Midrand – Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has launched the all new Fiat Tipo hatchback and its sedan sibling to the South African market following the vehicle’s highly successful European debut.
The launch marks the Fiat’s return to the medium-compact segment with an offering that appeals directly to the heart of the market, thanks to a simple but comprehensive range that meets customer needs. The Tipo family’s success is based on a value proposition combined with best-in-class passenger and luggage space, as well as versatility.
Thanks in part to these characteristics, the Tipo family has been awarded a string of accolades, the latest of which is the prestigious Autobest “Best Buy Car 2016” award, chosen by a jury of 26 journalists from the most authoritative European car magazines. This award underlines the model’s design, quality, comfort and versatility and rewards an exceptional offering that is squarely focused on value for money, a crucial concept in Fiat’s functional family strategy, summed up in the slogan “You don’t need much to get a lot”.
The Fiat Tipo range shares the same values but each have unique personalities as diverse as their respective target audiences, from families and couples to young people or professionals.
The Tipo family was developed around the brief “Skills, no frills” and combines the brand’s historic concepts of functionality, simplicity and personality in an extraordinary value-for-money offering. Personality-wise, the Fiat Tipo projects a dynamic style and a strong character in all versions with simple choices provided to the customer resulting in a range of engines and trim levels appealing directly to the heart of the market.
Functionality, a hallmark of Fiat for more than 80 years, has contributed to a multitude of highly successful models.
The Fiat Tipo hatchback measures 4.37m in length, 1.79m in width and stands 1.50m high, while the sedan measures 4.53m in length, the width and height mirrors the dimensions of the hatchback.
The new car features a suspension layout designed for dynamic driving, brilliant road-holding and outstanding comfort; independent McPherson struts on the front axle and an interconnected torque beam on the rear. The two layouts are optimised to reduce weight and contribute to improved fuel efficiency, without compromising the dynamic driving experience.
Locally two body styles, three trim levels, three engines and three transmission types will be available at launch. The sedan will be available in the POP or EASY versions whilst the hatchback will be available in the POP, EASY or LOUNGE configurations. The engine range offers one diesel and two petrol derivatives that target the heart of the 70 to 81 kW market. The transmissions can be 5 or 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission depending on the engine.
Emissions range between 117g/km and 146g/km of CO2. Fuel consumption ranges from 3.3l/100 km.
Fiat, Italian Style
In true Fiat fashion, the new Tipo is packed with clever solutions that offer remarkably generous standard equipment along with active and passive safety systems.
Ready to face the challenges of the future, the Tipo was designed in Italy by the Fiat Style Centre and developed in Turkey together with Tofas R&D, one of FCA’s largest research and development centres, involving a dedicated team of over 2,000 people during the three-year development process. During that time, the models were tested over a total distance of 8.7 million kilometers in extreme weather, road and high altitude conditions, in order to be ready for sale in over 50 countries in the EMEA region. The end result is a family of robust and reliable cars built in one of the world’s best automotive factories, the Tofas plant in Bursa, which has been awarded a Gold Medal in the World Class Manufacturing classification.
Personality, comfort and load capacity
Like its sedan sibling, the Tipo hatchback is welcoming, practical and ideal for comfortable journeys. The designers adhered to the most modern ergonomic criteria in defining the parameters that measure the car’s capacity to respond to the need for onboard comfort. The result is excellent ergonomics: comfort, space configuration, accessibility, visibility and driving position.
The Tipo easily accommodates five passengers, even tall people up to 1.87m in height at the front and 1.80m in the rear travel in comfort. The secret is the regular shape of the rear end, with the horizontal roof profile providing passengers added cabin headroom. Legroom is also class-leading; 1.07 m between the edge of the front seat and the passenger’s heel and 934 mm for the rear seat (typical of higher segment cars). Furthermore, the centre rear seat has been designed as full-sized offering enough legroom to make every trip pleasant, even for adult occupants.
The load capacity is also class-leading: 440 l for the hatchback and 520 l for the sedan. The boot sill is low and stepless, to facilitate loading even the bulkiest of packages. At the sides of the luggage compartment two panels for holding small items can be removed to further increase the width of the luggage compartment. The roller-blind on the hatchback covers the load and can easily be removed and stored under the floor panel. Two lights, two bag hooks and four load-retaining hooks positioned on the floor provide added convenience. Finally, in case 520 l were not sufficient, the flip-and-fold rear seat with 60/40 split can be folded down to obtain a flat and even loading surface (not available on sedan POP versions).
The interior of the Tipo features numerous compartments with a variety of shapes and capacities totalling no less than 12 l. Easily reachable by driver and passengers, these compartments are perfect for storing personal objects, smartphones, bottles, coins and more. Furthermore, a media centre for connecting devices is situated in front of the gear lever.
Comfort is also assured by the ergonomic driver’s seat, which, combined with the new dashboard layout, ensures great visibility. The driving position is one of the strengths of the new Fiat Tipo.
The steering wheel position provides the driver with a feeling of safety and control, as does the perfect arrangement of the controls (air conditioning, radio and control panel) which can easily be reached without the driver having to take their eyes off the road or lift their shoulders from the backrest. Passengers also enjoy superlative comfort with the rear seats suitably shaped and densely padded to comfortably accommodate three adults.
The Tipo customer’s needs were paramount in the development of the new car. From a design point of view a fusion of style and functionality combined with dynamic shapes is common to all versions. The exterior exudes dynamism and ruggedness, with balanced proportions. The front is enhanced by the chrome embellished horizontal-mesh grille aligned dynamically to form a graphic motif that complements the Fiat emblem. The LED daytime running lights further emphasise the hatchback’s strong character. The long bonnet is common to both body styles, but the rear silhouette of the hatchback is compact and sporty. The sides of both cars are dominated by a form line running from the headlights to the sculpted taillights.
The colour range comprises eight colours: Ambient White, Breakbeat Grey, Electroclash Grey, Pearl Sand, Magnetic Bronze, Amore Red, Mediterraneo Blue and Cinema Black available on both body styles and a ninth, Sky Blue, is available exclusively on the sedan.
Engines and transmissions
The Fiat Tipo models offer an updated range of engines in three different capacities with two fuel options. They are the turbodiesel 1.3 MultiJet II, the Fire 1.4 16v and 1.6 E-torQ petrol engines.
There are also three types of transmissions: 5-speed manual for the 1.3l diesel engine, 6-speed manual for the 1.4l petrol engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission for the 1.6 E-torQ petrol engine.
1.4 16v 70 kW
Solid and reliable, the 1.4 16v Fire is the entry-level petrol engine of the Tipo family. This engine delivers 70kW at 6,000 r/min and reaches maximum torque of 127Nm at 4,500 r/min. The engine, combined with a six-speed manual gearbox, is a four cylinder with twin overhead camshafts and direct valve control.
1.6 E-torQ 81 kW
For those looking for a vehicle that offers maximum comfort, the best choice is the version with 1.6 E-torQ petrol engine delivering 81kW of power at 5,500 r/min and 152Nm of torque at 4,500 r/min, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.
This power unit stands out for its light structure, owing to the adoption of exclusive components and graphite-coated pistons that are optimised to reduce friction and weight. Furthermore, the forged steel connecting rods and aluminium oil sump further reduce engine weight.
1.3 MultiJet 70 kW
The 1.3 MultiJet II engine ensures good performance and extremely low running costs, thanks to the standard inclusion of the Start&Stop system. The pride and joy of FCA engineering, this engine provides comfort and driving enjoyment. It is equipped with a manual five-speed gearbox and develops 70kW at 3,750 r/min, while the variable geometry turbocharger ensures high torque from low revs and a maximum torque of 200Nm from 1,500 r/min.
A feature of the third-generation Common Rail MultiJet II system is a high-tech solution for controlling injection pressures, whatever the engine speed and injected fuel quantity. In practice, the engine introduces small fuel quantities (pilot injections) to minimise noise and optimise emissions and, with the main injection, manages the injected quantity of fuel ensuring smooth engine operation in all driving conditions.
Tipo range
The new Fiat Tipo meets the needs of informed, pragmatic and solution-oriented customers who are looking for a car that meets their personal, family and work requirements with style, economy and favourable pricing.
The Tipo features the latest-generation audio systems including a hands-free Bluetooth interface, audio streaming, text reader and voice recognition, AUX and USB ports with iPod integration, controls on the steering wheel and, on demand, the optional rear parking camera and the new TomTom 3D built-in navigation system is optionally available on all models except the EASY.
Besides the generous array of safety devices, comfort and practicality are assured by the fitment of manual air conditioning (on the POP versions) and Automatic air conditioning (on the remainder of the range), electric front windows, electrically adjustable door mirrors with defrosting function and the 60/40 split rear seat (excludes sedan POP version). POP models feature 16″ steel wheels fitted with stylish covers.
EASY models incorporate 16″ alloy rims, LED daytime running lights, chrome door handles, body-coloured mirror covers and a leather steering wheel. A reverse camera is standard on the hatchback LOUNGE model, and an optional extra on all models except the POP.
The LOUNGE trim, exclusive to the hatchback, features 17″ alloy wheel rims, chrome details and a leather steering wheel and gear shift knob for an even more refined touch. Comfort and safety features include rear parking sensors, front fog lights, automatic climate control, cruise control, front armrest and driver’s seat with optional lumbar adjustment. The LOUNGE also features the UConnectTM infotainment system with Navigation as standard.
In terms of style, the POP and EASY trim levels are practical and functional without scrimping on flair and attention to detail. The hatchback seats are upholstered in black fabric whilst the sedan is available in Black and Silver on the POP or black/grey Structured Weave design on the EASY.
In the hatchback LOUNGE trim level, the comfortable seats feature quality materials and are available in grey fabric or black Techno Leather.
Safety
The Fiat Tipo targets the heart of the market offering modern active and passive safety devices such as standard, driver and front passenger airbags (with side and curtain airbags as an option).
Also standard is electronic stability control (ESC), an effective but non-invasive driving aid. This sophisticated system helps to maintain steering control under extreme conditions, such as on wet or slippery roads, or when tackling tight corners or making sudden emergency manoeuvres. The ESC system monitors numerous parameters such as wheel rotation speed, lateral acceleration and steering angle. If the driver exceeds the performance limits for the road conditions, causing the vehicle to oversteer or understeer, the system intervenes by braking one or more wheels so as to maintain stability. The ESC system includes a number of devices including Panic Brake Assist (PBA), which intervenes in case of emergency braking by increasing the braking force; ABS; traction control (TCS), which detects wheel slip under acceleration and intervenes by reducing engine torque; and Hill Start Assist, which maintains brake pressure for approximately two seconds after the driver releases the pedal.
Also available is Cruise Control on all EASY and LOUNGE models and can be selected as an option on the Hatchback POP model.
Comfort and safety are assured by equipment such as rear parking sensors and a rear view camera, which returns crystal-clear reversing images on the radio screen, not forgetting the rain and dusk sensors and electrochromatic rearview mirror.
Finally, all Tipo models feature full size spare wheels.
Mopar for the new Fiat Tipo
Mopar, FCA’s reference brand for accessories, services, Customer Care and genuine spare parts, offers about 70 accessories for the new Fiat Tipo range. Roof transport systems for windsurfers, kayaks, bicycles and freeboxes have been developed in line with the family soul of the cars. Several solutions for making the lives of users easier, both inside the passenger compartment and in the boot, are also available. They include the jacket hanger, work table and tablet holder on the headrests of the front seats, and protection mats for the boot of the hatchback.
Moreover, there is no shortage of accessories to enhance the car, ranging from mats, chrome-plated door mirror covers and valve caps with the Fiat logo.
Completing the collection are active and passive safety devices, alarm, rear parking sensors and a full line of car seats for children, all specially designed and approved to guarantee maximum levels of safety and comfort.
South African Range
The all-new Fiat Tipo Hatchback and Sedan is available from Fiat dealerships countrywide.
The range consists of:
Fiat Tipo Sedan
1.4l Pop – R229,900
1.4l Easy – R249,900
1.3l D Easy – R274,900
1.6l Easy Auto – R274,900
Fiat Tipo Hatchback
1.4l POP – R249,900
1.4l EASY – R269,900
1.4l LOUNGE – R289,900
1.6l EASY Auto – R294,900
All Fiat Tipo models come with a standard 3 year / 100,000km warranty and service plan.
