What they said when the Fiat Doblo was new… (Jul 30 2003)
IT may be based on a van, but the Fiat Doblo makes a very practical and comfortable means of family transport.
It doesn't seem to fit into any specific sector of the market. It could be regarded as a van with windows, an estate, a mini MPV, a load carrier, or a family run-around.
It's probably all of these and that could be one of the Italian mini MPV's big selling points.
It's the kind of vehicle which can be a workhorse, used around town and for long-distance touring with plenty of space for the outdoor type.
The Doblo JTD I tested certainly wouldn't win any beauty contests, but it isn't an embarrassment to drive, either.
From head-on the Doblo has an aggressive look, with a wide-finned grille, low front airdam and sturdy headlamps. Side-on the Fiat looks quirky, with front and rear door handles meeting in the middle. That's because the rear side doors slide instead of opening out in a conventional manner.
This is a bonus for families and people with mobility problems. Parents can slide the door open and strap small children into car seats without have to struggle against the normally obstructive door.
Another strong point is the amount of space for luggage. All too often these mini MPVs boast - wrongly - of the vast load space, when in fact they offer little room behind the rear seats. This isn't the case with the Doblo.
Even with five people on board there is still room (750 litres) for a serious amount of shopping. With the rear seats folded there is an astonishing 3,000 litres of space, ideal for bulky sports or leisure equipment or traditional cases.
Up front, the dash, similar to the Fiat Punto, is simple and uncluttered with clear controls and a gear lever in a high position. The only down side is the fiddly fingertip buttons on the radio. Fiat, please go back to the old-fashioned, but practical, round knob.
Seats are firm and made of hard-wearing trim and they offer a high vantage point for a good all-round view.
Unlike competitors such as the Citroen Berlingo Multispace, the Doblo has no comprehensive overhead storage space, but it does have one roof shelf, a glove compartment, a deep oddments tray in from of the passenger and door pockets.
Despite being an oil-burner, the JTD was very quiet under power and the performance of its 100 bhp power unit makes this MPV no slouch. Its top speed is 104 mph and the 0-62 mph sprint takes just over 12 seconds. It has great torque (pulling power), especially in mid-range gears.
The gearchange itself is reasonably slick and the Doblo handles well on most types of road without undue body roll on corners and with its suspension irons out most pumps and potholes. Road and wind noise can be a bit wearing on a long run, but not enough to be too annoying.
Standard equipment on the two-litre ELX I tested is good, and includes power steering, height adjustable steering wheel, electric front windows, central locking, twin front airbags, headlight adjustment, RDS stereo, tinted windows, engine immobiliser and alloys.
In all, the Doblo is an eminently practical vehicle at a keen price with a bit of style.
Words: Stewart Smith
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