Fiat Bravo 1996 User Manual
Car test
R9926A
See also R9732A and R9666
March 1999
TEST
UPDATE
Fiat Bravo
Featuring 80SX 1.2
What’s new?
Fiat’s five-door Brava and shorter-butsportier three-door Bravo look set to lose
dual-model identity when their successor
emerges in the new millennium. Meantime,
the roomy hatches get a mild makeover and a
revised model line-up, while Fiat has rung a
few changes under the bonnet, too.
FOR THOSE STILL FIGHTING TO FATHOM
Fiat’s confusing, like-sounding model names, the
Brava is the five-door,family-sizedhatchback,whileBravo
is a 15cm shorter but more sportily slanted three-door
variation on the same theme. This “horses-for-courses”
approach makes sound sense: the Brava offers more space,
five-door practicality and a rounded-offrideforthosewitha
family to consider, while the Bravo’s
distinctive-but-different styling and subtly revised
suspension and specification cater for less-encumbered
buyers seeking a more sporting attraction.
Whichever tickles your fancy,though,Fiathasrecently
given the pair a mild makeover. Staying faithful to the
original styling concept, the refettled Fiats are not much
different to look at, but every version now offers
significant improvements and costs less, or at least no
more, than its previous equivalent.
Equipment levels are improved across the board, with
the former S version dropped, so that SX now takes on
the entry-level mantle. There are two new engines under
the bonnet, or rather they’re new to the Bravo/Brava
pairing, while existing engines have been refettled to
improve emissions and economy. Even the entry-level
SX comes with an electric sunroof; there are front
passenger and now side airbag options to go with the
driver’s standard-fit one, while top models now boast an
automatic climate control system as standard.
Up front, only the five-door Brava receives Fiat’s new
1.9 JTD common-rail direct-injection turbo-diesel,
though 75 and 100bhp versions of Fiat’s indirectly
injected oil-burner live on in both body styles. However,
our three-door test subject is powered by an 82bhp
1.2-litre 16-valve engine – Fiat’s feisty little “FIRE”
Continued on page 3
PERFORMANCE
9
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
30
14.2/11.2
1st
2nd
3rd
40
2.0
7.2
5.5
40
6550* 52706140
* for best acceleration
4.4
14.0
10.7
14.0/10.7
5th4th
50
50
14.4/11.7
1
24
21.6
17.2
29
52
7.8
60
60
3
17.5/13.
5
83
108
FUEL CONSUMPTION
Fuel grade: Unleaded premium, 95 octane
Type of use - air conditioning off* mpg
In the city - heavy traffic 24½
In the country - quiet driving 50
Typical mpg overall 39
Realistic tank range † 48 litres/410
miles
70
11.7
31.5
23.8
70
108
mph
2
SAFETY AND SECURITY FEATURES
Assessed on their effectiveness and convenience
Seatbelts
front rear
Head restraints
front rear
Interior
safety padding
driver's airbag?
other airbags?
side impact protection
Fuel anti-spillage
standard on test car not availablefactory fitted option
4
Euro NCAP crash test results -
(the more black blobs the better)
Door locking
central locking?
remote control?
auto window closure?
deadlocks?
Luggage
secure from interior/hidden
4
passenger and side bags
optional on all models
from view
o
Alarm
engine immobilised?
standard on HLX and
HGT only)
o
not available
8
BRAKES
Pedal feel
Dry road stopping distance from 50mph (with optional ABS)
A good-to-average best stop is about 26m at 15-20kg pedal load)
6kg
10kg
16kg
Pedal load
20+kg
Distance
10m 20m
Fade test: pedal load requried for a moderate (34m/.75g) stop:
10kg at start of test, 14kg at end of test (Ideal brakes show no change)
_________________
34m
_________________
29m (ABS just working)
_________________
27½m (.93g best stop - ABS working fully)
30m
40m 50m 60m
HandbrakeBehaviour in an emergency
_________________
51m
MEASUREMENTS
4
8
8
8
8
4
*with air conditioning switched on, consumption will increase by 2–4% in
winter and 4–8% in summer
FOR THE TECHNICAL
ENGINE
Type front-mounted, transverse
four cylinder with iron block and
alloy head; five main bearings.
Size 70.8 x 78.9mm = 1242cc
Power 82bhp at 5500rpm
Torque 83 lb ft at 4250rpm
Valves twin (belt-driven)
overhead camshafts actuating
four valves per cylinder via
hydraulic tappets
Fuel/ignition electronic
multi-point petrol injection
integrated with distributorless
ignition. 50-litre fuel tank, with
low-level warning lamp
TRANSMISSION
Type five-speed manual;
front-wheel drive. No automatic
option
Mph per 1000rpm 20.7 in 5th,
17.6 in 4th
CHASSIS
Suspension front: independent
by MacPherson damper/struts,
coil springs and lower arms.
Rear: independent by trailing
arms and coil springs. Telescopic
dampers and anti-roll bars front
and rear
Steering rack and pinion with
hydraulic power assistance; 3.1
turns between full locks. Turning
circles average 10.7m between
kerbs, with 15.8m circle for one
turn of the wheel
Wheels 5½J steel with
175/65R14 82T tyres (Firestone
F-580 on test car); 135/80R14
80P space-saver spare wheel
Brakes solid discs front, drums
rear, with vacuum servo.
Electronic anti-lock control
(optional on SX) fitted on test
car
Centimetres
91-95
( with sunroof )
142
T: typical back seat space behind medium-sized front occupants
195
176*
88-106
14
(inner sill)
No
* 179 with mirrors folded
T
96
39 NA
T
35
(outer sill)
403
133
90
72
133
Three-door
75
46
130
107-113
46-67
1
69
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