Car Reviews > Chrysler > Ypsilon > Chrysler Ypsilon Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Prices: £13,195
Engine: 900 cc, 2-cylinder, turbo
Gearbox: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power/torque: 84 bhp/ 145 Nm
0-62 mph: 11.7 seconds
Top Speed: 109 miles per hour
Economy: 67.3 miles per gallon
Emissions: 99g per kilometre
Equipment: Air conditioning, leather steering wheel, ambient cabin lighting, powered door mirrors, 15-inch alloys, LED taillights, stop-start system
On Sale: Now

Chrysler unleashes this striking new super-mini with the aim of making a big impression – but do they succeed?

Chrysler is well renowned for the big MPVs it puts out in the United Kingdom, but now it seems that the firm has been thinking on a much smaller scale with its brand new model.

The little Ypsilon is a rebadged Lancia that aims to provide a level of luxury, technology, and refinement unrivalled in a super-mini. The first thing that really grabs the attention, however, is the very bold styling on display.

The rather narrow and tall Ypsilon will not be to all tastes with its fussy curves, straight lines, and creases. It does come with an option for two-tone paint – at the cost of an additional £600 – but this nonetheless still fails to add any significant kind of improvement to the overall appearance of the vehicle.

The interior also continues along similar lines in terms of its aesthetic appeal (or lack of, depending on your point of view). The interior of the car comes with a central instrument pod and a very distinctive Castiglio seat trim. Unfortunately, not only is the interior very cramped indeed, but also it all feels terribly cheap, particularly when in directly compared to the great majority of its rivals. The test car also emitted numerous rattles and creaks whenever it encountered any bumps on the road as well.

On the plus side, it must be said that the SE models do come with a decent amount of kit, including a leather steering wheel, ambient lighting, and air conditioning, while big car options include the likes of such things as a self-parking system and xenon lights. There is also a rather familiar line-up of diesel and petrol engines that have clearly been sourced directly from the Fiat. Of these diesel and engine petrol engines, by far the best choice is the TwinAir, which manages to be both eager and punchy.

The Ypsilon is terrific when driving around in town thanks to a high driving position and the light controls, but when it is actually out on the open road, the noticeable lack of grip plus the poor body control and equally poor level of refinement means that the vehicle simply cannot help but trail an awful long way behind its rivals. The car simply does not have what it takes to make the grade as a truly premium super-mini, regardless of the claims of the manufacturer. Once you start to look beyond the admittedly distinctive interior and the decidedly quirky styling, what you actually end up finding is a vehicle that fails to match its mainstream competitors in almost every capacity you can think of. With very lacklustre driving dynamics, a high price, and a low quality cabin being some of the biggest issues, the poor refinement turns out to be just another negative point against the car. The TwinAir engine is admittedly brilliant, but even that and the promise of clever big car options are just not enough to make any significant impact on the chances that the Ypsilon has of being a real success in today’s competitive marketplace.

by Autoweb