Fiat's Stilo replaced the Bravo and Brava in 2002. Like the five-door Honda Civic and Peugeot 307, the five-door Stilo is taller than the norm to generate more cabin space, which Fiat has made the best of by building in very flexible cabin furniture. The three-door, on the other hand, continues the theme of its Bravo predecessor in offering unique styling that is sportier to the point of seating occupants decisively lower than in the five-door. It looks more rakish, and has a subtle muscularity in its style and highly distinctive rear lamps, just like the Bravo did.

The Stilo is available with 1.2-litre, 1.6-litre and 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engines, a five-cylinder 2.4-litre petrol and two JTD diesels. Selespeed semi-automatic transmission is standard on the 2.4. The initial range of three- and five-door hatchbacks has since expanded with the Multi-Wagon estate version.

Fiat was hoping that the Stilo would really take the fight to some of Europe's best sellers - the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and VW Golf - but in the end, it's not really quite good enough.