The Want Is High: Fiat Argo Hatchback Details Revealed

The Fiat Argo replaces the very popular Punto hatchback in the Brazilian market. Named after a Greek mythical ship, the Argo is touted as a premium hatchback with modern Italian design, great interior space, high-quality materials, up-to-date technologies, high safety features along with efficient but powerful powertrains.

Exterior Design

The Argo features a 'wraparound' design philosophy - highlights on the front include dual-barrel headlamps with LED 'eyebrow' DRLs, honeycomb grille and air dam, contrast highlights under the air dam and a faux air intake on the bumper. The engine cover is like a clamshell with slightly aggressive lines on it.

The roof is contrast coloured (on select variants) with a ribbed design which mimics the power bulge on the engine cover. Some variants of the car get matte-black cladding along the bottom. The design on the side features a simple window line with a slight kink at the rear and blacked out B-pillar, simple body lines and wheel arch highlights.

At the rear, the Argo features a wraparound windshield, aggressive bumper which mimics the front unit, tail-lamps which seem to have taken inspiration from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. The boot lid features an enlarged Fiat logo, a new signature design element first shown on the 2016 Mobi hatchback.

Interior Design and Features

Inside, the Argo features a simple but contemporary design. Though it is compact on the outside, Fiat claims that it is very spacious on the inside, with a 300-litre luggage compartment which almost perfectly rectangular in shape - making it highly usable. Highlights here include a three-spoke flat-bottom steering with a thick grip, layered dashboard, a 'floating' 7-inch touchscreen multimedia infotainment screen, 3.5/7-inch driver-information-display in the instrument cluster, ambient lighting etc.

Safety systems on offer include front and side airbags, rear view camera, parking sensors, Isofix child seat anchors, electronic stability control (ESC), traction control and hill-hold function (on automatic transmission equipped variants).

Engine and Transmission

Engine options of the Fiat Argo in Brazil include a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder 'Firefly' motor developing 78PS/107Nm, a 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder, 'Firefly' motor developing 111PS/139Nm and a 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder, 'E.torQ Evo VIS' motor developing 141PS/189Nm. Transmission options include a 5-speed manual transmission, a 5-speed AMT and a 6-speed automatic transmission. Automatic variants of the Argo feature paddle-shifters behind the steering wheel. The fastest engine-transmission combination in the Argo helps the hatchback attain a 0-100kmph time of 9 seconds and a top-speed of 192kmph.

Fiat Argo in India

The Fiat Argo does make sense for India; the Punto has been in the market since 2008 and though the Giorgetto Giugiaro penned design (with Indian touches in the 'Evo') looks timeless, the car is in need of a replacement. Will Fiat bring the Argo to India? With FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the parent company) currently concentrating on the Jeep brand in the country, any new product launches for the Fiat brand may not happen anytime soon. Fiat may show the Argo at the 2018 Auto Expo to gauge public opinion of the car before they take any decisions on launching it here.