Category: Hot Hatchbacks 
Price Range: No data available
Great-looking hot hatch properly designed for a good time, grippy, rapid and involving. Great heritage too. Esseesse kit makes it riotously entertaining.
Questionable ride quality shown up on UK roads, steering a little vague.
A proper hot hatch, especially in wonderfully non-PC Esseesse form, and great value.
The main issue with the Abarth Grande Punto is the quality of the ride over some of the rougher British B-roads, which is jarring when the car is driven at any pace over undulating surfaces or potholes. The shockwaves reverberate right through the car and occupants will soon tire of the experience.
However, the front seats are superb, whether standard or racing, rear space is adequate, the air con works and road noise is fairly well contained, until you get up to speed on the motorway. The standard Abarth's engine sounds quote muted inside the car, too, although there's enough induction noise to remind you you're in something sporty. And the Esseesse's interior sounds are just great, without being too intrusive.
The optional equipment list contains enough to let you go rallying, or at least make others think that's your plan. There's a range of graphics, too, including the chequered roof that's standard on the Esseesse. Base colours are red, white and black, all of them solid rather than metallic. The Abarth Grande Punto isn't really a metallic-paint sort of car.
