New Fiat Car Reviews
New Fiat Ducato Van Range Car Review

HEFT DEFYING FIAT

Fiat’s Ducato is bigger and brawnier but is it better? Steve Walker finds out.

More so than virtually any other category of vehicle, the panel van comes in a mind-boggling array of different shapes and sizes. Trying to get your head around the sprawling interwoven structure of body and power options that comprise a modern panel van Range can be a real brain burner but the line-ups keep expanding so the demand must be there. Take Fiat’s latest Ducato for instance. Dip a toe into the brochure and you’re immediately confronted with three engines, three wheelbases, three roof heights, four gross vehicle weights and numerous combinations thereof. Is there such a thing as too much choice?

The Fiat Ducato has bounded upmarket size-wise in its latest form. The largest derivative of the old model that operators could lay their hands on was a 3.5-tonner with a 12m3 load volume. Today, the big Fiat tops out with a 17m3 volume and a 4.0-tonne gross vehicle weight. This propels it into the top tier of the panel van sector where the likes of the Mercedes Sprinter, Volkswagen’s Crafter and Iveco’s Daily traditionally hold court. In addition to the panel vans, there are also crew cabs, chassis cabs, dropside trucks and a Combinato minibus, all expanding the Ducato’s potential market.

You don’t expect to be flummoxed by the way a panel van looks but the Ducato is far from conformist in its appearance, at least in comparison to the troop of drab, identikit models that used to populate panel van land. Things are a little different these days with some charismatic design efforts having been turned out by the leading marques, but the Fiat still stands out. It would stand out further were it not for its Citroen Relay and Peugeot Boxer sister models that are also built at the Atessa plant in Italy’s Cheiti province to the same design.

The Ducato’s huge bulbous front bumper extends up above the line of the wheelarches, meeting the corresponding bulge of bonnet section in a deep crevice that then stretches along the vehicle’s flanks. The expanse of plastic that forms the bumper is split into three sections to negate the need to replace the whole thing in the event of an accident, and incorporates a handy step to make cleaning the windscreen less of a scramble. The Ducato differentiates itself from the equivalent Peugeot and Citroen offerings with a classy metallic surround for the grille that’s cut into that front bumper.

At the rear, functionality must take precedence and the Ducato is less visually remarkable but it impresses in other ways. The loadbay has been designed to maximise the useful space available and it’s class-leading in this regard. Access is via sliding doors on both flanks and twin side-hinged doors at the back where a wide step is integrated into the bumper and the loading height is a ground-hugging 535mm. Inside, there’s space for objects of up to 1,422mm to be slid in between the wheelarches and the whole loadbay gets half-height protective side panelling. Most impressive, however, is the uniform shape of the loadbay itself. Where some panel vans noticeably taper off growing narrower towards the roofline, the space in the Ducato is very square, allowing the full load volume to be better utilised. By mixing and matching the various body options, Ducato operators can achieve load volumes ranging from 8 to 17m3 and maximum payloads from 1,115 to 1,850kg.

The cabin interior initially looks similar to that of the old Ducato with the same modular dashboard design and dash-mounted gearshifter but you soon realise that it’s entirely new while retaining the same themes. The designers have gone overboard on storage, building two pockets into each door, a large but optional overhead shelf and a pair of gloveboxes. The middle glovebox is worthy of note as it’s particularly large. Folding down beneath the dash, it yields enough room - Fiat suggest - for a laptop computer and is lockable for extra security. The clipboard that flips out from atop the facia is a neat idea carried over from the old Ducato. The Ducato’s is a very practical and spacious interior with only the quality of the plastics used raising a realistic question mark.

Power comes from one of three engines, all sophisticated Multijet common-rail diesels. There’s a 100bhp 2.2-litre, a 120bhp 2.3-litre and a 157bhp 3.0-litre that generate 250, 320 and 400Nm maximum torque outputs respectively. The lesser unit gets a 5-speed gearbox but the other two benefit from six speeds. Even the 100bhp engine delivers a convincing shove and it should be more than adequate for buyers looking at the smaller Ducato models. The engines are pleasantly refined too.

This Ducato boasts a 30% increase in chassis rigidity over the vehicle it has replaced, and this extra stiffness can be felt on the road. The van corners with composure on suspension that may be slightly firm for some tastes but that highlights the sharp driving dynamics. The stubby nose of the Ducato contributes to a seriously tight turning circle and good forward visibility, greatly simplifying those tricky manoeuvres.

Despite efforts to produce a more ‘car-like’ driving position, the wheel is still mounted quite flat, but the variable power steering is a first in a panel van and it works well - staying light at low speeds and weighting up nicely for better control on the motorway. The seat padding is soft and it’s open to question how comfortable this will prove during a long day behind the wheel but there’s a good degree of adjustment allowing drivers of differing proportions to get comfortable.

All Fiat Ducato models come with remote central locking, electric windows, a rake adjustable steering wheel and a CD stereo with ABS, EBD and a driver’s airbag accounting for the safety provision. A rendezvous with the options list will be required if niceties like ESP stability control, climate control, Fiat’s Blue&Me communication interface or a rear parking camera take your fancy.

Fiat have done a commendable job on the Ducato. It’s amongst the most practical panel vans on the market and it’s obvious that serious thought has gone into the way the vehicle will be used by operators. The diesel engines are from the top drawer, as we’ve come to expect from Fiat, and the adventurous styling gives the van a distinct personality. The important bits do feel tough and durable, while the optional bulkhead is a good idea. The taut chassis and good manoeuvrability mean you can even have a bit of fun at the wheel of a Ducato, what more could you ask for?
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