Bravo (3-door) styling. Brava (5-door) practicality. Bravo 13' 2" by 5' 9" and weighting 1,000kg to 1,190kg. Brava 13' 9" by 5' 8" and weigning 1,040kg to 1,180kg.
Good, sharp steering. Easy to use dash-top radio/cassette. Excellent, fully-adjustable seats and steering wheels throughout the range (designed by Professor Mark Porter's Ergonomics Group at Loughborough University). Engines are 1.4 with 80bhp; 1.2 16v (from December 1998) with 86bhp; 1.6 with 103bhp; 1.8 wuth 113bhp; 2.0 five cylinder with 147bhp; 1.9 diesel with 75bhp, 100bhp and 105bhp. 5-cylinder HGT is a powerful, well-balanced 'hot hatch'. Used prices came down sharply in 1998/99.
Diesel Bravas well priced at 6 months old with 12,000-16,000 miles.
Even better range of metallic colours than Punto. 'Ink Black' and 'Juvarra Ivory' best of the lot.
Reader feedback from Trevor Lightburn: "I have just traded in my 1.4 three door after nearly three years and 70,000 miles. Only expense apart from standard services was two front tyres and a bulb. Fiat dealer (Piccadilly Motors) is very good and has mechanics who know their vehicles. I.4 engine is a good unit and if you wind it up is quite lively; it is economical even when you do this, I was regularly getting 44 mpg."
FIAT had 2nd lowest average cost in warranty claims for cars up to 10 years old in 2002 Warranty Direct index. In 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability Index. Bravo/Brava scored an excellent rating of 30. FIATs generally had below average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index (index 75.82 v/s lowest 31.93), narrowly beating VW. 7th from top in 2006 index, still beating Golf IV