Having experimented with the names Grande Punto and Punto Evo over a period of years, Fiat went back to the simple, unadorned "Punto" when it revised its supermini in 2012.

The range has been rationalised considerably since then. The Punto is no longer available with the charming two-cylinder TwinAir engine, and the Abarth hot hatch version has been discontinued, which is a pity because it was very good. There is no automatic transmission option.

There remain three engines (two petrol and one diesel) and three trim levels called Pop, Easy and GBT, the last of these meaning Great Britain Team (not Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, in case you were wondering) and referring to British Olympic athletes. Three- and five-door body styles are available.

Performance

The Punto is not a car for boy racers. The 1.3-litre MultiJet takes 13.1 seconds to accelerate from 0-62mph and runs out of puff at 107mph . . . and that's the quick one.

The 1.4-litre petrol version is only marginally slower when driven flat-out, but it won't pull away sharply from low speeds without a couple of downchanges the way the diesel will. The 1.2 petrol takes nearly a quarter of a minute to hit 62mph and won't reach 100mph.

Potential buyers who would once have considered the Abarth won't give the Punto a second glance now, but the remainder of the customer base won't have a problem with any of this. For town use, all versions are perfectly adequate, and not everyone wants to drive quickly in the country.

Ride and Handling

City mode should be avoided for motorway use, as a stifled sneeze could see you swapping lanes before you knew what was happening.

Although there are few thrills to be had, the Punto is good fun to drive. The suspension is quite soft but it's sufficiently well damped to prevent any wallowing, which is ideal both for ride comfort and for cornering ability. The level of power assistance for the steering is variable. Already light, the steering can be made even lighter by selecting City mode, which reduces the effort required to use it to something that wouldn't be a problem for a sleepy kitten. City mode should be avoided for motorway use, though, as a stifled sneeze could see you swapping lanes before you knew what was happening.

Interior and Equipment

The first-generation Punto was voted European Car of the Year in 1995, beating the Volkswagen Polo into second place.

There is very little room for rear passengers, and luggage space isn't generous at 275 litres with the rear seats up and 1030 litres to roof level when they're folded down. The load sill is also inconveniently high. Rear visibility is a problem, particularly in the five-door. Equipment levels are low on the entry-level Pop, and you have to go for the Easy if you want such things as alloy wheels, air-conditioning and front foglights. The GBT has larger alloys - 16-inch rather than 16-inch - "sports" suspension, which isn't really all that sporty, and an attractive body kit.

Cost

The diesel isn't cheap to buy, but since CO2 emissions are just 90g/km at least you won't have to pay any Vehicle Excise Duty.

With prices starting at nearly £14,000, the diesel isn't cheap to buy, but since CO2 emissions are just 90g/km at least you won't have to pay any Vehicle Excise Duty. The 80.7mpg this car can achieve on the EU fuel economy test isn't likely to be matched in real life The petrol models are supposed to be able to manage around 50mpg. CO2 emissions of 126g/km for the 1.2 and 132g/km for the 1.4 mean they will cost £110 and £130 respectively to tax each year, but they're cheaper to buy than the diesel and are more appropriate if you don't plan to cover many miles.

Our Verdict

It's not easy to recommend the Punto when there are so many fine superminis to choose from. It feels old-fashioned, it isn't particularly cheap, it's not very practical and the choice of engines and trim levels is hardly lavish. Against that, the Punto looks good and is every bit as much fun to drive as anything else in the class. However good Fiestas, Corsas, Clios and the rest may be, the Fiat at least has these things to be said in its favour.