AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

FUNCTION OVER FORM

1st July 2004, Page 40
1st July 2004
Page 40
Page 41
Page 42
Page 40, 1st July 2004 — FUNCTION OVER FORM
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That may be a useful defence for the CM test team but Rat's improved Dobla Cargo proves once again that beauty is much more than skin deep.

It's all too easy to pass judgement on someone or something that looks different.We presume something that does not conform to what is perceived as 'right' must be flawed or inferior. But in the great scheme of things that's not generally the best approach. Kids are masters of these instant judgements: lobe seen as cool you usually have to be in with the incrowd.'Fhose with stick out ears, buck teeth or a passion for stamp collecting need not apply.

Which brings us to Fiat. If Fiat was in the playground it would be the edgy kid who, while not necessarily conforming with the majority, was still given grudging respect by going his own way. Its vehicles are perceived as flawed in certain respects but earn praise for their character and individuality.

The Doblo Cargo has been with us for some years now and what struck us during the last test (CM18 July 2002) was not just its practical size but also its left-field design.We liked it. Now it's back in the news with further revisions including updated interior styling, improved soundproofing and a high-roof version that increases its already competitive load volume.This development puts it in the rare group of vans that sit between two established size categories. On the one side you have Vauxhall's Combo and Ford's Connect; on the other there's the standard size Transit, the Vivaro and the rest of the gang — in this case we're also making a comparison with Mercedes' Vito to give you a perspective on the next step up, because we're nice like that.

Though a major force in Europe. Fiat is way behind the main players in the UK CV market, such as Ford and Vauxhall. But the DoblO Cargo has persevered against the odds and won people round through force of personality, gaining a small but significant following who appreciate its individual looks and competitive price.

What you get for your £10,065 is a two-seater panel van with twin sliding side doors (on the SX) and a modem common-rail 1.9-litre turbodiesel producing 105hp and 205Nm of torque. If that's too big for you there are two other diesels to choose from: another 1.9 developing 63hp without common-rail technology; and a 1.3litre with common-rail and advanced multijet technology promising a compact design and virtually no maintenance (we'll be testing it in the Doblo soon).For spendthrifts among you there's also a 1.2-litre petrol option with 65hp on tap.All units come with a fivespeed manual box.

Standard equipment on the SX includes power steering, front foglights, height adjustable steering wheel, ladder frame bulkhead, electric windows, manual central locking, driver airbag and a quaint radio-cassette player.The pick of the extras include ABS (£480), fixed metal bulkhead (£75), remote central locking (which should be standard but costs £166) and increased payload, from 605kg to 785kg (fitted on our test vehicle but £15010 you).

That price of just over £10K compares favourably with its nearest rivals, the Citroen Dispatch at £12,640 and theTransit Connect LWI3 at £11,225. Move up a category and the Mercedes Vito starts at £13,275.

Productivity

With a modern common-rail unit under its bonnet the Doblo achieved a commendable 43mpg on a laden run around CM's Kent test route. Ford's Connect LWB with 42.3mpg was just behind while Citroen's Dispatch was a bit thirstier at 37.9mpg, along with Mercedes' Vito at 35.3 mpg.The unladen figure saw things even out a bit. A strong 47.3mpg by the Dob16 was beaten by the Dispatch with 48.3mpg but both were ahead of the Vito's 36.4mpg (remember this is a larger vehicle).

With the new high-roof option, the Doblo offers a competitive load volume of 3.8m3compared with the standard-roof model's 3.2m. This sits between its two main rivals: the Citroen takes 4.0m3 while the Connect is a smidgen below with 3.7m3. If you're undecided whether this is enough step up a class and the standard Vito offers a healthy increase to 5.2m3.

On the payload front our test vehicle came with the optional 785kg capacity. That's a useful increase over the standard 605kg but still slightly down on the Dispatch and the Connect; both check in at 900kg.This is slightly offset by the Doblo's 2,115kg GVW which is some 200kg below its two rivals.

Getting your cargo in is simple enough thanks to a combination of twin sliding doors, a low loading lip of 535mm and dimensions that allow you to reach in and retrieve goods without assuming the crawling position.The rear doors open out 180° and the left is wider than the right which avoids the need to open both doors on most occasions.That's a thoughtful touch though it will mean that you need more clearance from the vehicle or object behind you.And, while we're on the negative, the sliding doors do not retract fully, leaving the side aperture slightly covered.

Servicing is needed every 12 months/12.000 miles while the warranty checks in at three years/100.000 miles.

On the road

Pretty it may not be but individual it certainly is. While other manufacturers tend to 'modcruise' every vehicle in their range when the time comes to update or replace, you can count on Fiat to have a different agenda. Anyone who's aware of the Multipla passenger car will know what we meamincluding our beloved Editorin-Chief (seriously).The Doblo has a purposeful, well proportioned stance, but it's not so overbearing in its styling as to be offensive.

And with this individual styling come two distinctive personalities when out on the road. The first — which occurs when unladen — is a controllable, easy-to manoeuvre vehicle that feels stable. Engine response is good once you've climbed above the 1,500rpm mark and the steering, though not the most communicative, still allows you to nip into spaces due to its tight (2.2 turns) lock and light action.This manoeuvrability is coupled to a turning circle of 10.5m that makes it one of the best in its class. So far so good.

But load it up to the given 785kg maximum, just under 120kg below the larger Vito, and it's a different story.That handy tight lock now becomes a hindrance at speed as the rear gently lurches into corners due to the sharp turn-in from the front wheels (which are also putting the power down). It doesn't help that the Doblo rides on skinny 175/70R tyres putting more pressure on a smaller contact area. It's by no means a nightmare but it does fall behind the chuckable Transit Connect. This flaw could be put down to a combination of a heavy payload and a high roof which raises the centre of gravity, putting the vehicle under pressure in the corners due to the laws of physics.

And though peak torque is officially delivered at 1,750rpm the engine needs to be wound up a bit higher when fully laden to keep things moving.That said, the 1.9-litre unit was smooth enough to be happily worked through the rev range and the dashboard mounted gearshift was above average with a relatively smooth action.

Around town the Doblo proved a good companion with that sharp steering coming into its own and the compact dimensions proving handy for darting in and out of traffic.

Cab comfort

If you're trying to get a handle on Fiat's quirkiness you only have to take a look in the interior.The term 'chaos theory' seems to sum it up best. But it is practical and is in keeping with the Doblo's character.

Black is the main colour, contrasting with blue on the heater dials, vents and the bottom of the dash.The plastic seems hardwearing, if a little cheap. Further contrast comes from the cream seats and door rests, which are further broken up by sections of uncovered, painted metal. The driving position is the typical Italian setup, which means anyone with long arms and short legs is at an advantage.

This is not helped by a steering wheel that is only adjustable for rake, but the driver's seat gets an armrest, lumbar support and multi-adjustments—it's comfy too. Storage space is better than average and with two door bins per side (small and slightly less small), a handy parcel shelf below the roof, a glovebox with two open compartments and a change/ mobile-phone tray below the gearlever there's something for everyone.

While the main dials were easy to read the speedo is marked in increments of 20mph, and missing out the all-important 30,50 and 70 markings made it difficult to adhere precisely to the required limit.And the location of the electric window switches on the central instrument unit comes out of the design book labelled honkers —it foxed certain CM test team members for longer than they'd care to admit.

But the cab had a cosy feel that was surprisingly well insulated from the outside world. Road roar was minimal, even though there was only a ladder bulkhead, and it offered the quietest environment in our test group. •

Tags


comments powered by Disqus