Fiat Croma


The Croma is targeted at the family car segment. Fiat introduced the Croma with the intention of falling somewhere between conventional hatchbacks and MPVs. The Croma is the largest Fiat to be sold in the UK in quite a while. The firm is attempting to appeal to a larger segment of the market in the UK.

Fiat claims the Croma is a crossover, the exterior resembles something between a hatchback and an MPV. The car sports five seats and generous luggage space. The Croma is ideal for families who need a combination of cabin space and cargo space.

The Croma’s five-seat layout provides plenty of room for front and rear passengers, with Isofix mountings, and good equipment levels. All models come equipped with electric windows, a CD tuner and air conditioning. The car provides a cool box that is located between the front seats, and the cabin can be drastically lightened up with an optional SkyDome glass roof.

The Croma comes with a broad selection of engines. The 2.2-litre petrol is smooth and quiet, but the 1.9-litre 16-valve Multijet diesel is the best choice on offer. With 150bhp and 236lb/ft of torque and a six-speed manual gearbox, the Croma is not lacking for power. The car boasts excellent steering and brakingand is easy to drive.

The Croma provides good all-round visibility, and engine and road noise are kept to a minimal. The car maneuver’s easily even on less than perfect road surfaces.

Practicality

The Croma offers good value for money. The initial purchase price should be decent and combined with the diesel option should deliver good fuel economy as well. The car should prove mechanically sound with only routine servicing.

The Croma provides excellent cabin space. Front and rear seat passengers have plenty of head and legroom. The car provides enough room for five passengers, and a large boot, with up to 1,610 litres of capacity with the rear seats folded.

The high drive position helps to put the controls and dials within close reach. The instrumentation is simple yet functional. The controls for door locking and ESP are somewhat out of reach and not conveniently located at all. Other than that everything makes sense and is logically located.

The Croma’s cabin is adequately comfortable. The seats themselves provide decent support and are reasonably comfortable. They adjust for lumbar support as well as height adjustment.

The Croma is easily accessible. Fiat has used a high floor and roofline to make access and egress a non-event. Passengers slide into the car’s seats with ease. Most passengers shouldn’t encounter any problems while accessing or egressing the Croma. achieve this.

Parking the Croma can be somewhat difficult. The Croma is a long, tall car, and the sloping bonnet can make it difficult to judge while maneuvering the car. Reverse parking is much easier though and judging the car’s boot is not a problem. The car’s light steering and large mirrors help out a lot.

Life Style

The Croma offers a good driving experience. The 1.9-litre 16-valve diesel has enough power to make excellent progress. The steering is light but still provides sufficient feedback, and the brakes are really effective. Driven at a faster pace, the Croma suffers from roll but still provides good grip. The car is not likely to be driven too enthusiastically, but if the need arrises, the Croma can deliver a very spirited ride.

The Croma will make an excellent family vehicle. The Croma provides excellent cabin space, easy accessto the front and rear and good boot space. The lack of a DVD option may have been a bad oversight on the part of Fiat.

The Croma will probably not be appealing to many first time car buyers. It’s too large and expensive, even if it is an easy car to drive. Many inexperienced drivers will stick with the smaller cars.

The Croma offers a quality build with an attractive interior and exterior design. The car is comprised of mostly good quality materials, and even the boot has been well finished. The car’s quality mirrors that of many rival brands. The Fiat falls into a strange category and has managed to set itself apart from most of the competition.

Security and Safety

The Croma comes standard with remote central locking and an alarm. The lack of visible door locks should serve as a deterrent as well. The boot boasts an out of sight storage area to hide valuables in.

The car’s standard safety features include seven airbags, with the option of two rear sidebags at extra cost. Two Isofix child seat mountings in the rear, a whiplash reduction system, ABS,  ESP and traction control.

The Finishing Touches

The car’s standard audio system includes a stereo system that sits in the dashboard, with large buttons and clear displays that are easy to read and use. The sound quality is good, with six speakers, and steeringwheel mounted controls available for the systems main functions.

The Croma is one of Fiat’s most impressive interiors in a long time. The velour upholstery is attractive, and although some of the plastics on the lower half of the dashboard are of lesser quality, the vast majority of the cabin is well finished and very presentable.

Summary

The Croma faces some strong competition within the family car market, but with the car’s strengths providing good valur for money, buyers should have few complaints. The car also delivers an enjoyable ride and is an all-round good package.

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