One may tend to think that Fiat Group isn’t doing too well in India, but the Italian carmaker is quietly resolute. The master small car maker may not be making much song and dance about it, but after its split with Tata Motors it has been working diligently on expanding and overhauling its sales and service network. The warehousing infrastructure, robust supply chain and human resource to support the next wave of Fiat products in India is being industriously prepared without creating much hullabaloo. With more than 100 exclusive dealerships already set up, Fiat is targeting the 150-dealership mark by the end of 2014. What they are planning and doing seems right, in a very long time, and that’s what makes us so positive on the new 2014 Linea, which we just reviewed.
The focus has been on overhauling the back-end, before attacking the market with new products. So after hitting a century with new dealerships, Fiat has decided to launch its first new (okay, facelifted) mainstream product after its split from Tata, and we’re pleasantly surprised to see the effort they have put into the face lifted car to bring it up to speed with competition. Here, in the New 2014 Fiat Linea Review, we’ll tell why this car has a fighting chance to claw back some of the lost ground. Read on!
Design
The classic clutter free, organic Italian lines of the Linea have always delighted the purists and lovers of simple design. While there is a bit of loudness on the Fiat Linea’s new face, it still thankfully manages to preserve its elegant essence overall. The longest car in its class has received quite a few modifications at the front / rear for a refreshed, renewed appeal. The new front grille, which has the bonnet ending on its top is has a chrome frame with twin chrome slats. The Fiat emblem is positioned between the top slat and the frame of the grille.
The front bumper as you would assume is new too, featuring a bigger central air dam with horizontal fins inside, intersected by a horizontal chrome slat. On the flanks you have big housings for fog lamps, again lined with chrome. Overall, the face of the new Linea is bolder and more attention seeking than the version it replaces.
At the rear, the boot lid now gets a classy looking ‘Linea’ emblem in chrome on top of the license plate recess. The rear bumper is new too, with a horizontal chrome garnish and plastic under-cladding.
While those changes don’t alter the essential design of the Linea, the liberal splattering of chrome and smartly incorporated modifications have managed to raise the appeal of the car appreciably for the commoner.
Next page for interior and features>>>
Hi
My linea has an assembly quality to worry about. Petrol lid and radio did not work from day one! The leather cover around the gear is shabby and keeps coming off, the power windows are the noisiest in its class…Never had These problems with any car before… Mileage is horrible. Steering is hard so is the suspension- built as a race car and not for city driving at all.. The steering column can be felt by your foot while turing- no car will give you this unpleasant experience. Electric problems persist. Only good thing is the engine… You think real hard before you buy.
BTW, storage is non existent…
Be careful if you want to buy Linea !! My Linea – 3 steering boxes damaged in 75000 km !! and many other parts changed. Fiat told me – ,,is not our problem,, !!!