Fiat Ulysse MPV

A spacious MPV with great comfort. Check out the review

 

 

 
ON THE ROAD

Performance
Petrol buyers are offered a 136bhp 2.0 with either manual or automatic transmission. The auto is a little hesitant away from the mark but comfortable at speed. There are also two fine turbodiesels – a 2.0 with 109bhp and a 2.2 offering 128bhp. While both pull smoothly, the 2.2’s extra low-down grunt does a better job of hauling the Ulysse’s bulk.

Ride & handling
For a full-sized MPV the Ulysse drives well. The ride is on the firm side around town, but it settles well at speed and provides excellent composure. The steering is well weighted, while body lean through bends is well controlled.

Refinement
The Fiat does a good job of transporting a family comfortably over long journeys, as wind and road noise are well suppressed. All three engines make themselves heard under acceleration, but never become coarse and settle to a murmur at motorway speeds. The only black mark in terms of refinement is an imprecise gearshift.

OWNERSHIP

Quality & reliability
Inside, the Ulysse shows a great improvement in terms of quality over the model it replaces. Appealing plastics are used throughout, and the build quality appears to be solid. Fiat will be hoping that the latest wiring system will iron out the problematic electrics that could trouble the previous Ulysse.

Safety & security
Every Ulysse is fitted with twin front and side airbags plus curtain airbags that stretch the length of the cabin. Anti-lock brakes are standard, while a stability control system is fitted to higher-spec models. The Fiat has a five-star Euro NCAP crash-test rating. Deadlocks feature on all cars, and all but entry-level cars have an alarm.

INSIDE / INTERIOR

Behind the wheel
The cabin has futuristic styling and centrally mounted instrument dials, but it’s all easy to use. All the controls – including the gearstick – are grouped close to the driver and fall easily to hand. Visibility is excellent, while the driver’s seat has a good range of adjustment and the steering wheel adjusts for both height and reach.

Equipment
Entry-level Dynamic models have climate control and a CD player, while Eleganza trim adds satellite-navigation, alloy wheels and reverse parking sensors and range-topping Prestigio gains leather trim and electric front seats. Cost options include electric sliding doors that are standard on most Peugeot 807s and Citroën C8s.

Space & practicality
All but the front pair of seats are removable. Seven individual seats are standard for most models. Top-spec cars have six individual ‘captain’s chairs’. Manual sliding rear doors aid access, while luggage space is fine when you remove the rearmost seats.