The Italian car company introduced the second generation of the little Punto in 1999, and it enhanced it with an ample facelift in 2003.
Sometimes, the differences between a facelifted and the non-facelifted version of the same car are so subtle that you’d have to be an expert to see them. It wasn’t the same situation with the refreshed version of the second Punto generation, where the car was upgraded both outside and inside.

Fiat installed a completely new front fascia for the refreshed Punto lineup, with bigger headlights that were extended over the hood, and swept on the sides. The engineers asked for a grille above the bumper to increase the cooling factor. On the lower side of the bumper, a pair of side-scoops were integrated, with the fog-lights inside. The taillights were redesigned and extended over the tailgate, increasing the car’s visibility from behind.

Inside, a new dashboard with a slightly different center stack was installed. Depending on the trim option, an electronic climate control system was installed to enhance the driving experience. New materials and new colors contributed to a significant sales increase for the Punto.

Fiat installed more powerful engines under the hood, but the base version kept the same 1.2-liter with 60 hp. Three new engines improved the fuel-efficient Punto diesel versions, starting with the newly developed, 69 hp 1.3-liter unit.