What is the ottimo car?
4 Answers
ottimo refers to the Fiat Ottimo, a model under the Fiat brand. Below is an introduction to the Fiat Ottimo: 1. Interior: It adopts the design of the Fiat Viaggio, with no significant highlights in terms of styling and color schemes, except for slight changes in the seat design. The test drive model mainly features a dark upper and light lower color scheme, with the dashboard made of a combination of soft and hard materials, showcasing excellent craftsmanship. The car has a considerable number of storage compartments, and the trunk space is larger than expected, very flat. However, when the rear seats are folded down, they do not form a completely flat cargo platform, leaving a slope. 2. Engine: The entire series is equipped with a 1.4T engine, and the high-end models also feature a high-power version. In terms of transmission, the Ottimo has one more gear than the Viaggio, replacing the 6-speed dual-clutch with a 7-speed dual-clutch. This transmission addresses two issues present in the Viaggio: firstly, the shift speed has been improved, and secondly, the shift smoothness has been significantly enhanced.
I've been driving the Ottimo Viaggio for two years, and this compact hatchback from GAC Fiat has brought me quite a few surprises in my daily commute. The body lines are exceptionally smooth, and I particularly love its hatchback design, which handles grocery runs and carrying friends with ease. The 1.4T engine paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission delivers fuel consumption under 8L/100km in the city, and it's powerful enough for highway overtaking. However, I should mention that the transmission occasionally jerks at low speeds, and I later heard other owners reporting similar issues. The space is quite practical, with foldable rear seats for luggage, though the trunk opening is a bit high. Unfortunately, after Fiat exited the Chinese market, parts have to be sourced from overseas—it took three weeks to replace a sensor last time. If you're buying a used one now, a high-spec version can be had for around 30,000 to 40,000 RMB, but be sure to check the transmission records beforehand.
The Fiat Ottimo is quite common in the used car market, given that its new car price was only around 120,000 yuan back then. I've handled over twenty of these cars and noticed that young people particularly love its sporty front fascia and red brake calipers. The engine bay layout is almost identical to its platform sibling, the Fiat Viaggio, so parts are interchangeable during repairs. In actual driving, the chassis tuning leans toward firmness, offering better cornering support than Japanese cars, though the drawback is its non-independent rear suspension, which makes bumpy roads noticeably uncomfortable. Pay special attention to the 2014 dual-clutch transmission models, as some develop high mechatronic unit failure rates after 100,000 km. For maintenance now, third-party specialist shops are recommended since official 4S dealerships have largely withdrawn. As for pricing, a five-year-old automatic transmission model goes for about 30,000 yuan - 20,000 cheaper than a same-year Golf, offering decent value but requiring acceptance of its niche brand status.
The Ottimo is a hatchback launched by GAC Fiat in 2014, positioned similarly to the Volkswagen Golf. The entire lineup uses a 1.4T engine, with the manual transmission version being more reliable, while the automatic transmission equipped with a dry dual-clutch had more issues in later stages. Back then, I saw the top trim in the showroom, and features like heated leather seats and automatic air conditioning were quite generous. The car is about 4.5 meters long with a 2.63-meter wheelbase, which is average for a compact car (A-segment), and the rear seats are a bit cramped for three people. What impressed me the most was the standard ESP and six airbags across the lineup, making its safety features stronger than Japanese competitors at the time. Unfortunately, it received a lukewarm market response, and due to Fiat's brand management issues, production was discontinued in 2018. In the used car market, it's advisable to prioritize manual transmission models, as they have much lower maintenance costs.
