The all-new FIAT Tipo hatchback and Station Wagon have been launched to the UK media in Turin, affording them their first opportunity to experience its exceptional roominess, high specification, robust quality and outstanding efficiency, not to mention its stylish Italian flair.
The new FIAT Tipo hatchback is deceptively roomy, being capable of accommodating three six-feet-plus adult passengers in the rear – thanks to class-leading legroom and outstanding headroom – within its 4.37m long, 1.79m wide and 1.50m tall dimensions. Its boot capacity is also best-in-class with a volume of 440 litres, while the Station Wagon version adds an additional 110 litres of boot space which, at 550 litres, is also class leading. The Staion Wagon can also carry loads of up to 1.8m in length courtesy of an extra 20cm of length (4.57m) and its flip-and-fold 60/40 split rear seats provide a completely flat load floor. The Station Wagon body style has a height of 1.51m thanks to the standard-fit longitudinal roof bars.
Loading the boot of the Station Wagon is aided by a low load sill with reconfigurable components such as an adjustable load floor and removable side storage panels to further increase the width of the luggage compartment. The roller cover can conveniently be removed with one hand and stored under the floor panel, while two lights, two bag hooks and four load-retaining hooks positioned on the floor provide added convenience.
The FIAT Tipo features numerous cabin compartments with a variety of shapes and capacities totalling no less than 12 litres. Easily reachable by driver and passengers, these compartments are perfect for storing personal objects, smartphones, game consoles, bottles, coins and much more, and there is also a USB port for charging and connecting devices. Maximum comfort is assured by the excellent driving ergonomics and the convenient arrangement of the secondary controls which can be reached easily without the driver having to take their eyes off the road.
In terms of the model range, both the hatchback and Station Wagon will be offered in three trim levels – the names of these trim levels in the UK are to be confirmed.
The entry-level trim level is equipped with air conditioning, remote central locking, front electric windows, body-coloured door mirrors with electric adjustment, six airbags, DAB digital radio, chrome door handles, split rear seats, a front seat centre arm rest, USB and Bluetooth connectivity with steering wheel remote controls. The Station Wagon adds rear electric windows and longitudinal roof bars.
Key options for the entry-level version include front fog lights (£150), dark tinted rear windows (£175), rear electric windows (£240 – standard on Station Wagon), 16-inch alloy wheels (£350), rear parking sensors (£300) and a five-inch Uconnect touchscreen system with Live services, DAB and satellite navigation (£500).
The mid-range trim level adds a five-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob, rear power windows, LED daytime running lights, 16-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, rear parking sensors and cruise control. The price for the mid-level trim is £1,000 above that of the equivalent entry-level Tipo, thereby simplifying the range structure and making it easier for customers to choose the best Tipo for their needs and budget.
Also included with the mid-level version are the Uconnect LIVE services, which combines with a smartphone app (available via App Store or Google Play) to offer music streaming with Deezer and TuneIn, news from Reuters and the ability to stay in touch with friends via Facebook Check-in and Twitter, not to mention monitoring vehicle performance, efficiency and maintenance status with eco:Drive and my:Car.
Key options for this trim level include a satellite navigation upgrade (just £250), reversing camera (£300) and Comfort Pack (climate control, driver’s side lumbar adjustment and rear arm rest). Two Safety Packs are available, with Safety Pack B offering a speed limiter and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) for £250 and Safety Pack A adding adaptive cruise control (ACC) in addition to the speed limiter and AEB for £500. Safety Pack A is not available with the entry trim level or 1.4-litre engine.
The top trim level, which is priced just £1,000 above the equivalent mid-level version, builds on the specification of the mid-range Tipo but adds satellite navigation with TomTom LIVE services including HD Traffic, climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers, rear view camera, driver’s side lumbar support and a chrome pack all as standard. Key options include leather upholstery with heated seats (£750) and Safety Packs A (£500) and B (£250).
The engine range comprises five engines in total. There are three petrol engines, a 1.4-litre 16v producing 95hp and 127Nm, a 1.4 T-Jet turbo petrol with 120hp and 206Nm and the 1.6-litre e-TorQ engine producing 110hp and 152Nm (combined exclusively to a six-speed, torque converter automatic transmission) and two turbo diesel engines – a 1.3-litre MultiJet II producing 95hp and 200Nm and a 1.6-litre MultiJet II with an output of 120hp and 320Nm.
The entry-level 1.4-litre 16v FIRE delivers 95hp at 6,000 rpm and 127Nm at 4,500 rpm and is equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. It is capable of accelerating the FIAT Tipo hatchback from a standstill to 62mph (100km/h) in 12.1 seconds (12.3 for the Station Wagon) and on to a top speed of 115mph (both body styles). The official combined cycle fuel economy figure is 49.6mpg for both body styles and their CO2emissions are both 132g/km. Prices for the 1.4 hatchback start at £12,995 and prices for the Station Wagon start at £13,995, just £1,000 more than its hatchback equivalent.
The 1.4-litre T-Jet (turbo petrol) engine develops 120hp at 5,000rpm and 215Nm from just 2,500rpm and again it is combined with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. The 0-62mph dash is dispatched in a lively 9.6 seconds (9.8 seconds for the SW) and top speed for both body styles is 124mph. Official combined cycle fuel economy figures (47.1mpg) and CO2 emissions (139g/km) are also the same for both body styles. Prices for the 1.4 T-Jet start at just £14,995 (mid-level hatchback).
For customers seeking an automatic petrol car, the 1.6-litre E-torQ petrol engine has been combined exclusively with a torque-converter six-speed automatic transmission for smooth shifting, minimal maintenance and greater refinement. Producing 110hp at 5,500rpm and 152Nm of torque at 4,500rpm, it can accelerate the FIAT Tipo from 0-62mph in just 11.5 seconds (11.7 seconds for the SW) and on to a top speed of 119mph (both body styles). An official combined cycle economy figure of 44.8mpg and emissions of 147g/km applies to both body styles.