Fiat Sedici Range Car Review

Facts At A Glance
Car: Fiat Sedici range
Prices: £11,595-£15,895 - on the road
Insurance Group: 7
Emissions: 143-149g/km
Performance: [1.6 4x2] 0-60mph 10.7s / Max Speed 115mph
Fuel Consumption: [1.6 4x2] (urban) 35.8mpg / (extra urban) 54.3mpg / (combined) 45.6mpg
Safety: Twin front & side airbags / ABS with EBD
Dimensions: Length/Width/Heightmm 4115/1755/1620

ALL THE 4x4 YOU’LL EVER NEED?

Our Rating: 7.1 / 10

Fiat look to have got their sums right with the Sedici, a small 4x4 that offers something pretty unique in its segment. Jonathan Crouch checks out the latest improved version

Fiat’s Sedici compact 4x4 looks like a very clever package. Yes, it’s a Compact SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle). But yes also, it’s a versatile Family Hatchback you can afford, with a dash of Italian style to distance it from the other Focus, Astra and Megane models up and down your street.

A family 4x4 for the real world might be one way to describe it. None of the off roading excess you’ll never need but all of the versatility and style you’d normally pay close to £20,000 for. Except in this case you’ll pay from around £11,500 for the entry-level 1.6 16v Dynamic 4x2 model. This car has been improved for the latest model year, with useful power increases for both engines on offer, now a 120bhp 1.6-litre petrol and a 135bhp 2.0-litre Multijet diesel. Even so, both these powerplants record more frugal fuel figures. There are also some minor styling changes, both inside and out.

The shape was originally designed by the Italdesign studio of Giugiaro and it’s a very neat piece of work. Inside, the now restyled fascia is attractively presented with some decent and hard wearing materials used. The combination of a raised driving position, height adjustable driver’s seat, rake-adjustable steering wheel and deep front quarterlight windows offer the driver a commanding driving position with good all-round visibility for a panoramic view of the road ahead.

The cabin’s spacious too. As well as reclining individually, each section of the 60:40 split/folding rear seat can be double folded forwards into an upright stowage position behind the front seat backs, boosting the volume of the flat-floor luggage compartment from 270 to 670 litres. Numerous oddment stowage spaces throughout the car include a large, lockable, passenger side glove box and generous door bins.

So much for showroom considerations. What’s it like on tarmac – or indeed on surfaces much rougher? The answer is somewhat unexpected. Though it’s no Land Rover Freelander, this compact Fiat is endowed with some rather serious off-road artillery – or at least it is if you don’t specify the entry-level 4x2 version. 4x4 Sedici variants have been fitted with a clever on-demand 4x4 system which features an electronically controlled centre differential and three driver-selected operating modes – 2WD, AUTO an

In 2WD mode, used during normal driving conditions, the 4x4 system transmits all engine torque to the front axle, reaping the benefits of a traditional front-wheel drive transmission – improved fuel economy, less mechanical wear and lower emissions. When driving in adverse weather conditions, or on surfaces with low levels of grip, the Sedici driver can select on-demand 4x4 simply by setting the transmission control switch to AUTO. In this mode, the transmission employs the ABS anti-lock brake sensors to detect relative slip levels between front and rear axles and, generating electrical pulses which activate the electromagnetic clutch plate coupling system, intervenes where necessary.

The system’s AUTO setting automatically modulates torque distribution between the front and rear axle, transmitting all torque to the front wheels under the majority of normal driving conditions, whilst optimising torque transfer to the rear axle when the sensors detect low grip, or in anticipation of loss of traction during acceleration.

As its name suggests, LOCK splits engine torque equally between front and rear axles, to ensure prompt and stable take-off in mud, snow, sand or other adverse conditions. This 50:50 torque split is maintained up to speeds of 37 mph, above which the system automatically reverts to the AUTO mode.

The Sedici’s combination of short 895 mm front and 720 mm rear overhangs and high 190 mm ground clearance make it surprisingly well suited to challenging off-road conditions, with approach, departure and break-over angles (the maximum angle of incidence that may be undertaken without the body touching the ground) of 20.3, 31.1 and 18.1 degrees respectively. The car will also readily climb gradients of 33%.

Most of the time of course, you’ll be using the car on tarmac and here, it’s as quiet and unassuming a companion as any other modern family hatch. The 1.6-litre petrol powerplant has 120bhp at its disposal and plenty of poke (sixty from rest is around 1