Look and appearance
Fiat Tipo was launched by the Italians at the late ’80s, as a successor of Fiat Ritmo / Strada. The car was equipped with an attractive hatchback, with a good road behavior. The galvanized body was an absolute premiere for the Italian manufacturer, FIAT. Success came immediately, as the car won the European Car of the Year award in 1989 (was named 1989 European Car of the Year).
Twenty years after the “retirement” of the first Tipo, Fiat has returned, not with a classic compact hatchback, but relying on the idea of a near-low-cost sedan. So we’re talking about a rival which is far superior to Logan. The new Fiat Tipo is a more suitable competitor for the French brothers Citroen C-Elysee / Peugeot 301 or for the “Made by VW” Skoda Rapid / Seat Toledo couple respectively.
At one time, FIAT was setting a real new benchmark at European level for cheap quality cars. Fortunately, this also applies to the new Fiat Tipo. Plus one more thing: in Tipo, compromises in terms of exterior appearance are extremely low compared to other models in its category. We will not venture to say that Tipo has a good design, but it’s hard to believe that a reasonable person would have something to complain about this car’s design. Tipo is simply balanced and gives the impression of robustness that any family oriented person would love.
However, there is a little “secret” behind this agreeable shape and design: the length of this sedan exceeds 4.5 meters. Therefore, Tipo is longer than its rivals (compared with Logan, the difference is almost 20 cm), so promises a better space. Let’s see if they keep their promise.
Car interior and practicality
We defined Fiat Tipo as a not too compact sedan, with a length of 4.53 meters and a height of about 1.5 meters. The wheelbase exceeds 2.63 meters (nearly as Skoda Octavia’s wheelbase) and the trunk has a capacity of 520 liters – 10 liters more than the Logan’s trunk, but with about 30 liters less than Skoda Rapid (which has a rear tailgate).
In practical terms, the feeling of space inside the new Fiat Tipo is striking. The front seats are very generous, and some less athletic people might even criticize the placement of the door armrest too far from the left elbow. In my opinion, Tipo is more suitable for tall stature drivers, so I felt the need to have a higher driving position for a better visibility. 
It should also be noted that Marc Ulieriu, editor-in-chief at S&T, said he was very pleased with the space in the front passenger seat, which is a very rare thing, giving the fact he is 1.95-meter tall and he has a semi-Schwarzenegger constitution. What is even more interesting is that behind him, the space was more than enough for the knees of the rear-seat passengers.
However, according to Catalin Beldea, the “eclipse hunter of S&T”, the headroom is enough only for people of medium height; tall and very tall people can feel uncomfortable. This aspect also applies to rival manufacturers, as a three-box design requires some compromises by tilting the rear window.
In essence, the rear seat is wide enough to allow the transportation of three adults, but the middle passenger will feel uncomfortable central tunnel. Altogether, in my opinion, Tipo’s cabin is very generous for this type of vehicle, being designed for optimal passenger comfort.
The vehicle has a 520-litre trunk capacity, which is a great advantage; the trunk is indeed very spacious and with a reasonable geometry. Thanks to the reclining rear seat, the loading volume can be extended, but the modularity it’s pretty limited. The lack of fasteners seemed a little curious, but the hood arms are so quite judiciously placed, which is a good thing, as they’re not an obstacle if the trunk is loaded with bulky luggage. 
The idea of placing a damper on the right is extremely interesting, as the trunk lid will close in a more elegant way. Honestly, the idea of a tailgate, as in the Skoda Rapid, is favoring the space and modularity for luggage. But even so, Fiat Tipo seems very well adapted to the needs of an ordinary family, even for holidays and longer vacations.
Efficiency and road behavior
Just to make things clear from the beginning, Fiat Tipo should be regarded as a decent car, without dynamism claims, but designed to carry its passengers in fair comfort and safety conditions. But things are slightly better than that, especially with the top diesel engine, 120 hp / 1.6-liter MultiJet.
When traveling to Barlad, for the S & T Academy conference, I had the opportunity to fully test the ability of Fiat Tipo to cope with a hurried style, in a long journey. And the result has been more than what I expected from an affordable car. 
First of all, the suspension offers a good compromise between rigidity and comfort, and in case of powerful braking, the pumping phenomenon is well held in check. The stability of the vehicle on a curved path (the movement on a curved trajectory) is excellent; however, it does not provide a sporty drive. The car is limited to demonstrate a safe and competent behavior. Its direction only has satisfactory feedback, but the braking system is not impressive at all.
Once exceeded the 2,000 rpm barrier, the diesel engine works without any problems, the maximum torque of 320Nm proving to be useful for allowances made at high speeds (over 100 km/h). Unfortunately, the car’s wheelhouse is not precisely designed, which brings you back down to earth if you tend to confuse the Fiat with an Alfa Romeo. 
I was surprised I’ve found a proper driving position by just a little driver’s seat adjustment, which confirmed me once again that Tipo is designed for tall people. Visibility is also excellent and the car engine sound is lower than what I expected from a diesel. The body noises at high speeds are reasonable.
In urban areas, you can choose the “City” mode, for an easier direction. However, I think its usefulness is limited to the parking maneuvers, as the steering wheel is too sensitive in this mode. Speeds below 2,000 rpm are not suitable for the vehicle in the “City” mode; demotion is the best option, especially since the setting of the lower gear is short. 
Basically, I believe that Fiat Tipo’s road behavior is the hidden advantage of this car model. Honestly, I did not expect this model to excel in this. But the impression is about the top diesel. I am sure that the situation of the dynamic abilities will be greatly diminished in case of weaker engines, but the handling and comfort shall remain commendable for an affordable sedan.
Urban and extra-urban consumption
The section “consumption” is relatively interesting for this 1.6-liter 120 hp diesel engine Tipo version. But the car fails to impress in urban areas: I got in Bucharest over 7 liters / 100 km in crowded conditions. However, in the extra-urban environment things are different.
On the way from Bucharest to Barlad we adopted a high-speed style, given the unpredictable crowd from the early morning hours, which was making us late for the meeting with the students from Barlad. So we didn’t spare the acceleration at the fast overruns and the tempo was rather specific to the highway regime. Average consumption shown at the destination amounted to 7 liters / 100 km, a reasonable value given the aggressive style.
On our way back, since we were no longer under time pressure, (and one of the passengers rightfully did not agree with exceeding the speed limits on roads of our homeland) we took it easy, with a maximum speed of only 100-110 km/h and a more thoughtful driving style, without bringing the tachometer needle in the red overtaking zone.
I was totally surprised when on our arrival in Bucharest the specified average consumption was 5.5 liters / 100km and with the remaining fuel I could still drive over 100 km before refueling. After a journey of 580 km with an average speed of 60 km / h (no highways route), I think that Fiat Tipo 1.6 Mjet made a very good job in terms of consumption.
Budget and facilities
Fiat Tipo’s starting price is 10,990 EUR (VTA included); this price is valid for 1.4-liter 95 hp petrol engines. The basic equipment is just ok (standard air conditioning, for example). The cheapest version is the diesel version (1.3 Mjet, 95 hp); the starting price of this version is 13.451 EUR, which is already a spicy price. 
The most affordable Tipo, with a 120 hp 1.6 Mjet engine (as it is the model of this test) has a starting price of 15,700 EUR, for a POP trim level. A very interesting price, given the generous space and the excellent dynamic and consumption performances the car provides.
But there is one problem: while we initially said that the new Fiat Tipo is not in the Logan’s low-cost league, the plastic quality and tactile aspect of various details give a strong cheap feeling. In other words, some people might ignore the benefits of the car due to interior plastics. 
For this reason, Tipo is suitable whether for pragmatic people, who have the habit of yielding to momentary impressions, whether for business or companies who are analyzing more accurately the benefits of a car. For the Italian manufacturer Fiat, Tipo is an important bet, and the promises relating to reliability are quite high. This may mean that the low-cost appearance of the plastics actually hides a good durability over time.
CONCLUSION
Overall, Fiat Tipo has left a good impression on me, although I initially thought that “its plastics are too cheap for the car’s price”. For this reason, immediately arises the temptation to compare Tipo with Logan instead of comparing it with models such as Citroen C-Elysee or Skoda Rapid. 
But once is used in proper and normal conditions, Tipo reveals several advantages: a carefully considered and well thought out suspension, a potent and even economical 1.6-liter diesel engine, a very generous interior space and facilities at a proper level. If Tipo would propose a hybrid propulsion system for its price, it wouldn’t even be interested in plastics. How about that, Fiat? How do you like my suggestion?
