| COMFORT AND EQUIPMENT RATING: |
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The five door Stilo is particularly comfortable, not least because it is easy to get in and out of, being tall - worth bearing in mind if you struggle to drop into low-slung vehicles. And both models offer notably good seats, the rear chairs of the five door even being reclinable. The Stilo also has much the best ride quality of any Fiat in decades - there's none of the shudder and crash that you used to get over potholes - along with civilised engines and little wind roar. The ride is best in the 1.6, good in the JTD, slightly rubbery in the 1.8 and firm in the 2.4 - but certainly not uncomfortable. Many models get air conditioning (individually adjustable for driver and passenger) and back benchers get an airvent to squabble over. Overall, the cabins of both models are very well thought out. The five door Stilo is designed for maximum roominess and versatility, and delivers it. It's tall, making it easy to get in and out of, and offers plenty of room in every direction. Rear legroom is particularly good because you can slide your feet under the front seats. The rear seat also slides to vary the bootspace-to-rear-legroom trade-off, the back bench is asymmetrically split, the front passenger seat backrest folds forward to provide a table top, there's a ski hatch and no less than 11 separate storage areas. Short of a people carrier like the Renault Scenic, no family hatch in this class is more versatile. The three-door has a lower roofline and lower seating positions to suit its sportier look, but still provides more than adequate room front and rear. Both cars have a big boot, too; the five door's is slightly larger. Even the cheapest models get a decent six speaker stereo, along with the choice of eight grades of satellite navigation and the Connect information service, which are likely to be reasonably priced too.
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