Fiat · 2000–2010

Fiat Stilo

The Fiat Stilo (Type 192) is a small family car available as a three- and a five-door hatchback, as well as an estate (Fiat Stilo Multi Wagon), produced by Italian automaker Fiat. The Stilo hatchbacks were presented in March 2001 at the Bologna Motor Show, and launched on European market in October 2001 to replace the Fiat Bravo/Brava, with the Stilo Multi Wagon following in January 2003. The Fiat Bravo was the successor of the Stilo in most markets, however, the five-door Stilo continued to be manufactured in Brazil until October 2010, when it too was replaced by the Bravo. The Stilo came in third place in the European Car of the Year awards for 2002, behind the Peugeot 307 and Renault Laguna.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Fiat Bravo/Brava|Fiat Bravo · Successor: Fiat Bravo

All Fiat Stilo data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Overview

The Stilo's styling received mixed reviews, with many journalists and enthusiasts criticising it as being too bland and too German looking, as the styling of the preceding Bravo and Brava had been criticised for being too "Italian". As with many of its European competitors, the five-door was less sporty than the coupé-like three-door bodystyle, with a higher roofline and a more upright appearance overall. Critics also attacked the car's excessive weight and its semi-independent rear torsion beam suspension / twist-beam rear suspension, however, this was the same system used by the market-leading Volkswagen Golf of the time. Some saw the torsion beam as a step backwards from the acclaimed fully-independent rear suspension used in the Bravo/Brava and Fiat Coupé. The Stilo was the second car worldwide to use the TRW Column-Drive Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPS) technology after the second generation Fiat Punto, later introduced on the 2003 Nissan Micra and Renault Mégane. As the model range aged, the range of available options was reduced. However, when pushed the Stilo resists understeer, although arguably its soft spring and damper rate dull the experience. The engine range, particularly the 1.2-litre petrol, was also generally criticised for being underpowered. However, the 1.6 version is the last iteration of the old Fiat 128 SOHC engine which provided strong performance. The car's fuel economy was also seen as poor for its class, a result of the car's weight. Another point of criticism was the Selespeed gearbox fitted to the Abarth version: this was seen as too slow in its reactions and particularly inappropriate for this high powered version. Nevertheless, the car won praise for its high levels of grip (aided by the unusually wide tires) and its brakes. In the

Motorsport

A Group N version of the car was developed by Abarth to compete in the single-make trophy called Trofeo Stilo Abarth, held in Italy from 2002 to 2005. The car was revealed in November 2001, at the Bologna Motor Show. It was derived from the Stilo 1.8 16v version, with the engine power increased from 133 bhp (99 kW; 135 PS) to 157 bhp (117 kW; 159 PS), and from the season of 2003 to 180 bhp (134 kW; 182 PS). A similar competition was held in the United Kingdom from 2004 to 2005, called the Fiat Stilo Rally Cup. In September 2004, a junior team backed up by Fiat UK competed in the Wales Rally GB of the World Rally Championship with group A cars, and the following year two other cars took part in the rally. Stilo cars have also been present in the Andros Trophy during the last years.

Marketing

=== South America === Only available in the five-door hatchback version, the Stilo was launched in South America in 2003, being assembled in Brazil. The engines were the Family I GM engines 1.8 L with eight valves and 103 PS (76 kW; 102 hp) or 16 valves and 122 PS (90 kW; 120 hp), and a 2.4-liter, twenty valve five-cylinder version with 170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp) for the Abarth model as well. For export, the chosen engines were the Italian made 1.8 16v VIS engine with 133 PS (98 kW; 131 hp) and the 1.9 JTD Diesel of 115 PS (85 kW; 113 hp) specially for Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. Chile did not get the JTD, but was the only country in the region to receive the Italian-made three-door and Multi Wagon versions. Diesel cars were not legally available to Brazilian private car buyers. A Schumacher special edition of the Stilo was added in 2004 and lasted until 2006; contrary to the European version, which was based on the three-door version and equipped with the 2.4 twenty valve engine, the Brazilian was only available with five doors and the Family I GM 1.8 16v engine with 122 PS (90 kW; 120 hp). In 2006, the Stilo gained a GM sourced flexible engine capable of using petrol and ethanol (1.8 8v with 110 PS (81 kW; 108 hp) on petrol and 114 PS (84 kW; 112 hp) with ethanol) and the 1.8 16v engine was retired. In the Americas, the Stilo was partially replaced by the new Bravo at the end of 2010, when it will be built in Brazil; from 2007 on the Italian import is available in Chile and Venezuela. Fiat Automóveis introduced a facelifted Stilo in the end of January 2008, in which the Dualogic automated manual gearbox was released, being available to every version with the 1.8 8v Flex engine, which now produces 112 PS (82 kW; 110 hp) (petrol) or 114 PS (84 kW; 112 hp) when using eth

Sales and production

769,000 Stilo were produced, including 102,662 in Brazil. The Stilo has been a big failure for Fiat, as the company expected to reach production to 400,000 annual units. Overall, due to insufficient sales, Fiat lost an estimated €2,730 per vehicle produced.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Fiat Stilo
Assembly: Italy: Cassino, Frosinone, Brazil: Betim, Minas Gerais
Manufacturer: Fiat
Production: 2000–2007 (Italy), September 2002–2010 (Brazil)
Platform: Fiat C2
Predecessor: Fiat Bravo/Brava, Fiat Marea Weekend (for estate)
Successor: Fiat Bravo, Fiat Tipo estate (for estate)
Class: Small family car (C)
Body style: 3/5-door hatchback, 5-door estate
Engine: petrol:, 1.2 L Fire I4, 1.4 L Fire I4, 1.6 L Torque I4, 1.6 L Ecotec I4, 1.8 L Family B I4, 2.4 L Family C I5, diesel:, 1.9 L JTD I4, 1.9 L MultiJet I4
Transmission: 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual, 5-speed automated manual (Selespeed)
Layout: FF layout
Wheelbase: 2600 mm
Length: 4182 mm (3-door), 4253 mm (5-door), 4516 mm (estate)
Width: 1784 mm (3-door), 1756 mm (5-door), 1756 mm (estate)
Height: 1475 mm (3-door), 1525 mm (5-door), 1570 mm (estate)
Kerb weight: 1090 -
Related: Fiat Bravo (2007), Lancia Delta (2008)
Designer: Centro Stile Fiat:, Peter Fassbender (design director), Mauro Basso (exterior), Peter Jansen (interior)

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1128244CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_StiloCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1373780044 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fiat_Stilo_Flexy_Fuel.jpgPublic domain · Photo: FiatDoBrasil · retrieved 2026-10-01
Manufacturer website (link only) — http://www.fiatstilo.com/Link only; no content copied · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.