Fiat STILO MULTI WAGON RANGE
Buyers Of Small Estates Face A Pretty Slim Choice At Present. Fiats Stilo Multi Wagon Aims To Bring A Little Style To The Sector. By Andy Enright
Three years ago, the market for small estate cars was dead in the water. Sales had stagnated horribly due to the massive popularity of ever smaller MPV models, bringing with them new-found utility and ever more ingenious ways of packaging the average family. Thats fine if youre the average family, and for a while, those that didnt stick to manufacturers demographic and lifestyle projections got by with a
mini-MPV. Then they got disillusioned and realised that if they had a family of five to carry and their accompanying baggage as well, a small estate had always done the job that bit better.
With that in mind,
Fiat have brought us the Stilo Multi Wagon.
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Of all the contenders to bring us such a vehicle,
Fiat were among the likeliest. Already offering probably the best
mini-MPV around in the Multipla, the Italian company were faced with rather disappointing UK sales for the six seater. What British buyers wanted, it seemed, was something that looked a little more like what we think of as a car and a little less like what we associate with a newt. They also wanted the space to pack the family and a few extras and still be able to see out of the back window.
The options open to such buyers hasnt been that appetising. The
Ford Focus and
Vauxhall Astra estates are both rather awkward looking things with little to no style. Pay a little more and you can get a Golf, but again this has a rather tired look to its styling. Even Toyotas Corolla looks somewhat inelegant.
Until
Peugeot came along with the 307 Estate, the market was wide open. As it stands, the Stilo Multi Wagon finds itself up against a worthy competitor but one which offers a subtly different blend of qualities. Prices start at £12,113, around £1,000 more than the comparable 5-door hatch.
"The front passenger
seat can be folded flat, opening up a whole range of possibilities from IKEA that were previously just a flight of fancy"
Of all the conversions from hatchback to estate, the Stilo is probably the most successful. Whether you view this is a tribute to the estates stylists or an indictment of the five-door hatch it was spawned from is up to you, but the end result is agreeably good looking. Whats more, it offers a no-nonsense approach, rejecting the rather mimsy third row of seats offered by some competitors, recognising that whilst its fine to fit extrra seats, being able to get to them would be advantageous. Thats not to say that Fiat have ignored everything theyve learned from years of Ulysse and Multipla production.
The Stilo Multi Wagon features a higher seating position than the hatchback with a clever sliding and tilting action to the rear seats. When slid forward they liberate an additional 40 litres of space over the usual 470 litre capacity which may represent the difference between packing Mr Cuddly Kangaroo and having junior bawl at eleventy bazillion decibels all the way to the holiday home. True, with the seats slid forward, rear kneeroom isnt what it was, but its still plenty for most kids. Should you need to fold them down (the seats) youll end up with 1480 litres of fresh air which is about average for the class.
That said, there are pluses and minuses to the loading area. The seats dont fold as flat as a conventional 60/40 split rear seat which is a minor annoyance, but the flipside of that is that the useable space is superb. This is due to redesigned rear suspension which minimises ingress into the load bay, 263mm of extra overhand behind the rear wheels and a supremely low loading height. The rear window can be opened separately to the hatch should you wish to post lightweight items in and the front passenger seat can be folded flat, opening up a whole range of possibilities from IKEA that were previously just a flight of fancy.
Four engines are avilable, two petrol and two diesel. The entry-level petrol unit is the 103bhp 1.6-litre powerplant, with a 133bhp 1.8 available for those who want to get from A to B without abject cruelty to the throttle pedal.
The diesel options are split between 80 and 115bhp versions of Fiats excellent 1.9-litre JTD engine, the more powerful version representing the pick of the bunch, acing both petrol engines in terms of CO2 emissions and, predictably, fuel economy. Whats maybe a little more surprising is that its only a fraction slower than the 1.8-litre petrol version, sprinting to 60mph less than half a second behind the 1.
8-litre cars 10.8s showing. The range opens with the £12,113 JTD80 Active, with the 1.6 16v Active Air Conditioning next up at £12,413.
From there its a big step up to £13,413 for either the JTD 115 Active Air Conditioning or the 1.6-litre 16v Dynamic trim levels. Take your pick from gutsy diesel or a lively multivalve petrol unit. The 1.
8-litre 16v Dynamic weighs in at £13,913 and the range-topping JTD 115 Dynamic summits the Stilo Multi Wagon range at £14,413. Safety is well taken care of, with even entry-level models fitted with no fewer than six airbags, plus five three-point seat belts, anti-lock brakes and a traction control system. Move up the range and the sportier models get electronic stability control. The cabin is unfussy with clean lines and quiet confidence in the styling.
That the Fiat Stilo Multi Wagon is a more class competitive vehicle than its five-door hatch progenitor is not up for debate. Whilst the hatch ploughs an unspectacular furrow through the middle of the market, the Stilo Wagon has a far more convincing claim on your attentions. As possible the best looking, least apologetic and most practical of all the small estates out there, it offers a strong argument. The estate bodyshell excuses the Fiat from any pretension of mid- corner dynamic excellence and instead appeals to those who have a rational grasp of what really counts.
Somewhat unexpectedly, this is a very good car indeed. Dont let it pass you by.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Fiat Stilo Multi Wagon range
PRICES: £12,113-£14,413 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 4-7
CO2 EMISSIONS: 149-197g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.8] 0-60mph 10.8s / Max Speed 124mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [115bhp 1.9JTD] (average) 50.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Six airbags, TCS, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height (5dr), 4253/1756/1525mm
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