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Rod Chapman12 Nov 2014
NEWS

Compact Fiat Doblo lands Down Under

Fiat Professional's new Doblo compact light commercial vehicle has arrived in Aussie showrooms
Hot on the heels of the revised Ducato, Fiat Professional has expanded its range of light commercial vehicles with the arrival of the Doblo, which is now on sale throughout Australia.
While the Doblo has been around in various guises in foreign markets since 2000, this is the first time it's been seen in Australia, where it will provide competition for Volkswagen's top-selling Caddy and the rising tide of Renault's Kangoo.
In Australia the front-wheel-drive Doblo will be available in a range of four different models: three short-wheelbase variants and one long-wheelbase variant, all with the one low roof height.
There's a choice of three engine and transmissions packages for the short-wheelbase Doblo, starting with a 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine producing 70kW and 127Nm, and mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The other two short-wheelbase models are powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel available in two states of tune: 66kW and 200Nm or 77kW and 290Nm. The former is paired with a five-speed automated manual transmission while the latter comes with a six-speed manual.
That leaves the range-topping long-wheelbase Doblo Maxi, which is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel said to produce 99kW and 320Nm and paired with a six-speed manual.
Fiat says the combined fuel economy figure for the Doblo range can fall to as low as 4.9L/100km for the lowest-output diesel variant, rising to 7.3L/100km for the entry-level petrol model.
Sharing a wheelbase of 2755mm, the trio of smaller Doblos all have a payload capacity of 750kg and a cargo capacity of 3.4 cubic metres. The petrol-engined model has a 2030kg GVM, which rises to 2070kg for the two diesel models. The Doblo Maxi, meanwhile, has a 3105mm wheelbase, a 2435kg GVM, a 1000kg payload and a cargo capacity of 4.2 cubic metres.
The load bays across all four models measure 1714mm wide and 1305mm high, with the two wheelbases offering internal load bay lengths of 1820mm or 2170mm. All models come with twin sliding side doors while a choice of side-hinge or top-hinge rear doors can be specified, with the latter opening a full 180 degrees to aid loading with a forklift. Fiat says the Doblo also features a width of 1230mm between its wheel arches, which means it will accept a standard Australian pallet.
As a commercial vehicle there is no ANCAP safety rating for the Doblo but it is equipped with stability control, anti-lock brakes with brake force distribution, and front and side driver and passenger airbags.
Across-the-range niceties include hill start assist, climate control, electric mirrors, a PVC load mat and an entertainment/telephony system with Bluetooth connectivity and CD/MP3/USB input, while the three diesel models also score rear parking sensors, cruise control and colour-matched bumpers and mirrors. All four are set up to accept a TomTom sat-nav system on the dash.
Fiat says the Doblo's cab offers excellent vision and includes plenty of practical touches, like a lockable glove box large enough to accept a 14-inch laptop and door side pockets that can store two 500ml drink bottles.
The Doblo range slots into Fiat Professional's LCV family next to the medium-size Scudo and the larger Ducato, and is covered by a three-year, 200,000km warranty.
Pricing for the Fiat Doblo is as follows:
SWB, 1.4-litre petrol (70kW/127Nm) with five-speed manual transmission – $22,000
SWB, 1.6-litre diesel (77kW/290Nm) with six-speed manual transmission – $27,000
SWB, 1.6-litre diesel (66kW/200Nm) with five-speed AMT transmission – $29,000
LWB, 2.0-litre diesel (99kW/320Nm) with six-speed manual transmission – $31,000
Fiat will be hosting the Australian press launch of the new Doblo and Ducato in early December – motoring.com.au will publish a full report on both shortly after.
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