It was 28 years ago that the Fiat Tipo first turned up, winning Car of the Year due to its offering of space and equipment for a reasonably low price. While few of the original model survive now, Fiat is reviving the name for its new Focus competitor.
It’s also reviving the same selling point; lots of space, plenty of toys, and quite a small asking price. That means that not only is the car going after the likes of the Peugeot 308, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra, but it also wants a share of the more value-oriented market dominated by Kia and Hyundai.
While it’s an all-new design, there’s nothing to get too excited about. There's no hybrid, no sports model, no carbon fibre chassis. It’s just a sensible, grown up car that Fiat hopes will find around 1,000 homes a month in the UK.
Performance 3/5
The Tipo isn’t a car to set the pulse racing, and the engine range reflects that. A 1.4-litre petrol engine is available with 94bhp, or a turbocharged version with 118bhp on offer. Oddly, a larger 1.6-litre unit offers less power but comes with a traditional automatic gearbox. Diesel options consist of 1.3-litre or 1.6-litre engines, also delivering 94 or 118bhp.
Choose the automatic option on the diesel and you get a twin-clutch six-speed box with, importantly, the same power available from the engine.
None of the options are particularly nippy, but the 1.6 diesel we spent our time in is quick enough to keep up with traffic around the city or out on the motorway. The 0-62mph sprint takes 10.1 seconds, which is as good as any of its similarly priced rivals can manage.
The engine itself is fitted to all sorts of cars and is very much a tried and tested unit. If it’s good enough for the Jeep Renegade, Suzuki S-Cross and Alfa Romeo Giulietta, it’ll be absolutely fine in the lightweight Tipo.
Ride and handling 4/5
This is where you can start sensing the cost saving measures Fiat has taken in producing the Tipo. While the ride quality is by no means bad, and it positively sails over large undulations in the road, niggly little surface imperfections make themselves felt in the cabin. It never truly settles, as if to remind you that the accounts team refused the request for nicer dampers, but the softness means it’s also never uncomfortable.
Something strange is going on with the Tipo though. Despite the budget tag, it’s actually quite a fine handling car. Understeer is pleasingly absent and while it’s not something that will corner flat, it clings to the road far better than anybody has any right to expect despite the body roll. The heavy diesel engine pushes the nose wide eventually, but the pleasingly weighted steering and well-balanced chassis means you could embarrass a few more expensive rivals. It just won’t be pretty.
The petrol engined model is even better, thanks to the lighter engine, and positively darts into corners with nearly as much enthusiasm as a Ford Focus.
Interior and equipment 4/5
Soft-touch plastics, intricate detailing, plush leather seating and a Bose sound system are just some of the things you won’t find in a Tipo. Instead, it’s all focussed very much on value mantra, but with some surprises.
The dashboard is a neat, modern design that is easier on the eye than something you might find in a Dacia, but the material qualities are some way off the standard you might expect. Being kind, describing the plastics as hard wearing would be accurate.
Get past that and the rationale behind the Tipo becomes clear. Every model in the range gets a DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity, electric windows and air-conditioning, so buyers won’t be skimping on any of the essentials. Move up a grade and there’s a five-inch touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control and parking sensors.
Higher models include TomTom satellite navigation, automatic lights and wipers and a reversing camera, while full leather heated seats are optional should you miss the point.
That’s all wrapped up in a genuinely spacious cabin. The rear seats have room for even the tallest of adults - the roof is surprisingly high, despite the swooping rear window line - and there is acres of legroom, while the front offers plenty of shoulder room.
A huge 420-litre boot, while not quite as big on paper as some rivals, is far more usable thanks to it’s big, square shape and large hatch opening. The estate is positively cavernous, and offers a completely flat floor.
Cost 4/5
Any weaknesses in the Tipo are forgiven here. With a starting price of just £12,995, it undercuts pretty much everything, and that’s before you’ve started comparing equipment levels. The Peugeot 308, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf are between three and five thousand pounds more expensive, while the Tipo even undercuts the likes of the Hyundai i30, Kia cee’d and MG6 by four figure margins.
Even this mid-spec diesel option comes in at just £16,995, compared to the 1.4-litre turbo petrol’s £14,995, making either a tempting proposition.
It won’t be expensive to run either, thanks to frugal engines and low CO2 figures. The powerful diesel option promises to return 76.3mpg and emit just 98g/km of CO2, giving a car tax bill of zero. Company car buyers will face a BIK burden of 17 per cent, something that could drop thanks to a forthcoming eco model that promises sub-90g/km emissions.
Our verdict 4/5
Expectations for the Tipo were low, but Fiat has surprised us all by turning out a car that’s exactly as they describe it. The advertising campaign will focus on getting more for less, and that’s what has been provided here.
The Tipo is a car that’s demonstrably more practical than the majority of its rivals, comes loaded with just as much (or even more) equipment, and won’t break the bank when it comes to running costs. It’s even quite good looking, in an anonymous sort of way.
There are compromises that have been made to keep the prices low, so the Tipo may not steal too many sales from Volkswagen or even Skoda, but the budget brands that focus on price should worry. It’s taken 28 years, but the Tipo is every bit as good as it used to be.