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.• Mut. tijet SX
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With its own in-house engine, Fiat's Fiorino brings an extra twist to this French-Italian-developed mini van.
Words: Juhan Mitnes / Images: Tom Lee While the CM test team rarely gets it wrong, we have to admit we were taken a bit off guard with the success of the mini van collaboration between the PSA Group (Citroen/Peugeot) and Fiat, which produced the Nerno/Bipper/Fiorino last year.
On first impressions, it was thought the resulting LCV was a size too far in terms of its condensed dimensions. 'Good van,' we said, 'but who would want to go this small?'
Well, plenty of you, it seems. In fact, the buying public have embraced this diminutive vehicle, introducing it into the urban environment where it has thrived and
It just goes to show that at CM we're open-minded about such things, so we've taken an example on a long-term test, and this being the Fiat version, it gets its own engine — a 1.3-litre unit from the company's acclaimed Multijet range, that produces 75hp and 190Nm of torque.
Available in two trim levels — priced £9.360 and £10,035 respectively — the base model gets ABS with FBI). ladder bulkhead, radio/CD player and not much else: while the SX (our test vehicle) adds remote central locking, electric windows and nearside sliding door.
Options abound with everything from Bluetooth (L125) to reverse parking sensors (105) and automatic 'box (i630), giving an indication of the advancement in the stature and usage of small vans.
Competition amounts to the aforementioned French collaborators together with Renault's Kangoo, which starts at £8,690 and has a load volume of 2.3m3 and payload of 500kg.
Productivity Small van, small engine, do we need to say more? The laden run for the Fiorino produced an impressive 51.4mpg, while unladen, the figure of 55.8mpg gave some insight into its potential when running light.
Elsewhere, while it might not come as a surprise that this pocket van allows for only a limited load in the rear, the Fiorino's overall dimensions belie the business end's potential.
Packing a load volume of 2.5m3 is not a bad deal considering, and this extends to 2.8m3 when you spec the folding passenger seat option (&:85).This combines with a payload of 610kg, which again is impressive for a van of this size. You might not have to stretch far in to access the cargo area, but the design is well thought through.
The off-set rear doors, which feature clearly labelled release catches that allow them to open out a further 90" to 180°, combine well with the low load lip. We also like the nearside sliding door that's impressively integrated and retracts sufficiently to allow further access.
inside, the cube-like internal dimensions mean you can utilise the space available, while there's little intrusion from the rear wheel arches. Fitted as standard are also four tie-down points to secure the load.
Servicing for the Fiat is every 20,000 miles, while the warranty is 36 months/120,000 miles.
Cab comfort It's a given that the Fiorino's interior isn't going to be a palatial spread, but tight packaging has made it far from a squeeze. Importantly, for a vehicle this size and its assumed role, driver access is more than adequate, and with the ladder bulkhead there's enough rear seat travel to allow for sufficient leg room (although a previous encounter with the full height bulkhead option reduces this).
Complementing the arrangement is an adjustable (for reach and rake) steering wheel and a seat that comes with lumbar support and arm rest as standard a smart move that will be appreciated on the urban grind.
Footwell space is admittedly tight. with the pedals positioned closely together. although you do get a footrest that partly alleviates the reduced room; hut not by much.
Dials are easy to read and, together with well-positioned stalks and clearly labelled secondary controls, the Fiat's interior is easy to navigate for the uninitiated.
Storage also gets the thumbs-up, with plenty of practical touches such as well-placed oddment trays and door bins that make good use of the limited space available.
However, it's let down by a colour scheme that's painfully dull. Granted, costs have to be kept down, but the dominating dark grey shading could have been lightened somewhat even the seating fabric looks depressing, not something you need on an interior that has obvious spatial limitations Out on the road the Fiat is commendably well insulated, with little intrusion from outside noise from the engine bay or driving (front) wheels, helping it to exude a big van feel.
But there's an obvious issue with the ladder frame bulkhead, which allows sound to reverberate in from the load area at higher speeds. It's not overly significant but a notable compromise that comes with this type of arrangement the full height bulkhead option (£65) avoids this issue.
On the road
Preconceptions of a van this size might include a Postman Pat style driving experience, but the Fiorini surprises with its grown-up manners when on the move.
This is partly attributable to the high standard of build quality, which should finally banish the 'fix It Again Tony' stigma that many of you older folk still carry around for the Italian manufacturer. And it's further aided by a chassis that's stiff in construction and a suspension set-up that's just the right side of compliant, allowing the Fiat to take on a full payload without feeling overburdened.
Of course being compact it's highly manoeuvrable around town, with quick steering allowing the driver to change direction smartly, but it's out on the open road where the Fiorino really surprises.
It feels exceptionally stable and confident at high speeds, with little disturbance from cross-winds and larger passing vehicles.
This is helped by the perennially smooth Fiat Multi jet engine. We'll continue to eulogise about this powerplant as no other manufacturer has provided a family of engines across their LCV range that consistently combine such exceptional refinement with progressive power delivery.
It's a more tempting proposition than the equivalent 1.3-litre unit used by its Citroen/Peugeot counterparts and allows for a relaxed driving experience.
However, this good work is partly negated by the sloppy five-speed shift that's noticeably loose in operation, slowing down the swapping of cogs due to ill-defined gates. •