Fiat Fiorino Review
The Fiat Fiorino commercial vehicle may be based on the Italian company’s Punto hatch, but the Fiorino van offers a much larger and more practical van. It’s built in Turkey alongside the Citroen Nemo and Peugeot Bipper, and like those models the Fiorino offers a great balance of load space and compact exterior dimensions.
There’s enough space in the back to fit a Euro pallet between the load bay’s wheel arches with some space to spare. It comes with one or two sliding side doors to further add to its practical nature.
The Fiat Fiorino is easily one of the best vans on sale. With a 610kg payload limit and a 2.5m3 load volume, the Fiat Fiorino is a great choice for a small van. The Fiat Fiorino’s low running costs means that it has one of the best small diesel engines there is.
As our cities and urban areas continue to expansion and sprawl, commercial vehicles may have to undergo a spot of shrinkage to cope. At least that's the view at Fiat where the compact Fiorino van is being touted as the ideal solution for operators that find themselves beset by congestion and plagued by soaring costs. The Fiorino is Fiat's smallest purpose-built van.
Below are the various models available:
Engine | Fuel tank | MPG | CO2 |
1.3 Multijet 75 (Auto) Euro 5 | 45 L | 67–69 mpg | 109–112 g/km |
1.3 Multijet 75 5 | 45 L | 63 mpg | 119 g/km |
1.3 Multijet 75 Euro 4 | 45 L | 61 mpg | 123 g/km |
1.3 Multijet 75 Euro 5 | 45 L | 63–66 mpg | 113–119 g/km |
1.3 Multijet 95 5 | 45 L | 66 mpg | 113 g/km |
1.3 Multijet 95 Euro 5 | 45 L | 66 mpg | 113 g/km |
1.4 8v Euro 5 | 45 L | 44 mpg | 148 g/km |
Driving Experience
The engine line-up is a key reason why operators might choose the Fiorino. Fiat has installed its acclaimed Euro 5 compliant 75bhp 1.3-litre Multijet oil-burner rather than the 1.4-litre diesel. The unit is extremely compact and lightweight helping giving rise to excellent fuel economy and with 190Nm of torque, it feels strong as well. With that maximum torque produced at 1,750rpm, the Fiorino has the punchy element to its performance that's perfect for darting in and out of traffic. It also has the accurate steering and tight turning circle that operators want when space is tight.
All models get a five-speed manual gearbox as standard but the diesel is available with the 6-speed ComfortMatic sequential manual transmission which can operate in automatic mode.
Design and Build
The Fiorino has been designed with the urban environment very much in mind. The wheels are pushed to the corners of the vehicle to maximise interior space and manoeuvrability while keeping the van compact. The substantial wrap-around bumper protects against parking knocks and expensive components like the headlamps, bonnet and radiator set well back to lessen the chance of them coming to harm. The interior of the Fiorino has a good amount of space for driver and passenger. The driving position is upright and affords a good view of the Fiorino's surroundings with the seat and the steering wheel offering a good range of adjustability. The general impression is one of user-friendliness and sturdy design.
Market and Model
The Fiorino van is available in Base and SX trim with the former including ABS with EBD, a driver's airbag, power steering, a CD stereo, height adjustment for the steering wheel and driver's seat plus a ladder frame bulkhead. The SX adds remote central locking, a nearside sliding side door, electric windows, electric mirrors and other extras. In addition, there's a Combi model with a row of seats in the back and an Adventure pack which gives additional protection on unsurfaced roads by adding raised suspension, fatter tyres and various body shielding.
Practicalities and Costs
Fiat's Fiorino is small. 3,864mm long and 1,589mm wide, it's a compact van. There's a 2.5m3 load volume to play with and a payload capacity of 610kg. That volume can be increased by means of an optional folding passenger seat which flops down to increase capacity to 2.8m3. It may not sound like much but it increases the available load length from 1,523mm to 2,491mm which is really handy when you're trying to cram longer items inside. The load bay is accessed through asymmetrically-split rear doors on the standard model with one or two sliding side doors available from the options list. The apertures behind these side doors are narrow so large items will have to go in through the rear where there's a low 527mm loading height and 1,064mm between the wheelarches. The Fiorino should prove extremely economical to run, particularly in Multijet diesel from where combined economy of nearly 63mpg is not out of the question. Fiat has also worked hard to minimise repair costs for the van and to extend service intervals.
Summary
Fiat offers lower running costs and extra manoeuvrability in the shape of the Fiorino van. The Fiorino is very well-suited to the trials and tribulations of getting about modern towns and cities and is extremely economical to run. The Fiorino van is an excellent choice when looking for a small van.