★★★ | S-Design Tipo In Need Of An Architect.
What Do We Have
A couple of years ago, we took delivery of the then-new Fiat Tipo. A new Fiat with a reused name. No hardship there because the original Tipo was a very good car.
We liked the new Tipo when we last had it back in 2016 and I favoured the car well. Do I feel the same in 2019?
Driving.
Nothing has really changed here. We have the same 120bhp petrol turbo 1.4 engine. It was as good as I remembered it. Smooth and flexible with reasonable performance. Not quite the fire-breather you’d think 120bhp should be but it is good for a claimed 124 miles per hour.
Handling was well balanced and it soaked up the worst of the country lanes around the Cotswolds.
A comfortable driving position was easy to obtain and there were no annoyances. It felt as good as the rest in the segment.
Inside.
It’s not as good this time around. It’s amazing how dated it has started to look with its black plastic everywhere. I’m a little stuck as to where the S-Design sits. The Design moniker is used by a lot of manufacturers these days as something stylish over the other models or sporty. I was not seeing anything outstandingly relevant to this moniker.
Driver’s controls all come to hand easily. The 7” touch screen is simple to use and nicely balanced with easy registered finger controls. It comes with Apple Car Play and Android connectivity as standard.
Living With It
There are few vices to be had with the Tipo. It’s a simple and effective 5 door hatchback.
While inside it has dated a little, the exterior is still as good today as it was when new. The fact there are several newer cars with similar rear ends, shows how relevant and modern its design still is.
Verdict.
Tipo is no longer the bargain it once was. At £19,125 it does seem quite a lot despite it having a list of standard key features. But these features seem almost standard fit on most cars these days.
But here lies the problem. It’s effective and not much else. Effective hatchbacks are good but sometimes a model needs some sex appeal. It’s crying out for some true meaning to the letter S like sumptuous.
Love
Build quality
Looks
Ride refinement
Loathe
Co2 is on the high side
Arm rest fouling handbrake
High price
The Lowdown
Car – Fiat Tipo S-Design
Price – £19,125 (as tested)
MPG – 35.3 mpg (combined)
Power – 120bhp
0-62mph – 9.9 seconds
Top Speed – 124 mph
Co2 – 164 (g/km)