Used Fiat Punto review and buying guide (1999 to 2018): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Fiat Punto should you buy?

A 2009 to 2018 Punto Evo or Punto with a petrol engine and a manual gearbox is the safer buy. The High known fault belongs to the 1.3 MultiJet diesel, whose filter regeneration can dilute its oil, and the Dualogic automated manual's hydraulic actuator is a known weak point too. A manual petrol side-steps both. Whichever you pick, 2009 to 2015 cars share a known electric power steering failure, so test the steering properly.

The 1.3 MultiJet diesel isn't a safe pick on these years. Its known fault is rated High: if the particulate filter can't clean itself on short trips, unburnt fuel ends up in the sump, the oil level climbs and the engine can run away on its own oil. Only consider one that's done long runs, and check the dipstick before anything else.

The older 1999 to 2006 Punto has no section of its own here, and its record isn't clean. There's a steering column recall on some 2001 cars, reports of head gasket failures on the 1.2 8v, oil sumps that rust through and door hinges that give up. A 2006 Dualogic owner needed two actuators. Treat one as a car that needs checking hard, not a safe bet.

Which Punto engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

A petrol 1.2 or 1.4 with a manual gearbox is the combination to go for, because neither the diesel's High fault nor the Dualogic's actuator trouble touches it. The 1.2 FIRE and 1.2 8v run a cambelt that's due every 72,000 miles or five years, and newer versions will bend their valves if it snaps, so you'll want a receipt for that job.

Skip the Dualogic, whatever engine it's paired with. It's a normal manual box shifted by a hydraulic actuator, and that actuator cracks, leaks fluid onto the electrics or loses its pump, with failures showing up between 17,000 and 55,000 miles. One 1.4 Dualogic owner had repeated faults that neither a dealer nor several independent garages could cure.

The 1.3 MultiJet diesel is the riskier engine. It uses a timing chain, so there's no belt to change, but its High known fault shows up between 14,000 and 100,000 miles: failed filter regenerations thin the oil with diesel. On older 1,248cc diesels, one owner found the oil cooler, built into the filter housing, can fail and let oil into the coolant.

What should you check when viewing a used Punto?

Pull the dipstick on any 1.3 MultiJet first. Oil sitting above the maximum mark means diesel has been getting into the sump, and an 'oil exhausted' light on the dash tells the same story. Look in the coolant header tank too: oil in there points at a failed oil cooler. Leave any diesel that revs on by itself where it is.

On a Dualogic, watch for a gearbox warning light, a car that won't find first or reverse, or one that drops into neutral on the move. Ask for receipts for any actuator work, because one owner's 2006 car needed a second actuator 36,000 miles after its first went at 18,834 miles. A manual needs its clutch and gearbox checked properly on the drive.

Turn the ignition on and read every warning, including the power steering light. On a 2009 to 2015 car, turn the wheel lock to lock: heavy, unassisted steering is the known power steering failure. One owner got a 'Start Stop / Airbags Not Available' message that a garage's reader couldn't identify without kit that talks to Fiat's electronics. On a 1.2 FIRE or 1.2 8v, ask for the cambelt receipt.

There's no spare wheel on the later cars, only a repair kit and electric pump, so check both are in the boot and the pump works. On a Euro 6 1.2 Pop, ask for proof that Fiat's official fix for that engine's problem has been done, because an owner reported it only reached dealers in 2015 after a long wait.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

Is a used Fiat Punto Evo or Punto Type 199 (2009 to 2018) a good buy?

It's a sensible buy as a manual petrol, and a poor one as a Dualogic or a town-driven 1.3 MultiJet. The car earned five Euro NCAP stars in 2005, though when Euro NCAP tested it again in 2017 it scored zero stars, so don't buy one expecting modern crash protection.

The diesel's High fault can appear anywhere between 14,000 and 100,000 miles, and it's short journeys that bring it on. A rising oil level is the early warning; left alone, the engine can over-rev on its own sump oil until it wrecks itself. That's why a Punto diesel that's lived in town isn't one to take a chance on.

The Dualogic's actuator trouble covers the whole 2009 to 2018 run, turning up from 17,000 miles, and 2009 to 2015 cars can lose their power steering assistance outright, leaving the wheel suddenly heavy with a warning light on. Owners have also reported one-offs: a 2010 Evo 1.4 8v at 60,000 miles that roared at 70mph yet quietened at 80, and a Euro 6 1.2 problem on Pop models.

What does a used Fiat Punto cost to run?