Review of the new Fiat Sedici 4x2

What if you could delete one solitary feature on your new car and that feature's absence would render the vehicle nearly £1,800 less expensive, more fuel efficient and greener too. Moreover, this piece of car that you've chosen to forgo will have no impact on the way your vehicle looks and a negligible one on the way it drives. There's a good chance that you'll never notice it's gone at all. It raises questions about why such a device would be fitted in the first place and it's easy to imagine customers queuing up for the opportunity of doing without it. The feature in question is the 4x4 transmission on Fiat's Sedici and the car that hasn't got it is the Fiat Sedici 4x2.

When you look at how small 4x4 vehicles like the Fiat Sedici are used in the UK, the 4x4 transmission can start to look like a bit of a handicap. Yes it provides extra grip on slipper road surfaces and can endow the car with some off-road ability but few buyers at this smallest end of the spectrum will put that to the test. The 4x4 transmission also adds weight, harming performance and economy, and increases the cost. It's hardly surprising that so many manufacturers are now offering versions of their 4x4s without four-wheel-drive.

The 4x2 Sedici is based around the 1.6-litre petrol engine that's also available mated to the standard 4x4 transmission. In this instance, the car is strictly front-wheel drive but the engine has an identical 120bhp power output. The 0-60mph acceleration time is slightly faster at a moderately nippy 10.7s and the Sedici can breach the 100mph barrier if required with its 115mph maximum speed.

In its standard 4x4 guise, the Sedici isn't a vehicle that you'd feel comfortable using off-road although it is better than you might imagine. Like the majority of its rivals, it's capable of tackling unmade roads or crossing wet grass with ample composure but lacks the under body protection, ground clearance and driver aids that serious 4x4s have in their locker. The Sedici is purchased predominantly as a road-going car, the chunky 4x4-styling giving it an edge in desirability over more run-of-the-mill superminis or hatchbacks. It's hard to imagine the 4x2 model fairing any worse than the 4x4 in a typical urban setting where its higher driving position still gives good visibility and its raised ride height still helps when negotiating speed humps.

"Only the absence of a drivetrain switch button next to the handbrake gives the game away that you're in a 4x2 model not the 4x4."

The 4x2 Fiat Sedici may be lacking something underneath but the exterior styling that's a major selling point of the 4x4 models remains unaltered. Responsibility for the Sedici's looks lies with the Italdesign studio of Giugiaro and it's a very neat piece of work. Inside, the fascia is attractively designed with some decent and hard wearing materials used. The combination of a raised driving position, height adjustable driver's seat, rake-adjustable steering wheel and deep front quarter light windows offer the driver a commanding driving position with good all-round visibility for a panoramic view of the road ahead. Only the absence of a drivetrain switch button next to the handbrake gives the game away that you're in a 4x2 model not the 4x4.

The interior is a lot more spacious than you might think, the Multipla-style low waistline giving the cabin an airy feel. As well as reclining individually, each section of the 60:40 split/folding rear seat can be double folded forwards into an upright stowage position behind the front seat backs, boosting the volume of the flat-floor luggage compartment from 270 to 670 litres. Numerous oddment stowage spaces throughout the car include a large, lockable, passenger side glove box and generous door bins.

The low pricing of the Sedici is possibly the major draw for customers. Positioned nearly £1,800 below the 4x4 model with the same engine and trim, the 4x2 Fiat looks a bit of a bargain. The car is based on the Dynamic trim level and as such, gets four airbags, electric mirrors and (front) windows, remote central locking, air-conditioning and front fog lights.

In the wider market, the Sedici 4x2 goes up against the collection of sub-compact 4x4 models that aren't really 4x4s at all. It looks distinctly affordable in comparison to jacked-up superminis and MPVs like Citroen's C3 XTR and Skoda's Roomster Scout and even more so if you're after a proper off-roader shape. The Suzuki SX4 or Daihatsu Terios are about as close as you'll get to the Fiat, the SX4 being built on the same underpinnings, but both have 4x4 transmissions and the 4x2 Sedici undercuts both.

The 1.6-litre petrol engine in the Sedici 4x2 has an easier time of it thanks to the absence of weighty 4x4 mechanicals. It can return a creditable 45.6mpg on the combined cycle where the 4x4 version can only manage 43.5mpg. Emissions are also lowered to 143g/km compared to 149g/km in the 4x4 car. Add these advantages to the substantially lower upfront costs and you have a significantly more affordable car to run. Insurance is group seven for all the 1.6-litre petrol-engines Sedicis.

Most 4x4 vehicles in the UK are purchased for reasons relating to styling and image rather than because of their ability to cross off-road terrain. It therefore makes plenty of sense for Fiat's Sedici to axe its expensive and weighty all-wheel-drive transmission in favour of a conventional front-wheel driven set-up, cheaper running costs and a vastly reduced purchase price. With its 4x4 looks, the Sedici makes a more interesting buy than most of the other compact cars you can get for similar money and looks well-placed to become a niche market success story for the brand.

Powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine and in reasonably plush Dynamic trim, the Sedici 4x2 promises to deliver the best bits of the Sedici with markedly lower costs. In this day and age, the appeal of saving that kind of money should not be under estimated. In general, the Sedici feels well-built and pleasant to drive with its lofty driving position and decent dynamics. It's not the most obvious choice for those with £11,500 to spend on a small car but that could be its major strength.