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Car test
R9955A
See also R9666 and R9926A
July 1999
TEST
EXTRA
Fiat Brava
Featuring JTD 105 (Diesel)
What’s different?
Brava’s latest spec moves it closer to Bravo
beneath the skin, but latest direct-injection
diesel engine is new to both.
PART FROM THE NEW ENGINE, BOTH
Brava and (three-door) Bravo have undergone
A
details), which generally apply across the board.
to the Bravo in matters of interior detail, as well as
steering response, which (as we urged three years ago)
now has better weighted power-assistance. The ride still
feels hard and fretful over apparently innocuous
surfaces, however and doesn’timprovewithmorepeople
aboard, although it does rather better over really serious
bumps.
some subtle revisions this year (see R9926A for
This five-door has benefited, in fact, by drawing closer
Generally speaking, the interior detailing has been
changed for the better; the radio is easier to fathom, the
positioning of the knurled, rotating controls for dial
lighting and headlamp beams couldn’t be better, and the
new round dials are much clearer. The foglamps don’t
switch off with the main lights, however, while the fact
that the outside lights do extinguish with the ignition,
means that one can easily imitate a Volvo next day.
Greater attention to safety and security has brought
with it somesnags. The rear seatbelt tags stow neatly, but
they and the interior door handles are much too stiff to
release and the electric windows are sluggish. Rear
passengers aren’t over-endowed with legroom or support
– the old Tipo was a far superior “taxi”.
Brakes are ABS-equipped with this diesel and produce
a consistently powerful emergency stop, however hard
you press beyond 18kg (40lb). At check braking
pressures, however, absence of progression in pedal
travel (rather than load pressure) complicates things – it
feels like a Citroën Xantia. Heat fade can be induced, as
well, after harder use.
Continued on page 3
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PERFORMANCE
3
2
BRAKES
Acceleration time in seconds
mph
THROUGH
THE
GEARS
IN 5TH
GEAR
IN 4TH
GEAR
20 mph
5TH/4TH
SPEED
RANGES
Maximum speeds
REVS
PER
MINUTE
30
40
1.9
7.4
4.1
30
40
17.4/9.1
1st
2nd
4400* 41504400*
3rd
* for best acceleration
4.6
13.3
7.8
13.3/7.8
5th4th
50
50
11.8/7.8
1
24
19.2
11.9
24
42
7.6
60
60
3
12.3/8.5
65
91½
70
11.9
25.6
16.3
70
5
116
mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION
Fuel grade: ULS diesel
Type of use - air conditioning off* mpg
In the city - heavy traffic 29
In the country - quiet driving 59
Typical mpg overall 48½
Realistic tank range† 53litres/565miles
† based on fuel gauge/warning lamp and filling station experience - not
nominal tank capacity
*with air conditioning switched on, consumption will increase by 2–4% in
winter and 4–8% in summer
Pedal feel
HandbrakeBehaviour in an emergency
Dry road stopping distance from 50mph (with ABS)
A good-to-average best stop is about 26m at 15-20kg pedal load)
_________________
36m
40m 50m 60m
Pedal load
Distance
9kg
14kg
18kg
23kg
10m 20m
_________________
28m
_________________
25m (1.01g - best stop - ABS working)
_________________
25m
30m
Fade test: pedal load requried for a moderate (34m/.75g) stop:
10kg at start of test, 17kg at end of test (Ideal brakes show no change)
MEASUREMENTS
46-51
Five-door
79
71
146
107-135
63-86
Centimetres
92-97
( with sunroof )
141
T: typical back seat space behind medium-sized front occupants
196*
174
86-102
12
(inner sill)
No
*178 with mirrors folded
T
96
42 50
T
30
(outer sill)
419
131
90
73
133
2
FOR THE TECHNICAL
ENGINE
Type transverse four cylinder with iron block and alloy head; five main
bearings
Size 82.0 x 90.4mm = 1910cc
Power 105bhp at 4000rpm
Torque 148 lb ft at 1500rpm
Valves belt-driven single overhead camshaft actuating two valves per
cylinder
Fuel/ignition direct-injection diesel with electronically controlled
mechanical injection pump and high-pressure “common-rail”
delivery; turbocharged with intercooler and exhaust catalyers.
60-litre tank, with low-level warning lamp
TRANSMISSION
Type five-speed manual, front wheel drive (no auto option)
Mph per 1000rpm 28.0 in 5th; 20.9 in 4th
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3
The other safety-related snag is the thick bar that
reinforces the rear backrest – it gets in the way unless
you’re tipping the entire seat forwards.
On the security aspect, we struggled with our test car’s
alarm and its vagaries of control – locking up with the
handset, then opening up by key in the small hours, will
make the point nicely!
However, our test car’s main point of interest is its
brand-new diesel engine. At present, diesel fans are
spoilt for choice with three options for the Brava; this
direct-injection unit is the future for Fiat and the industry
in general, make no mistake. It has a five-cylinder
derivative in the Alfa Romeo 156, which startled us
with its smoothness and ease; perhaps our
expectations of this four-pot version were pitched too
high as a result.
Generally, we found it lacked the mechanical
refinement we were hoping for; it doesn’t suffer the
serious vibes below 1500rpm that afflict some
four-cylinder rivals, but it’s noisy on cold start-up,
becomes vocal again in the mid-range and felt very vibrant
and uncouth when performance-testing.
Fuel economy is reasonable without representing the
breakthrough that all the under-bonnet wizardry might
cause one to expect. The reality is that all this new
technology is being employed to meet ever more stringent
pollution rules, with better performance and economy as
side-benefits.
VERDICT
The latest Brava SX, with its new 105bhp diesel engine,
is very keenly priced and offers solid, measurable
improvements to its equipment and general
deportment. There are inconveniences that remain,
however, and the new diesel, though efficient, is put in
the shade by the 2.4 Alfa Romeo version, in all respects
except fuel economy.
HOW THE BRAVA
COMPARES
FIAT BRAVA JTD 105 4/1910/105 2500 11.9 25.6/16.3 48½ 25/18* 102 96/73 3.1/10.7 419
Rover 420SDi (Saloon) 4/1994/105 2640 11.3 26.6/16.2 47½ 25/20* 110 99/71 3.2/11.4 449
Vauxhall Astra 2.0Di 4/1994/82 2740 12.8 22.1/15.9 51½ 26/21 108 99/75 3.1/10.4 411
Peugeot 406 2.0HDi (Saloon) 4/1997/110 2400 12.0 23.1/15.6 48½ 29/16* 113 98/75 3.1/11.2 460
Honda Civic 1.5i Petrol (Saloon) 4/1493/115 2900 10.5 38.5/22.4 43 24½/18* 111 101/70 3.5/10.6 446
Engine
cap/power
(cyl/cc/bhp)
Revs at
30-70mph
70mph
through
(rpm)
gears (sec)
© The Automobile Association 1999
30-70mph
in 5th/4th
gears (sec)
Fuel
economy
(mpg)
Brakes
best stop
(m/kg)
* with ABS (p) all power assisted
Maximum
legroom front (cm)
Typical leg/
kneeroom rear (cm)
Steering
turns/ (p)
circle (m)
Overall
length
(cm)
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