The Dark Knight comes home – Story of my Fiat Linea T-Jet Plus

Prologue

Sometime in August 2011, I decided to upgrade to a sedan. I was nearing 70,000 kms in the Getz. It had gracefully aged seven years already and the regular maintainence expenses were going up steadily. While the car was a great drive, I realized some of it’s handling and braking inabilities on a long road trip. And Hyundai’s famed ‘boat suspension’ was always a pain point.

So I started with my requirements:

• A car that is fun to drive (i.e. responsive but refined engine, with oodles of power on-the-tap) in city as well as on highways.
• Stable and planted at high speeds, with good steering feedback and braking.
• Good suspesion, as some of my road trips involve remote locations.
• Comfortable interiors and seats, especially back and lumbar support. I was not looking for gizmos or gadgetry. I had plans to ICE up the car to the T anyway. And everything else can be done after-market.
• Budget – upto Rs. 10 lacs

Honestly for me, it did not start with the usual ‘Petrol vs Diesel’ debate. I’m a petrol head as far as I can remember and a bit averse to diesel cars . My monthly running (~1200 kms, mostly city driving) also did not compel me to think against a petrol. Yes, my road trip hobby is an expensive one cosidering the petrol prices and the distances I travel. But then, highways are also more fun in a petrol than a diesel! With this in mind, I started evaluating my options.

As the folklore goes, a test drive is essential to nail down your choice. So I started making calls to dealerships to schedule drives. I encountered funny responses (e.g. Hyundai asked me “why I wish to TD such a hot selling car when people are booking it based on its looks alone”) and some dead serious ones (VW took down so many details that I felt it was an FBI screening). To ensure a standardised test, I drove all cars on the same stretch of road (~5 kms), at the same time (so that traffic intensity would be same) and had the same load (driver+2 passengers) on board. In order to test the high speed / cruising ability, I took all cars for a round trip on the Bandra Worli Sea Link. Those two weeks of test drive were quite literally a game changer for me. Here’s a run down of what I experienced and learnt:

Volkswagen Vento

I don’t know why but I was smitten by the understated looks of the Vento right from the time it was launched. And I had always heard my father praise VW since his Germany days. So it was on top of my list. Had I not test driven this car, I would have bought it, such was my fascination and the hype that they had generated.

But Vento actually proved to be the biggest let down of the lot.

The TD car had around 20,000 kms on the clock and was making more noises than a baby’s rattle. Every mechanical component could be individually heard at the slightest behest – braking, going over speed breakers, turning the steering and what have you. To top this, the well attired salesman’s ‘I-care-a-damn-attitude’ was downright rude (he was perennially on his BBM throughout the TD and had no clear answers to technical questions other than Uhm/Err/Hmm/Yups). Sample this – When questioned about the rattling and poor suspension, his answer was “it’s a 20k kms run car. What else do you expect?” We moved on. Disappointed, but having learnt a crucial lesson in life – always test drive a car thoroughly.

(On a side note – I was a bit surprised to see that VW had skimped so much in sprucing up the car from inside. Even the top end model was plain jane, save for the chrome trims. The interiors were strictly average and definitely showed signs of severe cost restraint)

Hyundai Fluidic Verna

The New Verna had been recently launched and I was tempted to have a look. The photos and specs looked promising. However, this proved to be the second major disappointment. Having owned a Getz before, I was expecting the familiar soft suspension. While this was present, what was shocking was the lack of steering feel and feedback. At 80-100 kmph on the BWSL, the steering literally felt disconnected from the car. It felt very unsafe to be in the driver’s seat. I did not have the confidence to overtake and most of my concentration was on keeping the car in a straight line. Braking was also not taut. For the highways, this was a major concern and I felt this is just not right for me. The other negative point was the extremely low-height rear bench. During the TD, I felt nauseated sitting so low. And since my parents would be the ones using the rear bench, I decided against FV.

Ford Fiesta

Sadly, the Fiesta did not make it to the long-list. Only because my better half has never liked American cars. In fact she is so averse to American cars that she did not even let me TD this one. I have only heard good stories about it’s handling but sadly, this car was never meant to be for me.

All New Honda City

We had a sort of comfort factor in the fact that if nothing works out, there is always a fall back option in the form of India’s Populist Choice. Little did we know that this would be only car to be rejected even without a TD! We checked it out at the showroom and felt it wasn’t offering anything great. My parents own an NHC and I’m well aware of the car’s drive and handling. But the biggest deal breaker for me was the low height in the ANHC. I frequently banged and scraped my head getting in and out. I’m all of 5’10’’ and felt claustrophobic inside the car. The whole package did not seem value-for-money as well because several key features were available only on the top-end version. I particularly disliked the look of it’s interiors. This was a no-go. In hindsight, it was a wise decision. The bombardment of ANHCs in the last few months (since the price reduction) has made it a mass market sedan and I hate to be one amongst the crowd.

The Dark Horse – Fiat Linea T-Jet

As you might have noticed, Linea was not in my original list. Like most other Indians, I had heard horror stories of pathetic after sales service and over-priced spare parts. Add poor fuel efficiency to the mix and you obviously would not consider the car. However, I had also heard my girl praise the safety, handling and drive of her (ex) Palio many times. As luck would have it, we were passing by a Fiat showroom and just for the heck of it, we decided to check out the famed Punto.

But once we entered and saw a Linea T-Jet we were blown away. It was a Sun Beam Beige color (exclusive to T-Jet) and had a dedicated showroom space to it. We sat in the car and I was mighty impressed by what I saw and more importantly, by what I ‘felt’. It was oozing premium-ness from all possible corners. The salesman came over quickly and started explaining the features. Point after point, I was salivating at the prospect of owning this car. I promptly booked a test drive.

What I loved most was the fact that T-Jet has its basics (engine, suspension, drive, safety features, braking) stongly in place. To my mind, these are it’s USPs. All other features (Auto AC/Climate control, all leather interiors, steering remote control, large boot etc) are just bonus, nice-to-haves for this car. On the other hand, such features are exactly what are being pitched as USPs of the other three contenders! See the difference?

First impression – Look and Feel

The Linea has been appreciated for it’s head-turning looks and road presence since it was launched. With T-Jet, Fiat has taken this aspect to the next level by introducing exclusive colors (e.g Bronzo Scuro and Sun Beam Biege). So naturally, the beauty and stance of this car is what immediately attracted me. Amongst its contenders, I really found Linea to be the most handsome and masculine. It has a premium overall exterior look and the double barrel headlamp design complements this well. The jet-propeller blade inspired 16-spoke alloy wheels are easily the most stunning factory alloys I have seen till date. And to top it all, T-Jet Plus comes with 205/55/R16 – same size that the Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 come equipped with!. Also, all 5 wheels (including the spare wheel) are full sized alloys. So no cost cutting there!

As I proceeded to sit inside, I realized that I did not have to slouch to get in. Ingress and egress was easy and comfortable and no head-banging at all. Once inside, I felt cocooned in security. I think it’s the sheer weight that lends it the Fiat-specific vault-like feeling. The 3-stage (heavy) doors close with a very comforting and reassuring solid thud. Door locks are meaty and chunky and with a premium chrome finish. They also come with an “autoclose” function, which is by default set to activate at a speed of 20 kmph.

I love the cockpit. It is minimalist in design yet complete in functionality. The instrumentation cluster has a retro look, complete with chrome-ringed dials & presents the perfect amount of information you need on the MID. The cockpit is adorned with a lovely and soothing orange backlighting. Interior lighting is powerful and customizable in various formats. A special note of mention to the well designed steering wheel. The thumb indents complete the experience of a natural grip.

I have the ‘Plus’ variant, which means the all-leather interiors (leather wrapped steering wheel, gear knob and premium Italian leather seats) continue the plushness inside. I hate chrome or fake wood trim inside any car. Luckily, T-Jet has chrome accents in just the right measure and at the right places in the car, lending a very upmarket feel. Contrary to the belief, I in fact found this car to be excellent in ergonomics. Yes, it takes some time to find the ideal driving position but once I did, I can only praise the excellent back and lumbar support. I cannot comment on the rear bench as it is still unused by me. But people who have sat on it have no complaints.

The Drive

Without a doubt, the torquey engine and powerful drive have to be the USPs of Linea T-Jet. With 114 PS of power @ 5000 rpm and 207 Nm of torque @ 2200 rpm, this is designed to be an enthusiast’s car. I wonder what Fiat engineers were smoking when they finalized the specs! This car comes with a turbo charged engine (the only petrol car under 15 lacs with a turbo!) which is highly refined and completely noiseless. With windows rolled up and the AC on, you would actually want to crank it up again – it’s that silent!

Turbo spools in early (at 1700 rpm, though I wish it could have been at 1400 rpm) and is fully spooled at 2200 rpm. I still remember the first drive in the test car. The moment I accelerated to 2200 rpm and zoomed off, the thrust of the turbo actually pushed me back in the seat!

The engine is finely tuned to provide excellent torque and driveability throughout the rev band. So much so that I am able to cruise city traffic comfortably in 3rd gear. It can go as low as 30 km/h in this gear without stalling. Power is available all the way upto 5500 rpm. However, after that point, the engine struggles and it’s not a nice feeling to strain further. Also, you will notice a slight turbo lag below 1700 rpm.

Braking is the other forte of T-Jet. With all four disc brakes, ABS and EBD, excellent braking is really an understatement. You can literally stop with a mere tap on the brakes. Good (and proactive) thinking by Fiat in this department. A car so fast and torquey definitely needs good brakes.

Next comes the handling and control part. As expected of Fiat, T-Jet is rock steady even at the highest speed. This car quickly and effortlessly reaches high speeds (I have taken it to a max of 185 kmph without a sweat) and it’s sheer pleasure to drive this on an open stretch, especially the highways of Gujarat (National Expressway). Cornering (esp. at high speeds) is excellent and the car grips the road with no sign of swaying at all. There is literally zero body roll.

Steering feedback is the best I have experienced in any Indian car. This car has a Hydraulic power steering unit which is perfectly calibrated. You feel connected with the wheels and engine at ALL times and at ALL speeds. I feel the steering adds a lot to the confidence aspect.

Suspension is firm and accurately tuned. It’s a breeze driving on the pathetic Mumbai pot-holed roads despite the 16 inch wheels. The segment leading ground clearance of a mighty 170 mm ably complements in this department.

Last but not the least, the close-to-heart factor of fuel efficiency for most Indians. People have always complained about the bad FE of Fiat cars. But I personally feel that 9.5-10.5 kmpl in Mumbai city traffic with 100% AC is not bad at all. After all, it is very difficult to drive this wonderful car in a sedate manner! On highways I have managed to get between 12-14 kmpl which again I feel is quite decent for a heavy car like this.

Till date I have completed two highway trips in my T-Jet : Mumbai-Shirdi-Nashik (round trip of around 700 kms) and Mumbai-Ahmadabad-Dasada (Rann) (round trip of around 1500 kms). As expected, T-Jet behaved superb on the highway. NH3 to Nashik is fairly empty with offers some great curves. It was good fun to manuever the car on these turns. With the efficient AC and comfortable seats, even after 300 kms of almost non-stop driving, I arrived as fresh as I had left. But I feel the Ahmadabad trip was more memorable because that’s where I got to test the limits of T-Jet’s driving dynamics. The effortless snaking between trucks, overtaking, cornering and braking were highlights of that trip!

(…to be contd.)

Likes and Dislikes

What I love

Apart from all of the above, there are certain special aspects of the T-Jet that I absolutely love! These have heightened my driving and ownership experience.

• Air-conditioning and auto AC (including rear AC vents). Climate control, quick chill setting (literally freezes the cabin in 5 seconds!).
• A hot of intuitively designed features e.g. windscreen wipe feature.
• Fog lamps (both front and rear) are really powerful and have aided me aptly on highway drives.
• Rear defogger for a quick cleaning up of mist.
• Hydraulic and spacious boot – a very smart feature which adds a lot to the boot space by having the boot support hydraulic arms on the outside!
• A very handy feature for a driver – the sunglass holder.
• Central locking is rolling code based and the code changes with every lock/unlock. Engine immobiliser is built in too and the car will not start unless the original key is slotted into the ignition.
• Typical Fiat crank protection is present in T-Jet too. If the engine stalls, you have to switch off the ignition and crank it back again. I guess this is the ‘starter protection’ feature they refer to.
• Collapsible rear windscreen sun curtain – a very useful feature to protect the rear bench occupants and objects from the harsh sun. Also helps in quick cooling of the cabin.
• Foldable and height-adjustable Arm rest with a storage space for cell-phone/coin/cards : While this is usually a hinderance during city drives, it is good for highway cruising. However, Fiat needs to improvise the design of the arm rest as it interferes with the gear changing and also it starts creaking/rattling after a few months.
• There are two small LEDs located in the roof light cluster above the rear view mirror. They throw a soothing orange light on the gear lever at night. It looks very classy!
• A feature I adore is the ‘Complete system shutdown’ once ignition key is removed. Although I’m not the forgetful types, but this feature is a welcome addition, just in case you forgot to switch off the fog lamps/interior lights etc.
• Follow me home lights (which can be timed in steps of 30 sec-120 secs), interior lighting which can be timed and fades out slowly (Fiat calls it ‘theater lighting’), premium fabric lined roof, large ORVMs etc.
• Desmodronic Foldable key with boot release button (does not require you to unlock the whole car if you just want to open the boot).
• No separate buttons or levers to lock/unlock the doors. Pushing the driver/co-driver side lever inwards locks doors and pulling it outwards (in a two-stage process) unlocks and opens doors. However, I wish they had restricted this feature ONLY for the driver side door lock.
• Vanity mirrors behind sun-visors on both sides with auto-on surrounding lights .
• Steering-mounted audio & phone controls.
• Height-adjustable driver seat.
• Boot opener on the dash (vs lever next to the fuel lid opener, which I dislike in other cars).
• 15,000 kms long service intervals takes care of the dreaded Fiat after sales visits.
• Fire Prevention System inbuilt. In the event of a crash, fuel supply is cut off thereby preventing accidental fire.
• Selenia (Petronas) fully synthetic engine oil and Paraflu coolant are factory filled (same as Alfa Romeo!).

What I dont

Yes, despite writing paens for the T-Jet, there are definitely some downers to the experience and I wish Fiat could have identifed/rectified these beforehand. But then, perfection is what we all strive for and I’m sure Fiat will take steps to improve.

• Clutch pedal has a long travel and took me some time to get used to.
• Rubbery gear shift : as if the plain jane gear knob was not enough, they gave a clunky shift as well! Not suited to a nice drive like this.
• Interior fit and finish (especially of plastic components) could be better, especially a car of this segment.
• OEM stereo and speakers are pathetic. However, that’s not much of a concern as I have already upgraded to aftermarket ICE.
• Flap type and chrome finished door handles. This car definitely deserves ‘pull type’ body colored door handles.
• Power window switches are quite far set out. It takes quite a lot of time to get accustomed to them (I still have not!).
• Lack of storage space/cubby holes, not even for a water bottle! This has me pissed off many times. At the moment, my only alternative is to carry smaller sized bottles.
• I’m used to having a large and comfortably accessible dead pedal (like Hyundai Getz). The T-Jet lacks severely here. Though there is a dead pedal but its location makes it practically useless.
• Turning radius is huge and I frequently find myself troubled to take short u-turns in Mumbai. But to be fair to T-Jet, it is VERY long (as long as the Innova!).
• Idling sound on the outside is huge. I sometimes got scared hearing the fan if I roll down the windows!
• The FE indicator on the MID, especially Distance-to-Empty is very misleading. It has got me panicked many times.
• There is a major blind spot in the A-pillar and I still have not gotten used to it.

Mods done

For a car that is so well kitted out, there is hardly any modification/addition that one needs to do. I have just got some necessities installed such as:

• Changed tires to Michelin Primacy LC 205/55/16 upon delivery
• 3M sunfilm (CS 50 for sides and rear and CR70 for the front windscreen)
• Rear parking sensors (offered free by the dealer. However I was duped here as I was told it will be Fiat authorised accessory, which is Autocop, but actually installed some Chinese brand. I discovered it much later and din’t find it worthy to pick up a fight, as it is not an oft-used accesssory).
• Complete ICE upgrade (detailed out in another thread)
• I intend to put 3D Kagu Mats and rear spoiler (OE) soon

In conclusion…

T-Jet has the unique power to make you fall in love with it over and over again and on a daily basis. It makes me go weak in the knees and puts a sparkle in my eyes at the prospect of going for a drive. A spirited long drive in this car is a sureshot cure for any sort of depression or stress. It will also rekindle your lost faith in spirituality or whatever you believe in, because T-Jet strengthens the fact that wishes do come true! It is a personification of my dreams and I’m only glad I took the plunge to acquire this beauty.

Thank you all for taking the time to read my story.

Eargasm from pure SQ – The TJet’s ICE Story

They say deprivation makes you realize the true worth of things. For me, this is an understatement. Since the day I took delivery of my Linea Tjet+ (actually even before that), I was dreading the stock audio. I have heard better speakers in Mumbai autorickshaws and cabs. The OEM HU leaves you so frustrated that pulling your hair out, strand by strand, also seems a small fry. No wonder then, it was relegated to play FM radio – something which it’s best designed for.

Hence I embarked on the initial research to determine the ideal system to my liking. I was earlier hoping to retain OEM HU because of the Blue and Me and steering remote controls. That’s why the inclination was to get a DSP. But as I used B&M more and more, I realized it’s pathetic and I quickly decided to let go of it. So began the hunt for an ideal after-market HU. I had the Clarion DXZ 785 USB from my previous install. It is no doubt a legandary HU in terms of SQ. It also gave me an option to go active. But I really was not too keen on that. And having used it for ~2 years, I was a bit bored of the old-school looks. I wanted a HU which could play lossless files off a USB. And finally I came across the JVC KD-R 926BT and quickly purchased it.

Next up was the amplifier dilemma. I was always keen to give adequate and clean power to my GZ sub, especially because of the kind of music I listen to (EDM & trance) and also because I felt the bridged power from the Blaupunkt GTA 4 (which was running the sub in my Getz) may not be good for a sedan setup. The Rockford Fosgate Prime R500-1 was on my wish list since long and I bit the bullet now. This also meant I could amplify all four door speakers via the Blaupunkt amp. Nice!

Finally, the speaker decision. Here again, the original preference was to use Illusion Electra EL 6.1 from my previous install. I simply loved it’s natural sound and was frankly, quite used to them. But like an average forum surfer, I naively posted a query to which I received a multitude of responses ranging from Morel Tempo to Digital Designs to Rainbow to Helix. Talk about confusion! Almost at the same time, I saw Ajay Kamath’s classified for the Focal Polyglass deal and made up my mind to go for it.

So here’s the list of equipment that finally went into the car:

– Headunit – JVC KD-R 926BT
– Front components – Focal Polyglass Series 6.5″ KIT 165VB
– Rear coaxials – Focal Polyglass Series 6.5″ Coaxial KIT 165CVX
– Amplifier for the speakers – Blaupunkt GTA 4 Special (60w x 4 RMS)
– Subwoofer – Ground Zero GZ TW MK2 in a ~1 cu. ft. sealed enclosure
– Ampfilier for the sub – Rockford Fosgate Prime R500-1 (320 w x 1 RMS)
– Wiring – 2 kits of Scosche e2 E400 8 GA amplifier kit + 1 Gladen RCA
– Speaker Wiring – Bandridge 1.5 sq. mm.
– Single din fascia panel sourced directly from Fiat A.S.S
– Connects2 CTSFA0004 Steering remote interface module along with JVC2 patch lead (which did not work ultimately)
– Damping – Noise Kill on all four doors

Initial impressions
In one word – Brilliant. I don’t know (and don’t want to pin-point too!) whether it’s the Focal Polyglass speakers, or the JVC 926, or the RF amp or the GZ sub that makes the difference. I think it’s the beautiful combination of all these equipments playing in perfect tandem with each other.

Focal Polyglass are amazing speakers. The highs, mids and lows are pure, natural and balanced – just the way they should be and just the way I want them to be. You can go as low or as loud as you want, and they will deliver beyond your expectations – with ease and finesse. In hindsight, it was a good decision to power all four speakers from the Blaupunkt amp. You can’t go wrong with German power! These speakers play all kind of music – EDM, Trance, Jazz, Rock, Hip-hop and Bollywood with amazing grace.

The Ground Zero sub (again a German!), ably powered by the Rockford Fosgate amp delivers tight, deep, rich and accurate bass. I’m in awe of it’s capabilities.

JVC is a killer (and sleeper) HU. You throw a WAV file and it will reproduce what true music should be like. Each and every detail is put out clearly. You can simply close your eyes and enjoy every instrument and note in absolute bliss. However, it is ruthless too. You throw a 320 kbps MP3 and it does the job equally well, but it you can really tell that this HU was built for lossless audio only. You would feel ashamed at playing anything other than WAV on it. The display illumination is another worthy point to be mentioned here. It has an orange color which matches the interior illumination of the Linea perfectly! The other highlight of this HU is the Bluetooth functionality. Not that I would use it (remember, I hate the Blue and Me too?) but it’s a nice to have. Audio gets muted automatically when a call comes in and is resumed when you finish the call. So I guess the Jabra SP700 will soon feature in the Classifieds!

I have a few complaints with this HU though. The display option is either folder view or track view (both in scroll mode). Why could they not have both? This is a pin point especially when you want to quickly play songs across different folders. Also, the HU takes a long time to read a flash disk, especially if it has many folders. My 8 GB flash disk with about 20 folders took a good 6-8 seconds to load up!

As if the TJet experience was not enough, it has now become impossible to get me out of the car. I’m sure fellow drivers on Mumbai roads would be amused to see me driving with a stupid smile on my face. Little do they know what bliss I’m experiencing inside! In a nutshell, I’m happy. “Eargasm” is what I’m experiencing whenever I hear my system.

Teething troubles
There are two niggling issues. First – a major whine in the system. This is very faint when the car is stationary and especially absent at high volumes. But in motion, one can hear a strong whine increasing with speed and it’s very irritating, especially in-between songs. Need to get that checked ASAP.

Second – the Connects2 interface did not work. I don’t know whether the problem is with the black box (low chances) or the JVC Patch Lead (high chances). But I have to try my luck in getting a replacement from Dynamic Sounds. It is surprising because I before purchasing, I had emailed the JVC HU specs and link to Dynamic Sounds Technical Support and they only suggested the JCV2 Patch lead. Well, shit happens.

Install feedback
Due to some unavoidable personal circumstances, I had to wait a considerable amount of time for the install to happen, even though all the stuff was procured. But as they say, all’s well that ends well. I finally got a slot with Ajay Kamath. The man is known for his quality installs and mine was no different. My only instructions were to ensure that no OEM wires are cut/tampered with and a stock look as far as as possible. Both were duly complied with. Work started around 11.30 am and progressed rapidly. We finally wrapped up around 8 pm and then Ajay tuned the setup. Before he came in, I tried to use the auto time alignment settings of the HU. But he scrapped them and used a measuring tape to calculate the distances and accordingly entered the TA values. The system sounds beautiful with these settings.

There were a couple of downers though – the car wasn’t washed/cleaned/vacuumed properly after completion of the work (presumably because it had got late and installers were getting impatient to leave). Also, there was a minor deviation from my install as another car came in and mine got delayed. I really wished mine could be completed sooner. Maybe the whine and cleaning problems could have been detected and corrected then and there. But it’s ok.