2011 FIAT Palio 1.4L Fire 5MT FWD (85 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Fiat developed the second generation of the Palio for the South American market and launched it in 2011 on the South American market.

Previously shown at a dealer’s meeting in Grece in 2011, Palio’s second-generation shared its underpinnings with the European Fiat Grande Punto. Thus, the Italian carmaker managed to lower the development costs for the product. Moreover, parts of this platform were already carried over from the Fiat Uno.

The Brazilian-built five-door hatchback featured an outdated styling inspired by the early days of new-edge design trends from the early 2000s. Yet, that didn’t matter too much for its customers, who liked the rounded shapes and sharp angles. At the front, depending on the trim level, the Palio II sported a broad, black grille that also incorporated a horizontal slat for the license plate. On the sides, the optional foglamps were mounted in aerodynamically profiled clusters. Since the car was fitted with a taller ground clearance to cope with unpaved roads, the carmaker installed plastic decorations around the wheel arches. Thus, it created the idea of a small-sized crossover.

Inside, the Palio II featured four large vents on the dashboard and a simple design with curved lines. The hard-plastic materials were extensively used on the door cards, panel, and center stack. At the front, a pair of bucket seats provided enough comfort for their occupants, while on the split-folding bench, there was limited room for three passengers.

Under the hood, the Palio received a choice of three engines ranging between 1.0 and 1.6-liter displacement. All of them were paired to a standard five-speed manual gearbox. In addition, Fiat offered a five-speed automated gearbox.