Fiat Idea 1.3 Multijet Active Review

Overall Rating

Economy. Performance. Space. Light and airy driving environment. Price.

Some minor electrical glitches had to be sorted until warranty. No Air-Con.

Try imagining the Idea as being a bigged up Punto, and your halfway there. Essentially the same platform, the idea is considerably higher than the punto, and offers superb interior space using upright seating positions.

While the rear seats cannot be removed entirely, they do have a highly flexible arrangement pattern, and I've never needed extra space.
The little 1.3 turbo diesel engine is gutsy enough in the lower rev band to make it nippy in town, and motorway crusing is relaxed. But this isn't a speed merchant, the offset being superb fuel economy. On a recent working expedition, from Manchester to Harrogate (uphill most of the way,) it still averaged 55mpg+ at 70mph over the round trip.
The cabin is light and airy, and the driving position brilliant for those of us with tall backs. I highly recommend it in fact for people like me. We easily get five in, on long trips and nobody has leg problems or lack of space.
All in all, the Fiat Idea has been the best car I've purchased in a long while. It's not brilliant in any one area, but the overall package is great. Plus, by being rude and turning up on the last two days of the month, I managed to beat Fiat down from a list price of £11k, (at the time,) to £9,500 with 2% APR .... plus mats.... plus a tank of diesal (you've seen the show).
Don't get a Punto. Get an Idea.... The thinking mans A-Class. After all wouldn't you rather have the money in YOUR pocket?

Members' Comments onascolti's Review

• stevebroadbent on 20th Nov 2006

  Agreed - we've got a Dynamic (with air conditioning) and it's great. The only negative comments are that diesel is a bit noisy and the rear window winder keeps falling off.

• ascolti on 22nd Nov 2006

  Since writing this review, the Fiat developed an 'interesting' gearbox issue that the main dealer described as being a 'feature of the car'. Basically, the complex linkages from the cabin to the gearbox wear over time, and it becomes harder and harder to select third and fifth gear.
  
  However, taking the car to another (Fiat) dealer had them booking the car in immediately and correcting the fault. The point being that it isn’t so much the car that’s a problem (I’ve heard 20 times worse from BMW drivers) but the actual dealers.