When the Fiat Doblo was first revealed in 2006, it immediately went on to win ‘Best Van of the Year’. It comes as no surprise, then, that the roomy seven-seater remains popular around the world – both as a large family van and as a tradesman vehicle. Since its conception, the van has seen a number of sexy upgrades to keep it up-to-date. How does it hold up? Find out it today’s Fiat Doblo review.
Original image by M 93
Design
The Fiat Doblo was designed with one thing in mind: space. The car claims the most space of any van in its class – a colossal 3200 litres with the seats down – and that’s the number one thing most van owners are looking for. The Fiat Doblo van can easily accommodate five passengers, and two seats can be added in the boot space to comfortably seat seven. Although you can still see the Doblo’s commercial vehicle design roots, the large windscreen and windows let in plenty of light and offer the driver an authoritative view of the road. On the inside, the dashboard looks neat but remains no-nonsense – just how we like it. The plastics in the car are visibly hard-wearing without looking cheap.
Performance
Although you’d expect the Fiat Doblo’s bulkiness to affect the handling, the Doblo actually makes for a very smooth ride – even on rough and bendy roads. There are a choice of 3 engines; one petrol and two diesels. The 1.4litre petrol gives you 95bhp, but we’d go for a diesel. For city driving, the 1.6 litre diesel will do quite nicely – but if you’re planning on travelling long distances regularly, the 2.0 litre is the way to go. Both accelerate nicely and offer 105 and 135bhp respectively.
Features
The Fiat Doblo van comes with a host of exceptional features – with options across the range including stability control, twin front airbags and side airbags that will also cover the windows. Most of the Doblo’s extra features accentuate the van’s spaciousness – including massive sliding doors, which allow for easy access to the backseats and are light enough to be operated by younger passengers. Similarly, the van’s sizeable tailgate provides ample entry to the boot and keeps the rain off you while loading. There are plenty of storage opportunities inside the car as well, including aeroplane-style overhead compartments and storage compartments in the floor. If it’s space you need, the Fiat Doblo has got you 100% covered.
On top of it all, the Fiat Doblo is very economically priced and cheap to run – an undeniable plus for any large family van. Starting at an affordable £14,480, the Fiat Doblo is a perfect equilibrium of space and practicality. But if you need a little help finding the funds for your Fiat, you’re in luck. At the Car Loan Warehouse, we’re experts in Fiat finance – so check out our online loan calculator for an instant quote.
