The term "multi-purpose vehicle" — or, in English, MPV — has long been adopted by marketers, and now it is firmly lodged in our minds. But behind this loud name often hides a much more down-to-earth entity — an ordinary "heel" (delivery van). It is under this label that the compact van Fiat Doblo is concealed.
At first glance, falling in love with this Fiat is hard, no matter which way you approach it. There is not a single fresh detail in its appearance that would set it apart from its French classmates. And the very concept of a "heel" here truly excites only owners of dry cleaners or courier services. Such a car is chosen not with the heart but with the head — like a good hammer drill or chainsaw.
But if you use it regularly, the Italian van begins to earn respect — as a reliable and practical tool.
The main principle of all "multi-purpose" vehicles is fully observed here: the volume is truly impressive. The Doblo will easily swallow a 600-kilogram load, so moving or renovating with it turns into a pleasant adventure.
The luggage compartment is simply a cave: up to 3000 liters of free space. A medium-sized dining table doesn't even need to be disassembled — you just fold the rear seats forward. Loading is also well thought out: the tailgate doors open sideways, so a tall person won't have to bow down while hauling in another wardrobe.
The sliding side doors are a real find: even in a crowded parking lot, the rear row is easy to access. Two adults are quite comfortable there. Three can also fit, but then the passengers must be either slim or not too demanding — the cramped space does make itself felt. And the suspension, which is somewhat stiff here, is easier to bear in company. The Doblo shakes considerably on any surface far from ideal.
The driver's seat is a separate plus: moderately soft, with an armrest and decent lateral support, and there are plenty of adjustments. After a whole day spent driving around to hardware stores, you'll still have energy left to continue the renovation.
Adjust the steering wheel for height, turn on the air conditioner, tune in your favorite radio station — and you can calmly head off for another bag of plaster. The seating position is high, and visibility is decent. However, in the rain, the rear window quickly gets covered, and the wiper only works on one half. Also, the interior trim rattles, which on a long journey can give you a headache and throw all your plans into disarray.
Fuel consumption is pleasing: city errands for wallpaper of the right shade will cost about 10 liters of 95-octane per hundred kilometers. Acceleration to 100 km/h takes 18.7 seconds, and the top speed is 138 km/h. For a "heel," that's quite decent, although, of course, owners of domestic analogues might find it even too brisk.
Under the hood is a modest 1.4-liter engine with 77 horsepower, which can be revved up to 6600 rpm — the speedometer scale is marked up to 7000. The engine, of course, starts to work loudly under such loads, but it pulls persistently. There's enough power in the gears to keep up with city traffic. But you need to be careful with overtaking — you need a decent margin of time. Even shifting down, you won't get a miracle. Though, everyone has their own expectations…
If the store is about to close, and the craftsmen demand materials exactly today, there's no other choice — you have to press the gas.
All other road users instantly turn into slow snails, between whom you need to weave, not forgetting to express your opinion about their driving style (builders usually do this). And at the same time, you can't lose vigilance. Sharp lane changes are only possible for the Doblo up to 59 km/h, and even then with frightening rolls due to the high center of gravity, and the rear end tends to slide out. And what about those "moose" (sudden obstacles) that jump out from the neighboring lane!
But you can swerve around a sudden obstacle and return to your lane at speeds up to 119.3 km/h! For such a car, that's an excellent result. True, sometimes you can't dodge, and then you have to brake hard. Here, the "Italian" doesn't shine: the results are stable on both cold and warmed-up brakes, but all of them slightly exceed the 42-meter standard.
And finally, about the price. The cost of 485 thousand rubles is unlikely to charm anyone — it's a substantial sum. But for a quality tool, it's customary to pay…
Ciao, Russia!
For a long time, the Fiat Doblo was assembled in Brazil, Turkey, and Vietnam. By the way, our test involved a Turkish-built car. But a few months ago, the list of production countries expanded.
At the plant in Naberezhnye Chelny, they began assembling the Doblo from car kits supplied from the Turkish plant of the Italian company. The Russian version is special, adapted for cold climates. It features more frost-resistant materials, a higher-capacity battery, non-freezing fluids, as well as a more powerful generator and heater. In Russia, the compact van is offered in three trim levels: Base, Classic, and Comfort.