NEWS of ailing automotive giants have been making headlines of late. But the quiet revival of Italy's Fiat Group has pretty much slipped under the media radar screen.

Fiat's return from near death was unassisted by another vehicle maker. It came around simply because it started making cars which people wanted.

Compare the current Fiats to the ones from just four years ago; compare the Bravo in the main picture with the Stilo it replaces.

The Bravo's handsome, almost organic bodyshell is one of several things that is right about this VW Golf-sized hatchback. The interior packaging is quite attractive too. The instruments are angled towards the driver and there is an extensive host of electric-everythings.

The ergonomics even make sense, with most of the controls placed within easy reach, except for the strangely shaped glove compartment.

The materials used have a quality feel to them, although the painted accents in the test car lack a consistent finish.

But the biggest advancement from the Stilo days has to be in the engine. The five-cylinder power plant in the Stilo, however loaded with character it may be, displaced a tax-unfriendly 2.4 litres. With its perceived competitors capped at 2 litres, the car was a lonely soul in an unoccupied segment.

The Bravo jumps in with a very palatable 1.4-litre lump. With turbocharging, it pushes out a respectable 150bhp. The non-turbo model has 90bhp.

Volkswagen's success with the 1.4-litre Golf GT here should give Fiat some confidence in putting more T-Jet (Fiat-speak for turbo) cars on the road, although the lack of an auto or semi-automatic transmission is a glaring omission for the Italian.

Just as the Golf GT isn't an out and out sports car, don't mistake the Bravo T-Jet to be a hot hatch - even if the sight of a six-speed gearbox and a 0-100kmh timing of 8.5 seconds on the spec sheet suggest otherwise.

Apply a 'drive it like it's stolen' attitude and the car feels out of its depth. It just isn't a car for chucking aggressively into corners or leaving rubber marks at the traffic lights.

Instead, the Bravo is best for cruising along (rather briskly), with its hushed cabin leaving you room to appreciate and think about what Fiat has learnt and applied.

FIAT BRAVO 1.4 T-JET

Price: $90,900 with COE
Engine: 1,368cc 16-valve inline-4
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Power: 150bhp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 206Nm at 2,250rpm
0-100kmh: 8.5 seconds
Top speed: 212kmh
Fuel consumption: 11.5 litres/100km (city)
Agent: TTS Eurocars