pandyan wrote:yep...fiat uno diesel.
doesnt fiat grande punto and indica quadrajet share the same engine and transmission (i.e. fiat multi-jet + fiat transmission)? Unless the comparison was with grande punto petrol
The Fiat MJD engine is used in at least 6 cars in India:
Fiat Linea (Tuned to 90 BHP, with Variable Geometry Turbo)
Fiat Grande Punto
Fiat Palio Diesel
Maruti Swift
Maruti Swift Dzire
Tata Indica Vista
Of these, the Suzuki made licensed-copy is known for a sudden burst in performance after 2000 rpm and hence liked by so-called performance enthusiasts.
It is also mated with a great Suzuki gearbox that makes it fun to drive. However below 2000 rpm, at typical city speeds it might need more frequent gear changes than it's cousins.
The Indica Vista is tuned more for normal city and highway use, it is probably the most practical config. It has a gearbox developed with Fiat, that is pretty good, and the gear and engine is tuned for linear power delivery. Which means its not really that much of a go-kart type vehicle but it is great for normal driving. It also has terrific interior space and rear seat comfort that is not found in any car south of 10 lakhs.
The Fiats on the other had seem to have missed the bus with tuning their engines right for Indian conditions, and the gear shift is also supposed to be not that precise. Their strong points are solid build, looks, features, VFM, and most importantly handling and steering feedback.