SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

My most recent drive is on the home page. Archived reviews and opinion pieces are in the active menu down the left side. Hover your cursor over a heading or manufacturer's name and follow the drop-down.


Solid, simple, spacious: Fiat Tipo 1.4 Pop Hatchback

Let it sing

Posted 19 July 2017

The numbers
Price: R249 900
Engine: 1368 cc, DOHC, 16-valve inline four
Power: 70 kW at 6000 rpm
Torque: 127 Nm at 4500 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 11.5 seconds
Top speed: 185 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.9 l/100 km
Tank: 45 litres
Boot size: 440 litres
Warranty and service plan: 3 years / 100 000 km

In a world full of cars cluttered with toys their owners seldom use, it’s refreshing to find one that isn’t. It’s called Fiat Tipo and, according to its Wikipedia entry, replaces two model ranges – Bravo in the realm of hatchbacks and Linea in the world of sedans.

The South African range consists of eight models. There are four hatchbacks and as many sedans using three engines - 1400 cc and 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol motors and a 1300 turbodiesel - fitted with a trio of gearboxes. The 1.4-litre petrol versions use a six-speed manual, the diesel makes do with five ratios and if you want automatic you get a six-speed with the 1600 petrol engine.

Even the most luxurious car in the line-up, a 1.4 Hatchback in Lounge trim, offers only fabric upholstery. Satellite navigation and lumbar adjustment for the driver’s seat are optional extras, although it does distinguish itself with 17” alloy wheels and a standard reversing camera. You won’t find any gadgets that remind you to stop for coffee, watch out for bicycles, nag you back into your driving lane or brake autonomously. Those are all very nice, but they’re potentially troublesome and expensive. Most working folk who pay for their own cars would rather do without.

Our test unit was the least expensive hatch: 1.4 litres, six-speed manual and entry-level Pop trim. That gets you 16” steel wheels, electronic stability control, two airbags, ISOFix mountings, a simple six-speaker radio with Bluetooth and the usual sockets but no touch screen, hill hold, tyre pressure monitoring, rear fog lights, a manual air conditioner and electric mirrors and windows.

Available options include a leather-bound steering wheel, front fog lamps, cruise control, rear parking sensors and lumbar tweaking for the height-adjustable driver’s chair.

A styling “plus” is that this is not yet another four-door coupé; its roof line remains almost level so the rear side windows can actually be seen through and back-seat passengers have enough head room. Leg- and foot space is also comfortable for tall folk sitting behind equally lofty drivers. Ground clearance is a useful 150 mm so it should conquer most city driving hazards comfortably and its 10.93-metre turning circle makes it easy to handle in tight places.

Slightly disappointing is that the 1.4-litre, 16-valve FIRE engine has not quite kept pace with modern developments. To put it mildly, we have all become a little lazy as engines are now expected to pull like cart horses from very low revs and maintain their strength over wide power bands. This motor is peaky, developing maximum torque at 4500 rpm, whereas most new competitors do so at noticeably lower revs.

For example, it turns over at about 3200 rpm for 120 km/h in sixth gear. Because this is well below its sweet spot, top gear roll-on is weak and we found ourselves downshifting a gear or two in order to maintain momentum up long, 100 km/h hills. Like sporty motors of old, this one prefers its drivers to use the ‘box spiritedly and keep revs singing, up above about 3500 rpm. That’s when its Italian heritage shows itself, the fat lady belts out her best and the world is one-a sweet-a aria. FIRE is for lovers. If you want a dray horse, try the diesel.

The 440-litre boot loads at about 73 cm with a 15-cm lip and is fitted with lashing rings, a light and bag hooks. The space is neatly rectangular and free of intrusions. Tools are in a neatly fitted holder inside the fully sized spare and the 2/3:1/3-split seatback releases easily from behind to create a sloped loading area.

Driving impressions include a smooth and quick gearbox, a meaty handbrake, easy steering (City mode is just a button-push away), comfortable seats, simple controls for air and music and adequate storage for small items. Fit and finish is good, ride quality is compliant and reassuring and build quality, for an almost-budget car, is excellent.  The only obvious cost cutting measures we found were no centre head restraint in the back and just one visor mirror. These small oversights are fixed on Easy models.

We would happily have one. All it takes is to remember one’s roots, keep it bubbling like a pasta pot - and let the fat lady sing.

Test unit from FCA SA press fleet

Our report on the diesel sedan is here

All pics are of Easy version

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What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

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