2004 Fiat Stilo 3 Doors 1.8L 5MT FWD (133 HP)

Vehicle Overview

In late 2003, Fiat unveiled the facelifted version of its compact-sized Stilo hatchback, which was available in three body shapes: three-doors, five-doors, and station wagon.

The three-door Stilo was unveiled in March 2001, and sales started in the autumn of the same year. While the compact segment was crowded with similar vehicles from all the leading mass-market automakers, Fiat managed to find 350,000 customers (all three bodywork versions combined) until the facelift’s launch, and 125,000 of them were three doors. As a result, the Italian automaker considered it a success and tried to continue its sales streak with an updated and upgraded version of the vehicle. Even though it mainly focused on the drivetrains and interiors, it also performed some aesthetic changes to make the Stilo look fresh again, even though it wasn’t an old car either. Its edge design aged well, and it still looked far ahead of some of its competitors.

At the front, the automaker installed clear headlights that flanked the same rectangular-shaped grille as the one from the 2001 model year. Unlike that, though, the higher grades benefited from a silver slat instead of the all-black design. On the lower side of the bumper, the automaker placed a rectangular air intake flanked by similarly shaped side scoops, as on the non-facelifted version. For the 2004 model year, though, it also featured a lip spoiler underneath the apron.

From its profile, the automaker didn’t focus too much on changing things. It used clear turn signals on the front fenders and body-colored door mirror caps. On the doors and the rear quarter panels, instead, it left the same unpainted, black rubber moldings that protected the bodywork against small bumps in the parking lot or shopping carts for the lower grades, with an option for body-colored ones for the upper ones. Out back, the raked forward tailgate was adorned by a roof spoiler on its upper side. The taillights were slightly redesigned, sporting clear lenses for the turn signal lamps instead of amber-colored ones, as in the 2001 model year.

Inside, the automaker made some changes to make the car look sportier. As a result, it installed white dials with red needles for specific models. The center armrest between the front seats was removed, and customers could have the vehicle fitted with satellite navigation and dual-zone climate control. Furthermore, a boiler-type pre-heater was available for turbodiesel versions. Fiat also included an armrest for the rear bench seat where two adult-sized occupants could sit.

The 2001 Stilo was often criticized for its 1.2-liter gasoline engine, which produced 80 PS (79 hp). Still, its lack of torque made it feel underpowered. As a result, Fiat dropped it in favor of the newly-developed 1.4-liter 16-valve unit, which produced just a mere 8 PS (8hp) more, but since its torque was better, it proved more successful. The automaker also introduced an upgraded version of the 1.9-liter JTD (turbodiesel) unit, which was helped by an intercooler to produce 115 PS (113 hp). This one proved successful in Europe. The 2.4-liter inline-five engine from the Abarth version remained the same, albeit it was paired as standard with a five-speed manual gearbox instead of the sluggish five-speed automated (single-clutch) Selespeed transmission.