Fiat ULYSSE RANGE

Fiats Latest Ulysse Banishes Memories Of Its Underwhelming Predecessor. By Andy Enright

If you dont succeed the first time, try and try again. Perhaps thats the philosophy behind the latest Fiat Ulysse. The outgoing model wasnt a bad MPV people carrier per se, its just that it was overshadowed by the more prominent claims of a number of rivals. Just like last time, Fiat have pooled resources with Citroen and Peugeot.

This time around it looks like the three of them have made a better fist of things. The Ulysse is finally well worth considering.

Build
Comfort
Depreciation
Economy
Equipment
Handling
Insurance
Performance
Styling
Value

Its predecessor was certainly a practical thing, with plenty of space and good all round visibility, but it was neither stylish nor particularly plush. Drive the old Ulysse and, whilst it would suffice as a trusty workhorse, comparing it to cars like the Toyota Previa, the Ford Galaxy or the Renault Espace was a fatuous exercise. That said, it was priced well below these benchmark models, falling into a no mans land between the class leaders and cheapies from South East Asia. Sales in the UK tailed off to a trickle towards the end of its life not that they could be described as a torrent at their peak.

The current car is a very different proposition. Fiat have probably done the best job of the three co-operating manufacturers in grafting their own visual identity onto their third of the deal. The Ulysses styling, especially at the front end, is certainly distinctive, those twin deck headlamp units giving it a very individual look that buyers will either love or hate. The flanks are a little more generic, but the neatly styled rear is as good as anything Renault could come up with.

Moreover, the interior is something to behold, with a dashboard that features a beautifully executed flying wing that arcs across the top of the dashboard and houses the major instruments. Three engines are available; one petrol unit and a pair of diesels. The petrol engine is familiar to many Fiat-watchers, being the familiar 2.0-litre 16v unit seen in the previous model, and its a pretty good powerplant.

The 2.0-litre JTD diesel will probably prove more popular with UK buyers and for those who really want to go to town, theres a range-topping 2.2-litre JTD diesel. All three of the engines have something to be said for them.

The gearchange isnt the last word in sweet shifting slickness, but an automatic is available with the 2.0-litre petrol versions.

"Those twin deck headlamp units give the Ulysse a very individual look that buyers will either love or hate"

Three trim levels are offered, rising through Dynamic to Eleganza and on to the plush Prestigio. Prices start at a very competitive £17,595 for the 2.0-litre Dynamic petrol version, rising to £24,950 for the 2.2 JTD Prestigio.

These prices are a fair bit lower than the Peugeot 807 and the Citroen C8, although Citroen dealers may well try to offset the Fiats price advantage with cash back offers. Still, advantage Turin. Even the entry-level model gets an eight speaker CD stereo, automatic dual zone air conditioning with pollen filters, deadlocks, power steering and an immobiliser. Theres also heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors, sliding side doors, and wheel-mounted controls for the stereo system.

On top of the customary twin front airbags, the Ulysse gets side bags and curtain airbags for all three rows of seats. Anti lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist are fitted on every model, whilst a stability control system is fitted to upspec models. An electric child safety lock is included, as are height adjustable head restraints, seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters on the front and outer rear seats and Isofix child seat attachments on the rear seats. Every berth gets proper three-point inertia reel seat belts.

The standard car seats seven and all three rows of seats are mounted on runners, which means that adjusting for optimal legroom is simplicity itself. There are the usual zillion and one different combinations as to how you can arrange the seats and the front seats even capable of swivelling to create a mobile boardroom or card school. The Ulysse certainly isnt short of shoulder room but others offer more total legroom. As with any MPV, the rear seats are removable, but they are very heavy and even a minor error in aligning the feet with the runners to re-engage them will cause the seats to jam, requiring a hefty shoulder to free them again.

The sophisticated air conditioning helps combat the effect of all that glass whilst multiplex wiring allows for such electronic niceties as light sensitive headlamps, automatic windscreen wipers and speed indexing of the stereo volume, as well as rear parking sensors, guide-me-home headlights. The party piece of the Ulysse has to be the electric sliding side doors. These can be operated remotely with the key fob, making loading the car when approaching with an armful of shopping simplicity itself. Its this attention to detail that makes the Ulysse such an eminently buyable proposition.

The fact that its a good deal more stylish than any Ulysse before it cant do its prospects any harm either. Fiat didnt hit the mark first time round. Heres to persistence.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Fiat Ulysse range
PRICES: £17,595 - £24,950 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 11-12
CO2 EMISSIONS: 186-218g/km
PERFORMANCE: [2.2 JTD] 0-60mph 12.4s / Max Speed 113mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.2 JTD] (combined) 38mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Six airbags, ABS with EBD and EBA
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, mm 4727/1818/1752