[vibbs]

I really don't understand why so many people are complaining of the brand being diluted and enthusiasts being unhappy.

When was Fiat a premium brand anyways? How many people buy linea because it belongs to Fiat.

People used to buy linea not because of the brand but simply due to the fact that they found it better than other 'premium' and more saleable brands.

The enthusiasts who bought linea won't be disappointed because the cars they love are still being sold. I believe the enthusiasts never really cared about what the brand brought along. They were never bothered about the service issues lack of spare availability and bought the linea despite all the negative publicity fiat brand comes with.

Why would such people be bothered about a cheaper linea now available when the car they love is still there?

Had fiat stopped the t jet it would ve been a different issue. Here they are just trying to cater for more types of people. Enthusiasts with the T jet/linea, and classic for cost conscious ones.

[zoombiee]

Originally Posted by siddarthbh

I really would have liked to see Fiat take the current Linea, fix the issues that have been constantly reported and indulge in some aggressive pricing.

My choice apart, i dont think the Classic is a bad strategy after all. I think Fiat has realized it is done chasing car enthusiasts and the numbers are just not there to justify going down that road any further. So time to change track and this is an attempt to lure away those first time sedan and premium hatch back buyers with its size and VFM proposition and also pursue the travel segment. Will it work? I hope it does, but only time will tell.

What are those constantly reported problems? I believe the Linea prices are already very aggressive (if you take discounts on offer into consideration).
Another thing to consider is less bells and whistles mean lesser maintenance. I always wonder what would happen if the automatic headlight turning on mechanism goes kaput, or the rain sensing wiper mechanism goes kaput. Whats the cost of repairs? I think apart from the upfront lower cost, less bells and whistles would mean lower cost of maintenance.

[Autocop]

At about 200/month Linea is hardly selling at the moment. All this Linea brand value talk is BS in my opinion. For those looking for sedans (in 6-8 Lakh price range), Linea Classic +ve/-ve in my opinion,

+ves
more cabin space, luggage space, better looks, proper sedan (not the so called sedans which look hatchbackish in 4m length).

-ves
Lesser comfort, safety, convenience features

Also, with classic, Linea could be an option for Taxi Fleet operators. Fiat is doing right thing to push sales of Linea. Being current owner of Linea that's what I would like to see, no matter if its Classic or otherwise. Why? That should help ensure availability of Linea spares in the market for longer.

Good luck Fiat!

[shinuak]

Instead of straightaway removing all frills and launching a scaled down version, Fiat could have made a kill by officially reducing the price of existing models by a lakh (they are already selling with huge discounts amounting to a lakh). This would have resulted in a better OTR prices and sale.

[Autocop]

To build further, believe combined sales of Punto/Linea are nothing to talk about. Instead of just launching Linea Classic, I thought Fiat should have launched both Linea and Punto Classic starting 5.99 and 3.49 respectively. Should have focussed on marketing both in a single (combined) AD campaign, that would have been really catchy in the festive season, and, also they could have avoided cross-selling between Linea Classic and Current Punto.

Classic being barebones, No Frills package - becomes attractive for low budget customers and those who prefer modifying their cars.

They could have retained current premium offerings of Punto/Linea for minority set of customers who are ready to pay premium for added safety, comfort, convenience features.

Originally Posted by Autocop

At about 200/month Linea is hardly selling at the moment. All this Linea brand value talk is BS in my opinion. For those looking for sedans (in 6-8 Lakh price range), Linea Classic +ve/-ve in my opinion,

+ves
more cabin space, luggage space, better looks, proper sedan (not the so called sedans which look hatchbackish in 4m length).

-ves
Lesser comfort, safety, convenience features

Also, with classic, Linea could be an option for Taxi Fleet operators. Fiat is doing right thing to push sales of Linea. Being current owner of Linea that's what I would like to see, no matter if its Classic or otherwise. Why? That should help ensure availability of Linea spares in the market for longer.

Good luck Fiat!

[nkrishnap]

LINEA CLASSIC



Likes

• Ride quality
• Powerful AC
• Drivability compared to the 93 PS VGT engine
• Build Quality remains the same
• Improved fit and finish on the interior
• ABS and EBD available on Classic Plus variant
• Huge 500 litre boot but with high loading lip

Dislikes

• Skinny tyres looks one size too small for the Linea
• In consistent Fit & Finish on the exterior
• No airbags in any variant
• The base variant comes without manual central locking
• The seat material in the classic variant is of shoddy quality more like Rexene instead of art leather
• Tricky situation for FASS to handle volumes if the classic makes a good seller.

The newest of launches from Fiat which is nothing but a strip down version of the existing Linea. Why launch this when the Active variant which was very much available? Reason, pricing it competitive for its target market. The classic has been launched as an affordable sedan at the price of premium hatchback. The classic gets two engine options 1.4 Fire and the 1.3 MJD recognized as the National engine as this engine powers Swift, Dzire, Ritz, Etriga, SX4, Sail UVA, Sail Sedan, Vista, Manza, Premier Rio apart from Fiat's own Linea and Punto with various states of tune.

A glance at the Tech Specs



Source - Fiat - India Website

Price tag for the classic Ex-showroom Bangalore



Since the Linea classic is positioned as a sedan at the price of a hatch. A comparison of the prices with its nearest competitor Punto.

Punto 1.4 Vs Linea Classic 1.4



Punto 1.3 MJD Vs Linea Classic 1.3 MJD



PS: Only comparison point is the price; the features list in the Punto simply beats the classic

Exteriors

The exteriors have undergone minimal changes and it's a good thing that Fiat left it at that. With the target pricing, the Linea classic loses all the chrome on the exterior barring the front grill surround on the Classic variant. The fog lamp bezel is now silver and blends well with the Chrome + Silver grill on the Classic Plus variant. The base variant gets the black grill with chrome surround and the black fog lamp Bezel combo. The door handles and mirrors are body colored in the classic plus variant and black in the base variant. The Classic Plus gets the wheel caps from the Punto Active and the base variant has none. The 14 inchers makes the Linea Classic look quite under tyred and is shod with 175/70 R14 Apollo Accelere tyres. The fit and finish is inconsistent on the exteriors with the window beadings not aligned. It is high time that Fiat had sorted this out as this car is being manufactured from early 2009 and yet they have to get it right on the alignment. Though the panel gaps are consistent, there is scope for further improvement to make it better. The existing colors New Pearl White, Tuscan Wine, Minimal Grey, Oceanic Blue and Hip Hop Black are offered on the classic too. With the target market, expect the Pear White and Hip Hop Black to move of the showroom floors.

Classic



Classic Plus





The irregular fittings



Wheel well, the dark colors would hide a bit of the emptiness whereas the white and minimal grey it looks a bit odd





Interiors, Comfort and Features

The classic gets a dual tone Black and beige interior. The combination looks decent for the asking price. The fit and finish of the interiors is surprisingly better. The glove box and ill famed key hole console fitments have improved quite a bit. The feature list is a giveaway that this car is equipped minimally and price that way too. The Classic Plus variant gets the integrated audio and 4 speakers which is shoddy in terms of sound quality. Both the Classic and Classic Variant gives a world of options for setting up the ICE as these two variants have none of the Blue and Me compatibility headaches. The all door power windows, manual AC, power steering with height adjust, manual mirror ORVMs adjustment, Arm rest for rear passengers are some of it that is retained with the classic. The base variant misses the manual central locking.

Please refer to the feature list for the complete list of features available on two variants

Interior View Classic



Interior View Classic Plus



Door Pads Classic



Door Pads Classic Plus



Classic Roof lamp



Classic Plus roof lamp



Door handle and the manual ORVMs adjustment lever



Speedo Console Classic



Speedo Console Classic Plus



No seat belt height adjuster



Lever to move the seat back and fro. This is different from the existing Linea and Punto



The Classic Plus variant gets the rear defogger where as the base variant is not provided with the defogger. The rear defogger is a safety feature than a comfort feature which needs to be available across variants.



Glove box and Key hole console





Gear knob



AC foot vents are absent on the classic



Foot well



Performance, Drive and Handling

1.4 FIRE

The 1.4 Fire engine coupled with the base variant makes this the least sought after car. The drive from the 1.4 feels slightly better than the 1.4 NA Linea from the other variants that were on offer before the Tjet was relaunced. This mainly is due to the car going a few kilos lighters due to lesser features as well as a bit of cost cutting. The drive was very short and the numbers of this variant too is going to be quite low.

1.3 MJD

Though the Linea classic has two engine options, the ones that move out of the showroom floor would be the 1.3 MJD. With the target market in mind, this 76 PS engine would suffice most of the users. Make no mistake that the engine is not a topper on the 0-100 sprints or the top speed records. However, the drivability from the 76 PS engine is quite commendable. The turbo lag is lesser than the 93 PS VGT engine for obvious reasons and it does match the Punto 76 PS on the drivability front. The additional weight has not hampered the performance much. The enthusiasts looking for a performance sedan at an affordable price needs to looks elsewhere. The acceleration till 100 kmph is quite decent and the 2nd gear drivability is better in the classic than the regular 93 PS Linea. The full turbo spool or the pull is evidently felt around 2200 rpm and the strong pull is offered till around 3000 rpm. Beyond 3000 rpm, the engine feels quite boomy and it does not make swift progress on the speeds front either.

What the classic betters the regular Linea is the ride quality. The ride feels a lot more softer due to the 14 inchers couple with the higher sidewalls. Shodding the classic with the 185/70 R14 profile tyres will not only improve the ride quality, but will fill the wheel arches a bit better. However, the down side of having higher sidewalls is increased body roll, but it isn't alarming to make its occupants feel sick and make them puke.

The brakes are reassuring as always with the Linea and the classic plus variant gets ABS - EBD as a safety feature.
The fuel efficiency should match the target market's expectations as the 1.3 MJD is never known to be a gas guzzler unless pushed real hard.

Overall Impression

The classic makes a compelling case to the buyer hell bent on getting a sedan at the price of a premium hatch back. However, on a personal note I would have liked to see the classic plus diesel priced another 30k less or simply provide discounts to the extent of it to set the cat among the pigeons in the taxi segment.

The downside of it, if Linea classic manages to sell good numbers, the rush at the service centers is only going to increase from already an overloaded state (there are exceptions, but the norm is overload). Another aspect of the classic is to keep the cost of running low to achieve success. High cost of service will definitely have a detrimental effect on the sales. The taxi segment will not take it kindly to a high cost of service. Fiat providing a cheap/affordable AMC could help gain confidence and keep the running costs low.

Looking forward to the sales charts to see the effect of this launch from FIAT.

PS: Karthik accompanied me to the Linea Classic test drive. He will pen down his observations too.

[djay99]

Fiat is offering free insurance and RSA on Classic variants. Got this information from Aadya sales executive. Looks like Classis is not doing well as per expectations of fiat.

[julupani]

Originally Posted by djay99

Fiat is offering free insurance and RSA on Classic variants. Got this information from Aadya sales executive. Looks like Classis is not doing well as per expectations of fiat.

Free first year insurance and RSA has been a sort of standard position for FIAT. Considering that they offer insurance from Generali, a company with which FIAT has long term ties, including some common ownership means very low cost to FIAT for insurance. Similarly, small number of cars, that are pretty reliable in the first place also means low cost to provide free RSA. So these two things actually cost FIAT next to nothing to offer free.

Just to give you an example, I bought a Punto when FIAT was selling about 2000-2500 cars a month. Even then we got free insurance and RSA. So I dont think we should read too much into free insurance and RSA.

[puchoo]

The rear foot AC vent might simply be blocked off and not taken out completely , in which case it will be easy enough to activate

I still shudder everytime i look at those photographs of the tyres and the amount of space within those wells , a good accessory for this car could be something which extends the body and covers up some of that space visually.

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by puchoo

The rear foot AC vent might simply be blocked off and not taken out completely , in which case it will be easy enough to activate

The Vents itself is taken off. The floor carpet still has the slot though and when you see through the vent slot all you can see is the bare metal. The ducting might have been done at all which reduces a few components and cost in return.

+1 on the tyres and wheel well

[vivekgk]

Originally Posted by nkrishnap

The Vents itself is taken off. The floor carpet still has the slot though and when you see through the vent slot all you can see is the bare metal. The ducting might have been done at all which reduces a few components and cost in return.

+1 on the tyres and wheel well

We are thinking about upgrading from our 2010 Indigo CS TDi. Would this be a worthwhile upgrade? Here's what I think.

Price: Currently, our EMI is roughly 8K. We'd like to keep it the same or slightly more.

Looks: Linea trumps Indigo hands down.

Performance: After the Indigo, I doubt the Multijet 75 can feel as sluggish at the low end even in a heavy car such as the Linea.

Equipment: Except for the defogger, The Linea has more equipment, even ABS option.

Should I consider it or wait for something newer, like the upcoming Tata Falcon? Already asked for a TD, hopefully I can post a reply soon. Until then, please let me know what you think.

[rohanjf]

Originally Posted by vivekgk

Equipment: Except for the defogger, The Linea has more equipment, even ABS option.

Since you have mentioned ABS, you probably are looking at Classic Plus. This variant has rear defogger too.

A little OT (since you are considering Falcon): when was the last time the first generation of any new model from Tata was trouble-free?

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by vivekgk

We are thinking about upgrading from our 2010 Indigo CS TDi. Would this be a worthwhile upgrade? Here's what I think.

Price: Currently, our EMI is roughly 8K. We'd like to keep it the same or slightly more.

Looks: Linea trumps Indigo hands down.

Performance: After the Indigo, I doubt the Multijet 75 can feel as sluggish at the low end even in a heavy car such as the Linea.

Equipment: Except for the defogger, The Linea has more equipment, even ABS option.

Should I consider it or wait for something newer, like the upcoming Tata Falcon? Already asked for a TD, hopefully I can post a reply soon. Until then, please let me know what you think.

Since you are looking to replace the car in this very segment of the entry level sedan, the Linea Classic makes sense if you can bear with the below things.

1. The ugly looking empty wheel wells.
2. Inconsistent service quality. Since you already have experience with dealing with TATA, this should not pose a problem.
3. The interior space packaging is not as great as the Indigo which has sufficient room all around.

Now coming to the postives that you could look up to -

1. Good build quality
2. ABS and defogger available on the Classic plus variant
3. Decent driveability from the FGT engine, though lacks proper top end.
4. Good ride and handling
5. Discounts already on the Classic variants

PS: if its a new car from any manufacturer, it would more or less pay off by waiting a little before buying it.

[JediKnight]

Hi,

Test rode the Line Diesel Class Plus yesterday.

This my first time i have driven any Linea.

When seen in flesh the 14 inch tires did not look bad at all.
The tires make the car look smaller somehow.

Likes:

1. Superb ride quality. Bumps that would have a given a spine jerking shock in my Santro didnt even register in the Linea. Amazing.

2. Build quality. Cars feels taut and well put together.

3. Light colored cabin gives a nice airy feel. ( may get soiled easily though )

4. Engine drive ability. I did not find the Linea lacking in power while driving.
It easily kept up with Bangalore traffic. I did not go beyond 80kmph.
AC did not cause any perceptible drop in power.

5. Cabin sound insulation: With the windows rolled up Linea kept the outside world out

Dislikes:

1. Poor rear seat headroom. Six footers cannot sit upright without hitting
the roof. Leg room is not great either. Three will be a tight fit on the rear seat.

2. Over assisted brakes. I had really feather the break pedal.

3. Gruff engine note. ( Compared to Renault k9k or Mahindra M hawk )

[julupani]

Originally Posted by JediKnight

2. Over assisted brakes. I had really feather the break pedal.

3. Gruff engine note. ( Compared to Renault k9k or Mahindra M hawk )

These two issue generally tend to sort themselves out once the car has run a bit. The brakes settle pretty soon, while engine noise settles down in a few thousand kms.