Car Reviews > Chrysler > Delta > Chrysler Delta Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Prices: £19,195 - £21,195
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbo diesel
Gearbox: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power/torque: 120 bhp/ 300 Nm
0-62 mph: 10.7 seconds
Top Speed: 120 miles per hour
Economy: 60.1 miles per gallon
Emissions: 122g per kilometre
Equipment: Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), electric windows, air conditioning, alloy wheels
On Sale: Now

The new Lancia arrives in the United Kingdom, rebadged and promising both “style and luxury

Lancia Deltas are a common sight in the great majority of cities in Europe, but the most recent generation has failed to arrive in the United Kingdom. That is finally all set to change as the Delta arrives here in a right-hand drive and sold as Chrysler. The newcomer is taking on established players such as the Vauxhall Astra, the Ford Focus, and the Volkswagen Golf, but even though it is competitively priced, will that be enough?

Chrysler is aiming to attract drivers who are seeking a fashionable and stylish alternative to the usual players, and the Delta should certainly get their attention with its highly distinctive grille, flowing lines and narrow taillights.

The Chrysler Delta is being hyped as a “luxury” model, and the cabin serves to reinforce that impression with sumptuous leather seats on the higher spec cars and a stylish design and shiny metal trim offsetting the soft-touch dashboard.

There is also a large amount of space on offer, with a bigger than average boot and rear seats that can slide back and forth in a rather useful manner. The bad news however is that the fit and finish are both rather questionable and the driver also has to face many shiny plastics that are easily scratched.

Generally speaking, most people would expect a certain degree of refinement from a luxury car, and yet turning the key reveals the fact that the 1.6-litre engine is astoundingly loud when cold and fails to improve very much even when actually on the move.

On the upside, the torque level of 300 Nm is impressive and makes certain that the car actually feels a lot faster than is initially suggested by the 0-62 miles per hour figure of 10.7 seconds. An added bonus comes with the fact that it can also return over 60 miles per gallon via the standard 6-speed manual gearbox.

The Delta struggles somewhat to provide a comfortable ride when on ruffled roads. The cabin vibrates to the tune of potholes and rough tarmac in a way that just would not happen in the VW Golf. Adaptive dampers are an option that would certainly help the problem, but that also means forking out another £800 to get them, which makes it a fairly costly option.

The Delta aims to be a luxurious and stylish alternative family hatchback on a budget, but while it undeniably has a lot of style, that budget factor shows. More than £21,000 will have to be spent if you want leather seats, and they are certainly very much needed if you want to add a bit of class to the interior. Once you reach that price range, of course, you may as well spend the money on a high-end Focus or Golf model, or even a more powerful version of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta diesel. With that model already being without a doubt one of the most attractive vehicles on the road today, the chances of the new Delta getting a look in seem fairly remote in comparison.

Neither luxurious enough to compete with the likes of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, nor mainstream enough to tempt buyers, the Chrysler Delta is an average all-rounder likely to find itself stuck in a market black spot.

by Autoweb