Over 116,000 Fiat Unos were sold in sunny South Africa between 1990 and 2004 and a lot of them are still traversing the highways and byways – you can’t make a journey in South Africa without spotting a couple of these indomitable little critters along the way. What’s more, the Uno is the darling of the second-hand car market, commanding one of the highest resale values in the affordable market segment.

Now the Uno has gone back on sale in South Africa, but it’s even better than before. This is partly attributable to the extremely good build quality achieved by the Bella Horizonte plant in Brazil which produces the new Uno together with a whole host of other Fiat products. The total annual production capacity of this plant is in excess of 550,000 units. The revised Uno is known in Brazil as the 'Mille' and also features a Giugiaro facelift.

Familiar styling

That familiar ‘hip-to-be-square’ Uno shape is instantly recognisable, regardless of whether you choose the 3-door, 5-door or innovative new ‘urban warrior’, the Uno Way, but there has also been a whole raft of exterior refinements. Starting upfront, the nose has been neatly chiselled and features a bolder grille with clear, angular headlight covers and more sculpted bumpers. The front fender also incorporates teardrop side repeaters. Moving to the rear, the sharp tailgate has been redesigned and in line with modern trends, the number plate recess is now integrated into the rear bumper. Other obvious detail changes include the new aerodynamically efficient side mirrors as opposed to the mirrors of yore, which were more reminiscent of those found on motorcycles. The door handles have also been redesigned.

Finally, there’s a completely new colour palette for the newcomer – colours include White Branchisa, Black Vulcano, Red Alpine, Silver Bari, Blue Buzios, Black Vesuvio, Grey Scandium and Green Lagoon. The bumpers can be colour-coded as an optional extra.

When the “Way” outfit is specified, the Uno comes standard with distinctive side decals, raised suspension (43mm higher than the standard car), chunky wheel arch mouldings and larger tyres (175/70 R13 compared to 165/70 R13 on the standard versions). While not specifically designed as an off-roader, the Uno Way is amazingly flexible when traversing semi-rough terrain thanks to its excellent ground clearance and overall robust design. The surprisingly torquey motor also helps in this regard.

Interior appointments

Moving indoors, the Uno has been polished somewhat with all-new trim materials including attractive, yet very durable, new upholstery (the headrests are now fully upholstered as opposed to the vinyl-covered units in the old model). The centre console has been totally redesigned as have the door panels which now incorporate door bins for the front occupants. The following are just some of the interior highlights: Electronic trip meter and odometer, pre-wired for audio system, manually adjustable rear view mirrors, day/night manual interior rear view mirror, 12V power socket, folding rear seat, largest boot space in its segment – 290 litres, full-size spare wheel housed in the engine bay. The new Uno may also be specified with the following options: Air conditioning, front electric windows, central locking, rear window demister.
 

Safety and security

Given that the new Uno is a true five-seater, the new car is equipped with four three-point seat belts and one lap belt for the fifth occupant sitting in the rear. Unlike one of its main competitors, the Uno comes standard with side impact bars, a fire prevention system (cuts the fuel supply and the electronics of the car in the event of an accident) and a collapsible steering column. Peace of mind is assured by the fact that Fiat’s rolling code immobiliser is also part of the standard kit.

Performance and economy

Class-leading performance in the new UNO comes courtesy of the 1242 cc single overhead camshaft four-cylinder, eight-valve motor equipped with electronic multi-point injection. This powerplant is virtually identical to the unit that sees service in the venerable Palio.  It’s coupled to a smooth-as-silk five-speed manual gearbox. Optimised gearing works well with the maximum power output figure of 50 kW at 5 250 r/min and an impressive torque figure of 111 Nm at a very low 2 250 r/min, to allow for economical city driving and gutsy open-road performance. This translates into a more-than respectable 0-100 km/h sprint time of 13,4 seconds and a maximum velocity of 158 km/h. A 50-litre fuel tank and consumption figures of just 5,3 litres per 100 km at a steady 90 km/h give the UNO class-leading range in its segment. In the combined cycle the UNO consumes a miserly 7,2 l/100 km, with constant-speed consumption pegged at 7,4 l/100km at 120 km/h.

Suspension and braking

The suspension system for the front-wheel drive UNO features independent MacPherson struts with lower wishbones anchored to a subframe, with additional control provided by the integrated anti-roll bar. At the rear, a torsion beam axle is employed with longitudinal trailing arms and a stabiliser bar. Hydraulic telescopic dampers with a double-acting function complement the helical coil springs used all round. Braking is taken care of by a hydraulically controlled dual-circuit system, using ventilated front discs up front and drum brakes at the rear with self-centering linings and automatic wear adjustment.

Service and warranty

The new Fiat UNO features 20 000 km service intervals (once again superior to its main rivals) and enjoys full after-sales backing in South Africa thanks to a comprehensive parts inventory, coupled to a brand-new, state-of-the-art parts distribution centre. Fiat Auto South Africa offers Uno owners a 12-month Manufacturer Warranty or up to 100 000 km which ever occurs first, three years on paintwork and five years on rust anti-perforation. As with all new Fiat models, the Uno is covered by the AA Fleetcare roadside assistance for 12 months. The service is active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is available by calling the dedicated toll-free number 0800 223 727. Suggested pricing: Fiat UNO 1.2 three-door – R69 900 (incl. VAT), Fiat UNO 1.2 five-door – R71 900 (incl. VAT) and Fiat UNO Way 1.2 five-door – R74 900 (incl. VAT).