Small and impressive
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LONG-TERM TEST VEHICLE
FIAT FIORINO 1.3 MULTIJET
IPrice: £9,360 Engine: 1 3-titre, 75hp Payload: 610kg Mileage: 9,345 Expenses: None Faults: None Average mpg: z48 :-)' Having a van on the CM long-term test fleet is always a good way to make new friends,
Need to move a sofa, pick up some furniture or even dispose of a body? No problem. just ask the technical team politely and they'll lend you the keys to a nice big van to satisfy all your removal needs.
However, the usual 'big van' scenario is now on hold thanks to the addition of the rather diminutive Fiat Fiorino. It packs a less than significant 2.5m load volume and a payload of just 610kg, so shifting the CM grand piano has had to be postponed for a while.
That said, however, within a small period of stewardship, this small van has won us over with its practicality. OK, it hasn't had to shift any serious cargo, but it has surprised us with the amount that it can carry — partly attributable to its design, which allows you to make maximum use of the space available. Also, the low load lip and offset rear doors further bolster its credentials.
And this TARDIS-like inner space is also evident in the cabin. Granted, it's never going to be deemed as spacious, but even for taller types there's enough room to get comfortable. Admittedly, the seat lacks ultimate rear travel, but you can forgive this little niggle.
What is also impressive is the level of insulation. We expected to be able to hear people's thoughts as we passed by due to its compact size, but you get none of this.
Good build quality
Instead, you get an impressive level of noise reduction that helps ease the stress of grinding through the urban environment. Indeed, the engine — Fiat's own — adds to the refinement and is possibly a better option than the unit offered by Citroen/Peugeot in their Nemo/Bipper equivalents (with which the Fiat was jointly developed). It provides a nice spread of torque and spins to the red-line with the enthusiasm of a spaniel. However, the gearshift is sloppy, which is a pain if you want some zippy changing.
The standard of build is high, contributing to its 'big van' feel, which makes the Morino easy to live with. m Julian Milnes
THE VERDICT
Having the Fiorino as a regular vehicle may bring its own obvious limitations in terms of load carrying and a lack of new friends, but it's easy to see that Fiat has done its homework in terms of design to maximise the space available.
It is by no means palatial up front, but you never feel squashed in, and combined with decent refinement levels, it's holding its own in a 'big van' world.