Fiat IDEA 1.4 16v
Building a supermini, then creating a more versatile MPV version of it is one of the current automotive fashions. Ford, Vauxhall, Hyundai and Renault can all offer you cars of this kind but none are what youd call pretty. Much better looking is the alternative that many shopping in this market tend to ignore: Fiats Idea. The 1.4-litre 16-valve petrol model that we look at here makes an appealing case for those seeking the practicality of an MPV plus the drive and performance of a supermini.
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The door pillars are finished in black to emphasise the Ideas extensive glass area and the tall rear light clusters now have chrome inserts. Inside, theres a two tone dashboard with more chrome highlighting on the gear lever, air vent handles and storage compartment handles. Fiat has rightly chosen to adopt a more sober approach with the Idea, slotting the car into the range somewhere just above the Punto line up. Think of it as being to the Punto what a Ford Focus C-MAX is to a Focus hatch and youll probably get the gist of it.
No, it doesnt offer any additional seats but you can pull some intriguing moves with the seats you do get thirty-two of them to be precise.
"the driving characteristics are much as youd expect from a Punto in other words lively but loveable"
The 1.4-litre 16-valve petrol unit we look at here is plucked from the Puntos existing engine range but refinements have raised its game. A revised barycentric engine mounting has been introduced to increase rigidity and, therefore, reduce vibrations, while various other measures have been employed to cut noise levels. This model has fairly sharp performance, zipping to the benchmark sprint in 11.
5 seconds and on to a top speed of 109mph. Fuel economy in the urban sprawl and crawl returns 33.2mpg and when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions, it chunters out a reasonable 157g/km of CO2. The petrol unit comes to the fore when youve got the Idea to yourself and theres a twisty road ahead.
Around town you can toggle the Dualdrive button to take the effort out of twirling the wheel. The Ideas ride is relatively firm, courtesy of a very stiff chassis and the chunky windscreen pillars obscure visibility when negotiating tight roundabouts but aside from that the driving characteristics are much as youd expect from a Punto in other words lively but loveable. The prices for the Idea 1.4 16-valve have been set at a sensible level starting from £10,295 for the Active trim level and rising to £11,745 for the Dynamic and going on to £13,195 for the Eleganza.
The Active trim level comes with height adjustable steering wheel, electric powered steering, electric front windows, Follow Me Home headlamps, remote control central locking, a CD stereo, ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, height adjustable drivers seat, drivers and passenger airbags. The Dynamic adds electrically adjustable door mirrors, front fog lights, air-conditioning, reverse parking sensors, rear head restraints and window airbags. The top of the range Eleganza provides in addition 15-inch alloy wheels, dark tinted windows, automatic dual zone climate control, the SkyDome full length sunroof, electric rear windows, front arm rests, front side airbags and a ceiling mounted storage box. The rear seats are split 40-20-40 and can move back and forth either together or individually, prioritising either legroom or luggage space.
The seat backs can also be reclined for comfort, which is a distinct rarity at this price point. The rear seat backs can fold forward as does the front passenger seat to allow you to carry some very long items. You can even fold all the seat backs flat to create a double bed effect. Three across the back is a bit of a tight squeeze, especially as the firm centre pew looks guaranteed to numb the posterior over longer distances but theres certainly no problem as far as headroom goes, the Idea boasting a roof that soars overhead, prompting one to consider sparking a stovepipe hat revival.
The interior otherwise benefits from Fiats huge experience of building MPV-style vehicles with a multitude of storage bins, cubbies, pockets and compartments. The dashboard is beautifully styled in a spare, almost minimal fashion with centre-mounted instruments and clean lines. Fiats Idea is a forgotten but very worthy choice in the supermini-MPV arena with its sharp styling and commendable road manners. The 1.
4-litre 16-valve also delivers on performance where it matters. It may not be the first alternative you think of but close inspection will reveal a cleverly thought out vehicle that is very easy on the eye. For those not wishing to go the diesel route, the Fiat Idea 1.4-litre 16-valve makes a very sound choice.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Fiat Idea 1.4-litre 16 valve range
PRICES: £10,295-£13,195 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-5
CO2 EMISSIONS: 135-175g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 11.3s / Max Speed 109mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [urban] 33.2mpg [extra urban] 51.4mpg [combined] 42.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 3980/1695/1762mm
