Review of the new Fiat Doblo range

Practicality is high on the agenda for every mainstream family car but they all temper their approach to some degree. Huge cabin and boot space combined with maximum affordability, could be achieved in a wheeled box powered by a lawnmower engine but it would be a dismal thing to drive and own, not to mention terminally embarrassing to be seen in. Realistically, even the most utilitarian models need to be vaguely competent as all-rounders and Fiat has designed its latest Doblo MPV along these lines.

The Doblo is based on a van and that should tell you much of what you need to know about its place in the market. As well as making Doblo look like a perfectly sensible name, rival models like the Renault Kangoo, Citroen Berlingo Multispace and Peugeot Partner Tepee offer no-frills practicality at prices that attract families on tight budgets.

This is Fiat's second attempt to make headway in the van-based MPV sector after the first generation Doblo failed to live up to its potential in the UK, hindered by its somewhat gawky looks. It served as proof positive that raw practicality isn't enough and today's car, with underpinnings from the latest Doblo Cargo van, is improved in most areas.

The Fiat Multijet diesel engines are a perfect fit in a vehicle of the Doblo's ilk and it's these that form the mainstay of the range. The weedy petrol and diesel engines that saw the previous generation Doblo's 0-60mph times extend up towards the 20s barrier have been axed. Now there are 105bhp 1.6-litre and 135bhp 2.0-litre Multijet diesel units as well as an entry-level 1.4-litre 16-valve petrol with 95bhp. No Doblo is what you would call quick but performance promises to be energetic enough for the kind of use to which the car will be put and the diesel engines should have the muscle to cope with the big payloads that the car is likely to be tasked with.

".there's loads of room inside and a refreshing honesty about the way it goes about its business"

The petrol unit takes 15.4s to reach 62mph from a standing start and with the 1.6 diesel managing a 13.4s time and the strong 2.0-litre taking 11.3s. More relevant is the torque that's available and 320Nm from 1,500rpm underlines the strength of the range-topping unit. Also having a major impact on how the Doblo drives will be its surprisingly advanced suspension system. Unlike other van-based MPVs and the majority of models in the wider small car market, the Fiat has independent suspension at the rear as well as the front. It's a feature normally reserved for far more expensive vehicles and promises to bring a greater level of finesse to the Doblo's handling.

The commercial vehicle origins of the Doblo are clear to see but the boxy dimensions that are essential in a decent van pay dividends by giving the car version a similarly vast carrying capacity. It's never going to be the most stylish thing on the road but blacked-out pillars create the 'floating roof' effect we've seen on many modern passenger cars while the large headlights and a deep grille add impact to the Doblo's front end.

At 4,390mm long and 1,789mm wide, the Doblo is up with the largest models in the van-based MPV class and has a larger footprint than most family hatchbacks. It's no surprise then that the cabin is huge with masses of headroom and an enormous boot. In the five-seat model, there's a 790-litre boot capacity but many customers will choose the family pack which adds two extra seats and turns the Doblo into one of the most affordable seven-seat vehicles around. Fold all the seats down and there's room for 3,200 litres of cargo which will be more than enough for most.

Fiat's usual trim levels crop up again on the Doblo with customers invited to choose from Active, Dynamic and Eleganza models. There's a big premium of close to £3,000 to be paid to get a diesel engine and many buyers will be tempted by the attractively priced entry-level 1.4 petrol models. In Active trim they still come with ESP stability control, a Hill Holder function, front and side airbags, electric front windows, a CD stereo, remote central locking and body-coloured wing mirrors.

As well as the trim level options, Fiat also offers the Family Pack which turns the Doblo into a seven-seater with roof rails, alloy wheels and front fog lights. The Blue & Sound Pack, meanwhile, includes an MP3 compatible stereo, Bluetooth connectivity and TomTom satellite navigation. There's a five-speed manual gearbox for the petrol Doblos and six-speed units for the diesels.

Every Doblo comes with Fiat's Start&Stop technology and an optimum gear change indicator to help owners get the maximum fuel economy. The official figures don't make stunning reading initially but you have to remember how much the Doblo can carry. On the combined cycle, the 1.4-litre engine returns 39mpg with the 1.6-litre Multijet offering 54mpg and the 2.0-litre Multijet coming in with 50mpg. CO2 emissions are 166g/km, 138g/km and 150g/km for the three models respectively.

There's very little beating about the bush where the Fiat Doblo is concerned. The vehicle puts its commercial vehicle roots to work in offering buyers big practicality for an encouragingly small price. Inevitably, it's steady rather than stylish and the impressive diesel engines come at quite a premium over the adequate petrol unit but there's loads of room inside and a refreshing honesty about the way it goes about its business.

TOP 5 DOBLO DEALS

The results below show the top DOBLO deals on buyacar

Fiat Doblo 1.6 Multijet 105 Active 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £12,959 Read Doblo Reviews	Save £2,836
Fiat Doblo 1.6 Multijet 105 Active High Roof 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £13,754 Read Doblo Reviews	Save £3,056
Fiat Doblo 1.6 Multijet 90 Eleganza H/R [Family] 5dr Dualogic Diesel Estate
Price £16,442 Read Doblo Reviews	Save £3,843
Fiat Doblo 1.4 16V Active 5dr Estate
Price £11,110 Read Doblo Reviews	Save £2,275
Fiat Doblo 1.4 16V Eleganza 5dr Estate
Price £12,436 Read Doblo Reviews	Save £2,649
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