of tank like build quality & handling.Thanks to the cubic capacity team for throwing some ligh t on this.

Hey good job cubic capacity i think u r among the first ones to cover the car….even i got to drive one of the first few cars in mumbai i must say the car is something…. it is in a different league and the limitations of a swift diesel are over come very well in this car e.g. lot of space, good suspension and bright interiors (yes i know what u r thinkin, but i dont like dark grey interiors of swift)…. i think they have done well by pricin it less than swift… i think over all good vfm…

Fiat launched palio multijet on 12th wed , I am one of the guy booked that great vehicle along with 8 others in Concorde bangalore on same day.
I checked the vehicle , it seems great pick up and also I drived in 4th gear in heavy traffic on hosur road. AC and smoothness of the vehicle is marvilous

Nice first impression guys!

Please post the test drive as soon as possible… eagerly awating your review before I got ahead and book mine. Keep up the good work.

I read that the Palio MJD is not as eager in performance as the Swift D?

Cheers

http://thecarsandmore.blogspot.com/

Hai friends,
today i checked the vehicle and went for a test drive,Pickup and the speed ultimate,i really enjoyed driving new fiat palio multjet, this car defenetley rules the small segment diesel car.

Drove it yesterday..

Pickup no were near to swift..Noise levels are low..Great handling..

No alloys with any model..New grill looks cool. Narrow space between Break and accelarator pedals.. Reverse gear lock, Double cranking prevention system is gud.

5 colours available- Furnace red, Ozone blue, Mist whitw, Carbon black and Magnesium grey.

3 variants

1.3 SD 50,6453
1.3 SDE 52,9251
1.3 SDX 55,2054 All prices on road Bangalore

All over a good car…Probably my next car.

dude kapil what do u mean by the pick up no where near to the swift????can u b clear?

The Initial pickup is less compared to the swift DDIS..Swift pulls like a rocket at 1500 Rpm but palio, may be the body weigh heavier than swift, does not pull like the swift..Cannot feel the turbo much..That is the only thing thats disappointing when compared to swift. Everything else is superb. The engine is a 4th generation MJD (latest from fiat), but the swift ddis engine is 3r generation. as per the showroom officials milage expected is 16 to 17 kms/l in city with AC on. The ac is really cool, but can feel a slight difference in pickup while driving with ac on.

20 days waiting period (forgot to add that)

@Kapil…. Swift really pulls after 1800-2000 rpm but the same shove in Palio comes in a little higher at around 2200-2300 rpm. Swift is lightfooted in city while Palio would surely be better on highways.

I agree with you I think Palio will rock on highways

Hi guys,

I test drove the 1.3 Multijet and its awesome, amazing pulling power, in fact a lot better than our older petrol version. This too with the AC On full blast. The Top end model it the one that is worth going for.
There was no turbo lag at any speed and overtaking on this one is going to be a breeze as just pushing the pedal is all it took. This means less gear shifting, better mileage and also SAFETY ON HIGHWAYS. It is scary at times when you try to overtake in a Indica, even the V2. There is no pulling power in an Indica (except maybe DICOR).
This car is for anyone who is not crazy about the ugly looking SWIFT and still wants a solid built car with, I am expecting, a mileage of 18 - 20 km per litre.
We may go for it this Wednesday (we are the superstitious types)
Thanks & Regards

hows the AC cooling actually can we compare it with the swift’s superb AC???

WE CAN DEFINITELY COMPARE THE AC WITH SWIFT’S…PLAIO’S AC IS REALLY GOOD

Hi Guys,
I am in confusion weather to buy Getz or Palio Style 1.3 ?
Any suggestions ?

Ravi
Banglore

@ravi

did you test drive them both ? if not please do, then take a decision. Given a choice, i will go for palio

Friends
any corporate discounts / discounts are being offered for MJD?

HI GUYS….I TEST DROVE THE PALIO MULTIJET……..GOOD SOLID CAR…..GREAT PICKUP AFTER A LITTLE LAG…….BUT I FOUND THE INTERIOR FINISH WITH POOR PLASTIC QUALITY……SAME WITH THE BUTTONS AND THE KNOBS…..NO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE ENGINE THOUGH…..I WANT TO GO FOR IT BUT ALL FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES ARE AGAINST IT AS IT IS NOT A POPULAR CAR…….ALSO I DONT KNOW IF THEY WILL STOP MANUFACTURING IT ANYTIME SOON…….ANY COMMENTS ?????

Well Mangesh, i know what your feeling, the resale value of Fiat cars in India is nothing to talk about and that is surely a worrying factor, however the Fiat Palio 1.3 is a fantastic car and resale should not be all that bad as the petrol siblings.

They dont plan to discontinue the Palio till 2010, and they plan to launch a new Palio in 2010 as per my sources. They are launching Linea in some time and then the GP around September this year.

The fit and finish is not top notch as the car is old, you can see that the odometer is also not electronic like the Swifts, however built quality is much better then the Swifts.

Cheers

http://thecarsandmore.blogspot.com/

@ Kapil, Mangesh and Hemant, nice review on the car, surely your points are valid and Fiat should look into these matters when they plan to launch the next Palio in 2010.

Cheers

http://thecarsandmore.blogspot.com/

I’ve had a test drive in Trivandrum,where the sole dealer is trying their level best to thrust a Petrol version upon me.It’s a fact that their petrol version is sort of a no taker stuff !!No confusion as Palio is my first choice,but how long they would be able to offer customer support? Their numbers in Trivandrum roads is very meager..Confused to the core….

One of my colleague got the first Palio in Kochi….Everything is perfect but the mileage….around 12 in city,hardly 15 in highways…..Guys,please make sure about the mileage

It’s really a matter of concern as no review in the net gives a mileage more than 17 even in highs

I am decided to go for it…no matter what the resale value is.. remember the car is coming from makers of Ferrari too.. want to still save some money if some one is aware of any discounts which can take care of a music system

plan to test drive this car on 20/3.. it depends on dealer promise and my time

btw, i too have strong oppose from my colleagues that - palio ? no resale vaule.. .my answer is : any car — no resale vaule. buyers are smart like us.

hope to see responses

Good day readers!

Swift Diesel is giving 20kmpl on the 165mm tires, and on highways around 25 when driven within speed limits, on faster driving the Swift gives around 20kmpl on the highway.

@ Ramuk - I would not recommend a petrol Palio, the dealers always try to push their stuff, so be cautious.

@ Krishna - I disagree that any car - no resale value. The fact is Honda. Toyota, Maruti and Skoda vehicles have a fantastic resale value and a 2005 Swift Lxi is going for as much as 3.5L wheras a similar aged Palio wont go more then 2L, also you will have to find a buyer, but for the Swift, the buyer will find you.

Cheers

http://thecarsandmore.blogspot.com/

About 1.3 Multijet 16 v engine:

The 1.3 Multijet 16v is a 1251 cc 4 cylinder in line power unit, chain-driven timing system with
rocker control (a maintenance-free solution), hydraulic tappets, a cast iron crankcase with an
aluminium base, an aluminium cylinder head and steel crankshaft and connecting rods.
The 1.3 Multijet 16v is provided with a turbocharger with wastegate and intercooler. It also
features an electronically-controlled EGR system and an exhaust gas cooling device: the 1.3
Multijet 16v already meets Euro 4 emission limits. It is also one of the very few engines in the
world to achieve this result without adding a sophisticated exhaust post-treatment device such as
a particulate trap.

The fuel and combustion systems are designed to operate at very high pressures that range from
1400 bars of diesel in the rail to 160 bars of gas in the cylinder. As far as customers are
concerned, all the technology packed into the pint-sized 1.3 Multijet 16v means a reduction in fuel
consumption. All this comes with:
• lower noise levels
• improved comfort: fewer alternating masses means fewer vibrations
• a smooth, satisfying drive due to very gradual torque delivery
• all the flexibility and prompt responses of a diesel that thinks it’s a petrol engine due to its
wide rpm range
• the green features that allow this engine to improve on the main environmental
advantage of diesel engine – i.e. fuel economy – by reducing their main drawback, i.e.
particulate emissions.

Fantastic bit of Information Kapil. This engine is indeed the 4th generation of the 1.3 Multijet and is in all probability, more fuel efficient too.

Nice info Kapil, yes the engine is a gen ahead then the Swifts, but still it makes lesser torque, maybe Fiat has limited it, so they can distinguish accordingly with the Punto

However even with the latest generation, the FE is less then Swift, maybe cause of the weight of the car? The gearbox is also not close to the Swifts, however it rides way better then the Swift.

Cheers

http://thecarsandmore.blogspot.com/

@fas… The difference in torque is less than 6 nm which is negligible to say the least and too little to make any difference in performance or fuel average. Are the fuel average numbers out? According to “CAR” the Palio os more fuel efficient than Swift diesel.

Well admin, torque wont make much of a difference since its negligible, but the extra weight of the Palio can decrease the mileage a wee bit and what ever said the diff in the mleage even with the extra weight is negligible, so its not wise to talk about the mileage of the Palio D, since it gives quite a good mileage, a first for a Fiat car in India

Cheers

http://thecarsandmore.blogspot.com/

@fas… The Palio 1.3 MJD and the Swift DDiS weigh the same i.e 1065 Kgs. Palio can only be even more fuel efficient given that the engine is fourth generation unlike the one in Maruti. Whatever the difference it wont be that much and in the context of diesel prices, nothing to bother about at all.

I THINK WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR A MONTH ATLEAST TO GET A PROPER
FEEDBACK ON THE MILAGE…I BELIVE ITS GONNA BE WAY BETTER THAN
SWIFT, BASED ON THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD TILL NOW.

took a Td of the vehicle and was very impressed by the engine the dealer said that the milage of palio multijet is going to be around 2-3 kms /litre more than swift diesel thats the main reason for initial lag to deliver more milage than swift diesel in the city but i think they have done the right thing because i dont want the vehicle to jump in the conjested traffic where as on highway it pulls better than swift and coming to resale value its going to increase for sure with world class models coming from FIAT such as Linea and grande punto.palio multijet would have a high resale value no doubts and with TATA-FIAT collabaration the ASS would improve and i always liked the Italian design over dumb japanese design all the time!!

I totally agree with Midhun ….the department that italians excel is infact design asthetics. They annihilate the competition. Swift is no match to Palio MJD on that front.

Thanks for your comments everyone. I was trying to select a car (have 2 Indicas - looking to change one) and you all have helped me arrive at a decision.
However, I have a problem - I need to lease the car from my company and they need an ABS system as a compulsary requirement.

The question then is : Can an ABS be fitted onto a Palio 1.3 Multijet? If yes, what is the cost?

DO let me know please.

Thanks in advance.

Indrani,

Unfortunately, Palio Diesel doesnt come with ABS even as an optional extra. Its a gross mistake on FIAT’s part. They should have offered Palio with ABS atleast as an optional extra.

Hey Admin, that was really fast - thans a bunch!

However, I NEED an ABS - so is it possible for say a Tata workshop to install on at my cost?

Indrani,

I am afraid that wont be possible. ABS is not plug and play and is different for different cars. Only if FIAT in future decide to offer it, you can have it. In anycase, we wont recommned aftermarket fitment of ABS since its a question of braking.

but the braking of the car is awesome just have a TD and u will know the brake power so i think ABS is not that required but where as swift it requires ABS!!

Midhun,

ABS is a safety feature and it improves braking by preventing wheel lock up during harsh braking and helps driver maintain steering control. So no matter how good the brakes are, the wheels will lock and the driver will loose steering control if the car isnt equipped with ABS. ABS is a virtue of the Braking system.

FIAT…FIAT and FIAT……..
In the very year I took birth ie 1971,my dad bought a premier padmini which served us dutifully till January 1993,when we switched into a diesel version of the same.In 2000 my dad bought a UNO which he still uses,but alas the spare parts he used to ‘import’ from Coimbatore…now in his mid 60’s he’s dreaming aloud on a multijet Palio….May the FIAT guys rise upto the expectations of the loyal thousands by providing basic after sale services…If such a thing happens…FIATs will rule the Indian roads

If and only if the FIAT guys appreciate the sentiments of thousands of fellow ‘Jayakrishnan’s’ they may succeed in the cut throat competition of Indian market.Else they will never come out of the ‘Premier Padmini’ shadow.

Admin (also Midhun), Thanks again for clarifying the point (since I am not much into the tech specs on the mech side, this discussion thread was very helpful for me). Net net, I have now decided to wait for the New Indica, which is also to be fitted with the same engine. Hopefully, Tata will offer the ABS as an option there. ( I need a CRDI+Multijet+ABS in a small car)

Would you have any news on when is the new Indica supposed to arrive? Then I can plan this purchase and save tax.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Hey, just got an update. The Tata marketing guys are getting slightly better. after I posted a comment on their website, someone from their gurgaon office just called me on the abs requirement….but alas, just to convince me that i dont need abs on this car!! on being told that its a statutory requirement from my office, he admitted that he is receiving feedback from several ppl on the abs issue - but unless the demand is “significant”, they may not address the issue!! so i guess we are back to square one.
He agreed with everything (nice of them to call at least) but had no solution. they cant do anything abt abs (apparently the abs is costly and does not sell).

I guess that only leaves me with the option of waiting for the new indica to come…and hope that they offer a 1.3 mjt with abs in that new avtar.

I too took a test drive and must say the car scores on all front except the interiors and especially the dash board.The exterior styling is very good,suspension,ground clearance,boot,ride and handling are also good.The best part of this car is the engine.The Fiat people should have paid lot of attention with the dash board and should have offered ABS and Airbags as optional.But still a good car.

Hi

I just want to have more clarification on the diffrence in this 3rd generation & 4th generation engine of FIAT.I am very much confused between Palio D & Swift D.I don’t like the chubby looks of the Swift while the looks of Palio are just awesome,the interiors are really disappointing.I want to own a FIAT,on what front it is better than the Swift,pl guide

Hi

Kapil,nice details by u,but u have mentioned that Palio engine is 4th generataion MJD engine & Swift is 3rd generation but i have checked at the FIAT site & it mentioned there that Palio is 2nd generation engine.Hav eyou any idea about this,pl guide,i m planing my next car & as mentioned earlier confused bet’ Swift Dsl & Palio Dsl.

Hi Friends,

My expectations!

FIAT - sole respoinsible Marketing / sales officer should look at what the fourm is talking about.

TATA - your JV with FIAT- customer expect alot - if you take a little care (of 10% of your JLR deal/risk/whatever) you are going to gain alot alot alot..

Resale vaule - we buy cars just to satify ourself not the person who is going to buy from us, remember that - not sure we need to put that as HIGH priority one mah!

Any commenyts!

I am amazed by the look since I saw her in AutoExpo. Infact, petrol version is also eye catcher. I wanted to buy petrol one, but my friends stopped me, pointing out resale value(which does not bother me much, as i want to owe her till she or me last), after sales. TD was not even good (may be poor keeping of cars in tata showroom, vivek automobiles, mathura road, delhi. The demo car was full of dust, and had head lights broken, god knows what else was wrong). But I still insist my friends to go to some other showroom. Now, PalioD has arrived, I had love at first sight with her. Everywhere i m reading positive response, except interiors. Interiors at autoexpo was not bad either, but i will check it at showroom next weekend. But I am still confuesed, the car is going to be my first car, and I dont have long run (8-12 KM per day, as of now). People says, diesal car must be used daily and good only when you run longer. Also diesal’s life is lesser than petrol one. Conversion to future fuels like CNG is not possible with diseal. Either diseal is going to be expensive or have to pay extra to use it in delhi or may be banned in delhi. Please suggest it it wise to have diseal considering all circumastances. Other cars in my mind are U-VA (1.2 LS) or Ford Icon. Ford is in second thought, as interiors gives feeling of base model in sedan as compared to U-VA. Both cars are not available in my favorite red ( like palio D ), and U-VA seems expensive compared to PalioP with same features. Please suggest me the best one, if diseal is not going to create trouble in future, then i will go for PalioD

here is my test drive report.

http://kavoor.wordpress.com/2008/03/17/fiat-palio-13-multijet-test-drive-report/

Very SExy indeed…. I think Fiat deserve 3 times more sales in India than what it sells today…It just does things so stupidly, i can t understand. They can easily cash on names like Ferrari, lancia, maserati and of course THE BEAUTIFUL and VERY SEXY ….ALFAROMEO, and improve their brand image….all they need is a roadshows in every major cities with these models on display, all under FIAT name and there you go, Brand is already in mindset of many people as - FIAT - the owner of Ferrari/alfa/lancia/iveco/Maserati/abarth and not just the fiat of the old as the company that produced the padmini(1100). I really feel sad for this company with so much potential and is lead by silly people….. I mean what takes to change a mindset is just a Flashy and influential impact (of which things like roadshows can be a part)… I live in the UK, things are the same here…..they need to revisit their management principles… they’ve the potential to pose threat to every single company in the world…. and specially India……..

look at the new fiats 500. bravo. grande punto, Linea …..all of these models are sheer beautiful and still I dont think( Of course apart from very very sexy the fiat 500 -they cant make enough of them) their sales are doing justice to the models… I recently visited a Fiat dealership(Colliers Fiat) to check out the bravo and the hospitality standards i would rate them -1, informationwise -50( if i can rate in minus markings) and general look of the dealership was simply like a dustbin, it was that dirty (reminded me of fiat indian dealerships). Hopefully they wake up and in spite of being the fastest growing debt free company in Europe, i still feel FIAT is loosing out on its marketshare that it could have, if the company officials wake up and act wisely…..

I have made a decision which is final and binding that my first car will be a Palio SDE,I have made a thorough study on it’s initial response in Kerala markets.It’s really sorry that in Kochi,Kottayam and Trivandrum they couldnt muster even 30% of their target for the month of March.There’s every chance that they will have to give some offers in a couple of weeks.Wish to know Palio MJD’s movement in other states.

Why everyone is typing in CAPS ??

ia am having an indica v2 disel version ,now want to upgrade .
but after reading all discussion palio is true winner ,but still it lacks in some areas like-
gearbox is not so good
interior is almost same like old palio and plastic used is of inferior quality.
so i want to ask you should i buy this car or wait for punto to come.
so when it is going to be launched and what will the price of base model
what will be specification as compare to palio in terms of engine, interior .

Hi

i m also very much confused bet’ Swift & Palio,i don’t like the Swift’s chubby shape but at the same time Palio’s interiors & quality of plastic used is making the buying decision more difficult although i m just in luv with the Palio vehicle.I also want to own a FIAT vehicle,pl guide if i should wait for Punto,when it is expected & what will the tentative price,i understand that it will come with the same 1.3 MJD engine.Any body any detail about the Punto launching here.

Harish,

The next Fiat Launch in India will be the gorgeous Lines Sedan which will happen in the last quarter of 2008. The Grand Punto will only come early next year.

Harish,

It all depends upon your taste. Swift diesel is more fun to drive but cost close to 35k’s more than the top end palio and at the same time missing essentials like the rear defogger, wash and wipe. But buying a Maruti gives you the piece of mind that no other maker in India can give. With Tata-Fiat JV things are surely looking up for Fiat but it will take sometime and doing before it reaches even close to Maruti levels.
I would suggest you to test drive both the cars and evaluate your needs and budget. If you have any doubts further ahead, come back to us. We will help you as much as we can.

CC team

i am sure about that palio will be next car but still i am having question in my mind as i am having tata indica v2 disel model .It started giving me problems after 3 years like it’s fuel pump just gone off then i have spent Rs 15,000 from local garage because the authorised dealer was asking about Rs 70,000 now its working fine .But after some time car started over heating and also i have to switched ac off because car become so hot then i wait i have wait untill it cools down ,then i went to local garage he changed the fan ,coolent and checked the whole car and said ok . but now as the delhi temp are rising it started giving same problem again.so i am little bit confuse about buying palio disel or any other disel model .
so pl help me out……

Sunit,

Modern day diesel are as reliable as petrol engines if you adhere to the stipulated maintenance schedules. In your Indica’s case, I think the workshop has not been able to find the root cause of the problem. Take it a good reliable workshop I am sure your problem will get rectified.

Hi,

Thanks CC Team for ypur comments,i have test drive both the cars means Palio d & Swift D,i found the engine response in both the vehicle is good but engine noise in Palio is higher incomparision to Swift.Interiors of the Swift are far better than Palio,but having said that again i still want to stick to Palio but facing high criticism from the family & close friends as everyone suggests to go for Swift as there is difference of just Rs 25k in the base model of both the vehicles.Poor resale factor of Palio not bothering me much as i am not buying vehicle for the other person for resale.At the same time i want that my family & close friends also feels happy for the car i own which is not there in case of Palio.I m not keen in buying Maruti vehicle.Pl guide & help as i am very much confuesd.Also pl what will be the tentative price of the to be launched Punto & if it will be having the same 1.3 MJD engine.

Harish,

The on-road difference in price of the top end Palio 1.3 and Swift Vdi in delhi is 35000 Rs and on top of that Palio gives you extra’s like rear wash and wipe + defogger. I agree with you that Swift’s interior are better but Palio is more solidly build. The palio rides better too and in all probability will give better fuel efficiency too. Swift positives are that its more fun to drive, has better resale ( I for one dont care about the resale value), after sales service is certainly better, has better gearshift too.
Harish, the final choice is yours, you cannot go wrong with any of these cars, its just that you want to go with your heart or with your mind.
Do let us know your final decision.

P.S. We have no idea about the Grand Punto’s price. Any comments on it will be a mere speculation. We expect it to be a little more expensive than the Swift, more in line with Getz and the Fabia. The engine might also be the uprated VGT version of the 1.3 MJD with 90 bhp and 21 kgm of torque.

ENGINE of logon
1.4-Petrol 1.6-Petrol 1.5-Diesel
Type 4 cylinder ,8 valve 4 cylinder ,8 valve 4 cylinder ,8 valve
Displacement 1390 1598 1461
Max. Power (hp/rpm) 75 / 5500 84.5 / 5500 65 / 4000
Max. Torque (nm/rpm) 110/3000 128/3100 160/2000

engine of aveo uva -petrol
Max. Power (PS) 76/5500
Max. Torque (Nm) 110/4400
Valve and Camshaft type 8V SOHC

engine of swift
Maximum Power 75bhp @ 4,000rpm
Maximum Torque 190Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel Distribution Common rail

what’s that mean as compare to palio stile 1.3 multijet

hi everone,
i am confused between palio 1.3 MJD and Indica New DICOR . Plz help as i am worried abt after sale service of palio!
also plz tel howz a petrol car for city driving? Is zen Estilo better than diesel palio in city?

Palio SDE is definitely the finest in it’s segment…But it seems that the Fiat strategists failed miserably to en cash the initial enthusiasm it received.Fiat guys , please make us convinced on the after sales et al….we’ve got the Uno and Sienna experiences before us..Smartest guy is no where in the race..shame shame…

Hi all just got a delivery of my Palio SDX. Would like to apprise you on the warranty part.
In the Service booklet everywhere Tata is mentioned and assurance is given of same. The warranty for three years is for 150000Km whereas Maruti is only offering for 60000Km. That really shows Fiat’s Confidence in the car. Fiat is following up with any defects strongly and off late accross all dealers selling Fiat and Tata I have witnessed a shift in marketing strategy from Only TATA to Fiat. Just before buying the car had checked with previous buyers on the Service front and almost all of them are quite happy with the new service. Will be able to share my experience only once I face it but it does not look that bad , would advice to check the Tata Fiat service centres in your locality.

The car no doubts rides better and feels better than any on the road.

@Aush, Thanks and we will be waiting to hear more from you…

@aush

Thanks for the information. We apperciate you for sharing this with us. Keep us updated as you pile on happy miles on your car.
We will be starting a user review section soon.

CC Team

Hi Aush,

1st congrats for the the palio,we would like to hear from you further about the vehicle,fuel avg,ac etc.Waiting……………….

Hi Guys,

Took test drive of both Swift VDi and Palio Stile Multijet last week.

Engine: Swift has a distinct rush of blood 2000 rpm upwards; fun to drive. Palio Stile feels blunt. Definitely there is more to storey than what we hear all the way about “same 1.3L Multijet engine”. Palio is significantly noisy compared to Swift which means Maruti has done a better integration job than Fiat.

Ride & Handling: Palio all the way.

Everything else: Swift all the way.

Fiat: Should at least give options for ABS, Airbags…. Not even seat height adjustment which is cruel.

Even though I have whole lot of respect for Palio and 1.3L Multijet, I would put my money on Swift. Fiat should not expect us to buy for its sublime ride and handling alone. As a package, it does not stand against Swift, unless you are a hardcore fiat lover.

Regards
Abhay

i heard from a multijet owner in a forum that after his 150 km ride on his vehicle the engine has smoothened even better and there is no turbo lag initially also and it picked up as soon as swift and he also claimed that he got a milage of 17 in the city

well i have a serious doubt about the A C when i took a 20 minutes test drive recently it dint chill well at all.how was the AC effect in your testdrive guys??

@Midhun… The A/C is a chiller in Palio. There must be something wrong with the test car in this regard.

THE A/C WAS FAIR ENOUGH

HI ,
I HAVE BOOKED PALIO SDX ON 20.3.2008, STILL VEHICLE DELIVERY WILL TAKE TWO MORE WEEKS IT SEEMS, I HAVE ORDERED FROM MANIPAL MOTORS , BANGLORE.
ANY ONE FACING THE SAME PROBLEM ?

Dear Forum members,

We have got nice reviews from Kapil & Abhay. Thanks a lot. However, would like to have some clarifications:

I drive an alto lxi, have TD experiences of i10, swift-Vxi, santro, stile 1.1, indigo gls etc. (unfortunately all petrol cars). While TD Stile 1.1 (petrol) I have noticed the following drawbacks:

1. Highly underpowered - particularly with a/c on,
2. Stiff steering, even appears as not powered, and
3. Tough gearshift.

It appears from your reviews that the first drawback is overcome in 1.3 MJD Palio. My question to you is how about the rest of problems. Would appreciate if you can give a comparative feedback w.r.to Swift/Alto’s power steering & gearshift. Infact I found all of swift, alto, santro, i10 and Indigo’s steerings are very easy, even at rest, which matters during parking the vehicle.

Till date we have no driving experience of any Diesel vehicle.

Though I am habituated in petrol car, currently exploring diesels because of enhanced comfort levels and engine power (I relied only on the tech. spec. as I have no experience in diesel so far).

However, the steering & gears are important so much because smooth drive quality is desired for my wife. I am tired of shifting gears in my alto, otherwise its performance (at its price, of course) is splendid.

Furthermore, at the price of Palio MJD SDX, we might have other options like Indigo CS (diesel top end), Indigo LX or Indigo dicor (lower end version) which are more specious and gorgeous, too. Unbiased comparison would help us to choose the right one. Please note that all are sold and serviced by TATA as well as falling into the same price range. One or two kilometer of FE difference would not matter in the case of a diesel vehicle.

Please help, experts’ comments are solicited.

Chandan.

Dear Chandan, at the price of the Palio, you wont get a better diesel car with such fantastic ride and handling. The gearshift in the Indigo is not that good but the Palio’s gearshift is much better compared to the Indigo. I think you should go for the Palio, its a fantastic car and the diesel is very good.

Only problem with the Palio is the large turning radius and old generation interiors.

Cheers

http://thecarsandmore.blogspot.com/

@CHANDAN, I USED TO HATE DEISEL VEHICLE UNTILL I TEST DROVE SWIFT D, WOW WHAT A CAR IT WAS…I HAVE TRIED BOTH STILE 1.6 AND MJD BOTH WERE GOOD.. I LIKED THE MJD A LOT AND THE STEERING WAS GOOD ENOUGH, THERE WAS A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE IN ACCELARATION WITH A/C ON APART FROM THAT AS FAS SAID THE INTERIORS WERE BAD, THE GEAR SHIFT WAS GOOD FOR A BRAND NEW CAR WHICH HAS RUN JUST 50+ KMS, AND PLEASE DO NOT EVEN COMPARE FIAT WITH TATA’S , TATA IS NOT WORTH COMPARING….PALIO ROCKS.

Dear friends

Thanks for your comments.

However, can you please compare swift-D & stile-MJD on a 10 point scale for the following criteria: (1) Streering (2) Gearshift and (3) Initial pick-up (say, while crossing a high speed-breaker in 3rd gear with 4 people in the car).

In first two, swift is one of the bests in the industry, including all segments. I shall understand from your rating whether can I compromise the MJD in this respect to gain more in the spece and price aspects.

Also, is there any difference between stile 1.1 and MJD in the above 2 criteria.

Have a good day.

Chandan.

Hi Guys,

This forum was fun with a lot of specs. I was eyeing for Palio stile 1.3 , went for a TD, the exterior looked awesome, but the interiors are like 30 years behind - Dash board clumsy and the Hand brake looks funny and cheap, not much space there. I was not lucky enough to drive one as they did not have a car for TD.

I am told that Manipal Motors, Bangalore will call me this week for a TD.
I shall let u know my experience.

Now I am having my doubts, weather TATA guys are really serious to sell FIAT or it was something else they have in mind.

I havent got any call from Manipal Motors for TD.

No experience to be shared as of now…!!!.

My friend was saying, when TATA themselves are coming up with so many models, why would they promote or encourage another company making cars under their umbrella..!!!!

He cautioned me…Service issues looks bright in the future/…..

Test drive report of the Palio at http://thecarsandmore.blogspot.com/2008/05/fiat-palio-multijet-test-drive.html

hi…have been following this thread for a while now…i know this probably is the wrong place to bring this up…iam in a kind of a crossroads of decisions…the cars being the palio 1.3 MJD and the fabia 1.4 TDI…i have done enough amount of research to get down to the basic fact that confuses me a lot. which is the 4 cylinder of the palio vs the 3 cylinder of the fabia, and the DOHC of the palio vs the SOHC of the fabia…could any of you throw some real light on these aspects? and i currently own a palio 1.2, so i know the build quality and the driveability of this animal!!

i have brought a mjd sdx…3 weeks ago and it rocks…its smooth and powerfull.feels safe on the roads and is very stylish.the tank capacity is 47 liters and has tubless tyres.overall a head turner and amazing car…u will have to test drive this one to believe it.its great on space and very comfortable.my friends who have reanult logan and hundai santro love the mjd…and have loved the drive…cant tell you how happy i am.
this is my frist car…and what a car it is…….to all who are thinking about it…..three words…go for it…

cheers!!!!!

from a proud fiat palio mjd owner

Hi,

I like Fiat cars and took the test drive of Multijet last week,as you all have mentioned I agree with poor interiors,gear shift but my bigger concern was the clutch rest pad very close the clutch and during the test drive my leg got struck between and the car stopped.And I also felt the clutch is not smooth when compared to Swift.I have booked the SWift Vdi one month back and now seriously thinking to cancel and book multijet but the clutch issue is stopping me to ahead as I do most of my driving in lower gears( Bangalore traffic).
I need to know whether you faced this problem?

Cheers!