Fiat has given the Multipla a fresh attractive look but kept the car’s high levels of practicality and proven performance variables. The Fiat has a lot to offer as a family vehicle with its new style and classy good-looks.

 

The Multipla’s seats can be rearranged or removed for added versatility. This feature comes in handy when a large cargo item needs to be transported. The car offers a high drive position and the car’s window design provides excellent visibility. The seats have been improved on the Multipla to offer added versatility. The seats can fold forward or be removed entirely to add cargo space for larger items.

Despite the vans practicality it’s also a nice vehicle to drive. The gearshift is mounted on the dashboard and the handbrake is by the door creating the additional space necessary for the extra seat. The car’s six seats are capable of accommodating six adults comfortably. The cabin’s atmosphere is very family friendly.

The Multipla is competitively priced and offers high levels of standard equipment. Build quality is good and the car’s diesel engine option is the more attractive option, providing plenty of power and economic fuel consumption.  The Multipla is not a flashy or showy car, but it is definitely more fun to drive than it looks.

Practicality

The Multipla is a very practical budget purchase, but tempting options can quickly add up. The diesel engine will cost more upon purchase, but it will quickly pay for itself in fuel savings. Running costs, insurance and servicing should all be reasonable for the Multipla.

There is plenty of cabin space for six passengers to ride comfortably even for longer distances. The middle front seat folds down into a picnic table, and the rear seats can be folded down or removed completely to create even more space.

The exterior of the Mutipla may appear average or normal, but despite its business as usual exterior the inside is just what you would expect from Fiat. The interior controls are very aesthetically pleasing and dials are slightly directed toward the driver. The side window controls are mounted on the roof.

The seating configuration works so well. It’s practical and very convenient. The back seats also fold down and turn into tray like tables. The driver’s seat adjusts for driving comfort and engine and noise are successfully kept to a minimal at low speeds.

Doors open wide enough to provide easy accessibility and are tall enough that they facilitate easy access even further. All three front seats have independent seat adjustment controls.

The Mutipla is a super easy car to park. It boasts exceptional visibility due to the high seating position and well designed windows. The van is a somewhat wide and may take a little getting used to, and for those who are very leary, parking sensors are on the option list.

Life Style

The Multipla provides a fairly smooth ride and takes corners well. The power steering feels well weighted but the diesel engine feels much better than its petrol counterpart. The diesel feels more capable of powering the vehicle when it’s filled to medium or maximum capacity.

The Multipla would make a great family car. It’s a very practical purchase, and affordable to maintain, and operate. There is plenty of room for a growing family, and the versatility of the van’s seats makes it a very practical choice as well. The rear seats can be arranged to accommodate any additional cargo. The car’s bright interior colors are very appealing to families, especially to children.

The Multipla wouldn’t make a very good first car. It has more seats than would be needed by most new drivers, and it is not a cheap purchase. The width of the van may make it difficult for a new driver to park. Plus, the car’s exterior may not seem too attractive to younger drivers. If you are a younger driver and want something a little more stylish but still practical, consider the Fiat Sedici or a second hand Fiat Sedici if you need to save a little extra money .

Multipla’s of the past put a lot of attention and effort into creating visually attractive cars. This is a new twist for Fiat, the van is not geared so much towards being a looker as it is toward being a quality vehicle. Fiat’s new image has proven to be a good move especially with the Multipla.

Security and Safety

The Multipla comes standard with remote central locking and an engine immobilizer. The new units have the stereo mounted into the dash and are less likely to fall victim to theft. Other security options and upgrades are available.

The Multipla comes with front and back disk brakes, ABS, EBD, six airbags, Isofix child seat mounts, and a fire prevention system. Large dual door mirrors can effectively eliminate blind spots.

Finishing Touches

An RDS stereo system and CD player comes standard with six speakers. The sound quality is good and the options list is fairly long for this vehicle. Options include a sat-nav system, DVD player, Bluetooth connectivity, and Fiat’s not so popular ‘Connect-nav’.

Summary

The Multipla is an awesome car from Fiat. It is such a practical vehicle for families and employers. Drivers will certainly stand out in the unique vehicle but will get their money’s worth in drivability, versatility, and comfort. Buyers should opt for the diesel version it only increases the drivability of the vehicle.

The Fiat Idea is a smaller inexpensive car that delivers loads of practicality. The car is practical, yet stylish, a reasonable size without being too large or too small, it comes with a wide range of engines to suit most needs and it is inexpensive to run.

The car’s large pillars limit visibility, but that’s one of the only negative aspects of the Idea. The engines don’t have any trouble delivering enough power even when the car is carrying a full load.

The car’s rear seats sit up high and provide a good view out from the cabin. The Rear bench splits in two and each half can move forward and back independently. This gives the car an element of added versatility whether carrying cargo or people.

The car can reach 0-60mph in just over 15 seconds. The car delivers exceptional fuel economy. The 1.3 JTD delivers an average 55mpg. The car comes with an attractive asking price and should deliver excellent value for the money.

The Idea is a very practical supermini MPV and its exterior design is very appealing and the car’s very attractive dynamics can’t be ignored. The car’s cabin is comprised of mostly plastics but still manages to have a decent and acceptable look and feel.

Practicality

The Fiat Idea comes with a low asking price, and delivers a good deal of space and practicality. The car should prove to be reliable and fuel economy and insurance rates should be low as well.

The car seats four very comfortably and five with reasonable comfort. The cabin is quite spacious despite the size of the car. The car’s hatch is large enough to accommodate most family items and activities and the rear seats can fold to accommodate larger cargo items.

The car’s instrumentation is neatly arranged and fairly attractive. The controls are comprised of mostly cheap plastics but it doesn’t completely ruin the look of the cabin. The cabin is still relatively attractive and airy.

The car scores well for comfort. It delivers good cabin space with plenty of room for all passengers. The car’s seats are firm and supportive yet comfortable. The boot is a practical size and facilitates easy loading and unloading, engine and road noise are noticeable though especially at higher speeds.

The car’s cabin is easily accessible. Both front and rear doors open wide and allow unhindered access to the cabin’s seats. The boot also has a large door and a wide aperture for easy access and convenient loading and unloading.

Parking can be a little tricky despite the car’s relatively small size. Visibility is limited all-round and caution must be taken when parking. The car’s side mirrors and rearview mirrors help out a lot, and the car’s steering is light and makes maneuvering the Idea an easy task.

Life Style

The Idea is not built for performance or speed as much as for practicality, and the car does make a lot of sense. Regardless of engine choice the car delivers decent fuel economy and plenty of power. The car’s suspension system may seem too soft for some drivers, but the car delivers a good ride and excellent value for money.

The Idea would make an excellent family car with plenty of cabin space on offer. Smaller families who don’t wish to drive around in a full blown MPV may find the Idea more desirable. It’s attractive exterior design and hardwearing interior design is very suitable for family life. Plus, the car’s boot is a reasonable size and shouldn’t have any problem accommodating a small family.

Although probably not a first time buyers first choice, the Idea could function as a first car. It’s easy enough to drive and handles well. Most first time buyers will probably opt for a smaller car though. Plus, visibility is not great in the Idea, and that could pose some problems for novice drivers.

The car offers an attractive exterior design, from its grille to its curves and wheels this is nice looking car from start to finish. Fiat has often been associated with cheaper products and it will have a difficult time even losing that image, especially when the Idea’s cabin has been designed with cheap plastics.

Security and Safety

The car’s standard security features include remote central locking and an engine immobilizer on all models. This should be an adequate level of security because it is unlikely that thieves will target the Idea.

The car comes standard with anti-lock brakes, driver and passenger airbags, three-point seat belts in the rear, higher specification models receive more airbags and stability control.

The Finishing Touches

The car’s standard audio unit includes a radio/CD player. The unit delivers good sound quality and helps to drown out the noise from the engine. The unit’s controls are large and easy to work.

Dynamic models benefit from air-conditioning, heated electric door mirrors and front foglights, while Eleganza models come with climate control, an electric sunroof, alloy wheels, rear electric windows and parking sensors.

Summary

The Idea delivers good value for money and would make an excellent family car. The Fiat has been designed for passenger comfort and offers a good deal for the asking price.

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.

In an attempt to quash the idea in many people’s heads that the Fiat 500 is a ‘girl’s car’, the Italian manufacturer has collaborated with GQ magazine to create a new version of the supermini.

The Fiat 500 GQ, taking its name from the magazine which publishes articles on men’s fashion, entertainment and sport, is predominantly aimed at a male audience.

The model, which made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, boasts 16-inch sport alloy wheels, leather seats, a sports leather steering wheel, an infotainment system and a leather gear knob amongst other features.

The car comes in an exclusive two-tone paint finish combining Groove Metal Grey with Crossover Black, and is available with either the 0.9-litre TwinAir petrol engine, the 1.2-litre petrol engine or the 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel.

Fiat says the butch version of its cute city car “blends the urban feeling of the Fiat 500 with the trendsetting spirit of GQ Magazine.”

Prices start from £13,110 for the 1.2-petrol in hatchback form, rising to £18,330 for the diesel convertible.

Other available versions of the Fiat 500 include the Fiat 500L and the Fiat 500C.

Fiat’s Grande Punto is significantly larger than its predecessor. It’s also been improved in other areas such as body style and better build quality. Fiat has also enhanced the vehicles safety and comfort as well.

The Grande Punto is a huge competitor in the compact segment of the market. The front of the car has a sporty design similar to that of Maseratis. The Grande Punto is similar to its predecessor with high-mounted lights. The drastic design change to the car’s front-end and sides makes it hard to distinguish the family resemblance.

The car offers an impressive array of diesel engines. The engines are almost equally good and almost identically powerful. The 1.3-litre units are only separated by 15bhp, while the 1.9 units are separated by only 10bhp.

Interior fittings have been greatly improved in this model. There are only a few minor features that prove to be of somewhat inferior quality, such as around interior lights, some plastic moldings and door panels. For a non-premium car the Grande Punto is very high-class and has incorporated a high level of quality in its cabin design.

The Grande Punto has incorporated many new features geared toward comfort and style. Many of which are evident upon first glance. The Grande Punto is definitely an eye catcher and a vast improvement over its very popular predecessor.

Practicality

The Grande Punto is competitively priced within its sector. The car is practically priced and provides good value for the money. Resale values should remain high and the buyer shouldn’t have any problem finding willing takers, partly due to the cars exceptionally good-looks.

The Grande Punto is much larger than its predecessor, but cabin space actually feels comparable. This could be due to the thick, solid-looking dashboard, or because the seats are larger and thicker in the Grande. The boot is not as large as you would expect it to be and has a high lip and small opening making it somewhat difficult to access.

The Fiat’s controls and displays are logically placed and easy to use. They are pretty much in line with the competition’s quality and feel. Displays are prominently placed and easy to understand.

The Grande Punto has much improved seating. Front passengers are well accommodated for. The seats are large and firm but in a supportive way rather than a harsh way. Rear seat passengers do not have much room. It would be adequate space for smaller children or for adults who are riding a short distance. Otherwise, it could become uncomfortable. Road and engine noise have been almost eliminated in all of the recent models.

The car’s doors are large enough and open wide enough to provide decent accessibility to the car’s cabin. The boot on the other hand provides limited accessibility. The load lip is high and the door aperture is small. Access could prove to be difficult for many people. The boot door is very light though and easy to open and close.

The car sports Fiat’s parking button. Pushing it lightens the car’s steering and makes maneuvering at low speeds a simple task. Forward visibility is good and given the car’s size it is not too difficult to park. The only exception would be the fact that rear visibility is limited.

Life Style

The Grande Punto is a fun car to drive. The steering provides good feedback, and the car provides an excellent driving position. The six speed gearbox is very smooth. The car’s performance figures aren’t that high but in order to understand the true potential of this car it will be necessary to test drive it personally.

The Grande Punto is not a family car. It is too small. The rear could accommodate small children, but the boot is too small to hold family related items. It would be a good choice for a second vehicle or even a commuter vehicle.

This would make an excellent first car. It’s just the right size, and looks very classy for the price. The stylish design will be very appealing to younger drivers, and additional options are available to enhance the car’s sporty look even more.

The car offers a sporty look from its grille to its curves and wheels this is a very attractive car from start to finish. Fiat has often been associated with cheaper products and it will have a difficult time even with a superior product luring loyal buyers away from the high-end manufacturers.

Security and Safety

 This car comes standard with remote central locking, but given its good looks and sporty appeal it may be wise to invest in some of the security cost options. Deadlocks and an alarm system are two of the options being offered and may be worthy of consideration.

 The Grande Punto received a five-star crash test rating. The car scored well above the class average in pedestrian safety and child protection. The car also has ABS and EBD, and several airbags in its arsenal.

 The Finishing Touches

 The car comes with a Blaupunkt CD radio and has terrific sound quality. For serious hi-fi lovers upgrading will probably be necessary.

 Fiat boasts 13 exterior colors and 12 different types of interior. Choosing a color shouldn’t be too difficult with a huge assortment to selct from.

Summary

 The Punto is the most attractive car in its class and performs very well. It is competitively priced and worthy of consideration. It has great driving characteristics and a good level of equipment.