Wierd and Wonderful (Fiat Multipla in general)

Member Name: pkendell

Product:	Fiat Multipla in general
Date:	28/02/01 (780 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Funky, practical, good to drive

Disadvantages: Slightly underpowered,

It does look odd, doesn't it? No wonder Fiat can't quite work out how to sell it - their latest "3x3" campaign makes it sound like it's a bit less than a 4x4, which isn't quite the point.

I test drove the Multipla and the Renault Megane Scenic back to back. Now the Scenic is a good car, full of clever ideas. So are the Zafira and the Premacy. But - the Scenic is a tall Megane hatchback, the Zafira is a tall Astra estate, the Premacy is a modified 323. BTW, the Citroen Picasso wasn't available at the time (March 2000).

The Multipla doesn't need all the clever features of its competition because it's quite clever enough already. By starting from the wheels up, rather than modifying an existing design, Fiat have been able to build in what other manufacturers have to add on.

Like space - which can't be added on. The Multipla feels very spacious inside. The width combines with the use of light-coloured materials and the enormous windows to give an extraordinarily airy sensation.

The three-in-row seating arrangement suits my three-person family just fine. Short trips - all in the front. A great big airbag protects the passengers. And I can use all the space in the back - take the seats out if necessary. Just two of us, or a long trip? Fold down the middle seats and the rear passenger can see forwards and everyone has a useful table. Grandparents to transport? The rear doors are huge and open wide and the seats are easy for older people to get in and out of.

The dash is funky indeed. The gearstick is so close to the steering wheel that you hardly have to let go of it to change gear. Citroen and Honda have noticed this and the new Picasso and Civic have dash-mounted gearchanges too. Just like a rally car...

The Multipla is no rally car, but it is safe and secure on the road. All the expected safety stuff is there - impact bars, ABS, brake effort balancing, air
bags.

This is my first Fiat, and I've been waiting with trepidation for awful things to happen, but after nearly a year's use they haven't. Build quality is OK, stone chips don't rust, it starts and runs well and doesn't rattle.

What could be improved? A bit more power wouldn't hurt - say another 20 BHP. The fuel consumption could be better at 33 MPG. The middle seat headrests block the rear view. There's no need for this - they could push down flush as the Scenic's do. Oh, and a side-effect of the huge glass area is that the windows don't fully retract into the doors.

As for the styling - what can you say? You can't see it from the inside and if others don't like it, that's their problem. I guess you just need a little self-confidence to be a Multipla owner.

Summary: