Fiat Idea Review.
The FIAT Idea was launched in the UK in February 2004 with the ‘George not included’ TV advertising campaign which featured American actor George Clooney - for more information
The Idea was FIAT Auto’s first entry into the competitive mini-MPV market and it benefits from FIAT’s expertise in the field of small cars which already includes the Panda and Punto.
The FIAT Idea was launched in the UK in February 2004 with the ‘George not included’ TV advertising campaign which featured American actor George Clooney - for more information
The Idea was FIAT Auto’s first entry into the competitive mini-MPV market and it benefits from FIAT’s expertise in the field of small cars which already includes the Panda and Punto.
The Idea is available in Active, Dynamic & Eleganza trim levels and transmissions include a 5-speed manual and Dualogic - a gearbox with three driving modes - sequential, automatic or automatic with maximum fuel economy.
The Idea offers the choice of a 1.4, 16v 95 bhp petrol engine or the compact, powerful new MultiJet 1.3 16v 70 bhp diesel engine.
FIAT are so proud of the new Idea that they call it ‘Italian for innovation’ we tested the Idea 1.3 MultiJet Active to find out if FIAT’s mini-MPV is a good idea?
The FIAT Idea is powered by a 1.3 litre 16-valve MultiJet diesel engine which produces 70 bhp at 4000 rpm and an impressive 133 Ib.ft of torque at just 1750 rpm enabling it to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 15.4 seconds and continue to a top speed of 99 mph.
The mere thought of a 1.3 diesel engine would have horrified us a few years ago but diesel technology has advanced rapidly and we were impressed with FIAT’s Multijet engine. It performed admirably on a trip from Devon to Bristol along the M5 remaining in 5th gear whilst climbing a hill at 70 mph. Weighing just 130 Kg, the 1248 cc, 4-cylinder in-line unit is the smallest and most advanced second generation common rail, direct injection, turbodiesel in the world. The MultiJet engine technology promotes smoother, quieter combustion, reduced emissions and increased performance.
One commentator stated that the 1.3 diesel engine was noisy but we disagree - yes you know it is a diesel but we wouldn’t describe it as intrusive. The engine offered lots of torque which resulted in a spirited drive and it pulled well in all gears which compensated for the occasional lazy gear change.
The jury of the International Engine of the Year Awards were obviously impressed and have elected the 1.3 litre MultiJet turbodiesel engine produced by FIAT and GM as International Engine of the Year 2005 in the 1.0-1.4-litre category. For more information [ click here ]
Our test car was fitted with the standard 5-speed manual dash-mounted gearbox which we found offered smooth and precise gear changes. Positioning the gear lever in this position frees up floor space.
The Dualogic Semi Automatic Transmission is available as a £700 option and offers three driving modes: sequential, automatic or automatic with maximum fuel economy.
We were impressed with the Idea’s fuel economy, which was not far from the manufacturers quoted figures of 55.4 mpg combined.