Fiat Attempts to Tip the Scales with New Tipo

Fiat South Africa has recently expanded its offerings in South Africa and have targeted a piece of ground in the C-segment market, bringing a new sedan and hatch to upset the proverbial apple cart.

The new Tipo wedges itself between popular rivals such as the VW Polo and Ford Fiesta, as well as the Mazda 2, Toyota Yaris and Renault Clio. Then there’s also the Peugeot 208 and Kia Rio. It’s going to have its work cut out if it is going to crack this tight market space. Fiat has gone on the offensive here, targeting customers who are looking for more car for less money, and what they are offering is quite intriguing.

Sedan

Fiat will release the sedan version of the Tipo in two trim levels namely POP as the entry-level, and Easy with a higher spec. Three engine derivatives will be available, the 1.6-litre E-Torq naturally aspirated, and a 1.4-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine with six-speed manual and automatic gearbox options, and a 1.3-litre diesel in a five-speed manual only.

Hatchback

The Hatch will be placed on sale with three trim levels. Much like the sedan, the POP and Easy are offered but the hatch incorporates the Lounge spec as well.

The same two petrol engines and 6-speed manual and automatic gearboxes will be on offer, but the diesel will be dropped from the hatch offering and instead the 1.6-litre Easy will only be available with the six-speed auto.

Engine and Suspension

Sadly, the 1.4-litre engine in the hatch was somewhat disappointing, as it failed to pull the Tipo along at a reasonable pace and struggled when presented with an uphill. Fiat should seriously consider adding a turbocharged version to the line-up, as even at coastal level, the engines felt strained.

The diesel, however, was a different story…

The small 1.3-litre diesel engine completely astounded me. How Fiat managed to pull so much torque and low-down power from such a small engine is unbelievable. We were able to sample all of the different variants at launch and the diesel was surely the stand-out of the lot.

The figures don’t lie, with the 1.4-litre petrol churning out 70kW and 127nm, the 1.6-litre 81kW and 152m and the diesel punching well above its weight-division with 70kW and 200Nm.

The difference between the petrol and diesel is night and day, and once you understand what section of the market Fiat is targeting with the Tipo, one begins to understand why. I expect to see fleets of Tipos lined up at car rental companies and the like.

The suspension was comfortably pliant, soaking up the bumps on the freeways and side roads while still being efficient enough to handle some spirited driving around the twisty, low-lying hills.

Styling and Comfort

The Tipo has lines that are very similar to those players already in the segment. The sedan has a very similar profile to that of the Ford Focus while the hatch will have you conjuring up images of a VW Polo. This isn’t a bad thing as customers in this segment are generally looking for cars that don’t stand out too much.

There are styling elements that let you know it’s a Fiat, such as the reverse chrome tipped grille, swooping headlights, striking bodyline and the uniquely designed hockey stick style taillights. Fiat is also offering additional options for the Lounge-derivative such as leather seats and 17-inch wheels.

Verdict

Fiat is being very smart about dipping their toes into the chosen market segment and has brought an incredible value proposition with the Tipo.

Wrestling sales away from the other manufacturers isn’t going to be easy, but targeting both private sales as well as fleet operators is the best way to ensure that we see more of these good-looking cars on our roads.

Pricing (at launch)

Tipo Sedan 1.4l POP	R229 900
Tipo Sedan 14l  EASY	R249 900
Tipo Sedan 1.6l EASY	R274 900
Tipo Sedan 1.3l Diesel EASY	R274 900

Tipo Hatch 1.4l POP	R249 900
Tipo Hatch 1.4l EASY	R269 900
Tipo Hatch 1.4l LOUNGE	R289 900
Tipo Hatch 1.6l EASY (Auto	R294 900