ge5401242037202510865
ge5751578311482184618
ge4806563997395826776
ge4657072813349059535
Rod Chapman3 Feb 2015
REVIEW

Fiat Doblo 2015 Review

Fiat has jumped into Australia's compact light commercial vehicle segment with its funky and city-friendly new Doblo
Review Type
Road Test
Review Location
Melbourne, Victoria

It's been around for years in Europe but Fiat's Doblo is an all-new entry for Australia's sub-2.5-tonne LCV market. With a choice of engines, transmissions and wheelbases, the Doblo's mix of pragmatic features and sassy Euro styling is sure to catch prospective buyers' eyes. An entry-level petrol engine is backed up by three diesel options, while the Doblo range is priced from $22,000 plus on-roads.

The cheerful, slightly cheeky styling of Fiat Professional's new Doblo belies the gravity of the task before it. It's rare to see any one vehicle truly dominate its niche, yet that describes perfectly Volkswagen's stranglehold on the sub-2.5-tonne LCV category.

VW sold 1855 examples of its Caddy last year for a ruling 55.9 per cent slice of the market (FCAI data). Its reign is all the stronger if you discount Suzuki's far-more-basic but budget-conscious APV, of which nearly 500 rolled from dealers' yards.

Renault has made great progress with its Kangoo family (664 units, growth of 79.5 per cent over the previous year), likewise Citroen with its Berlingo (280 units, growth of 57.3 per cent), but in this class, the Caddy is still by far the preferred tool for fleets and private buyers alike.

To the Doblo's credit, it's not going into this scrap blindfolded. The model first appeared in 2000 so although it's 'all new' for Australia, it's a proven entity, slotting in under Fiat Professional's Scudo medium van and Ducato large van (revised for 2015 – click here to read the review).

Here the Doblo is offered in four basic two-seater models, all powered by four flavours of four-cylinder engine. A 1.4-litre petrol variant (70kW/127Nm) with five-speed manual is priced from $22,000 (plus on-roads), while a 1.6-litre turbo-diesel comes in two guises: with a Multijet 105 engine (77kW/290Nm) and six-speed manual from $27,000 (plus on-roads), or with a Multijet 90 engine (66kW/200Nm) and five-speed Comfort-Matic automated manual gearbox from $29,000 (plus on-roads).

ge5338418746210127907

Those three all share the same short-wheelbase (2755mm) format while the range-topping Doblo Maxi is the sole long-wheelbase (3105mm) model, and powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel Multijet 135 engine (99kW/320Nm) with six-speed manual gearbox. It's priced from $31,000 (plus on-roads).

The short-wheelbase models have a claimed payload of 750 kilograms and a capacity of 3.4 cubic metres, while those stats jump to an impressive 1000 kilograms and 4.2 cubic metres for the Doblo Maxi.

We recently grabbed the keys to a Doblo Multijet 90 (the least powerful diesel, with the AMT transmission) and completed nearly 900 kilometres around town with a mix of lighter loads – from bone empty to a bit under half its claimed limit.

Like a suave Italian Lothario in tight white slacks and a pastel collared shirt, the Doblo's styling grabs attention in a Saturday Night Fever kind of a way. It brings a bit of sass to the LCV scene, which should appeal to hip inner-city businesses looking for a mobile billboard as much as a compact cargo van.

While this LCV class puts inner-city manoeuvrability and fuel economy on an even footing with load-lugging ability, the Doblo's practical load bay doesn't disappoint. We measured it at 1640mm long by 1450mm wide, with 1215mm between its wheel arches, a roof height of 1285mm and a floor height of 550mm.

The ladder-style cargo barrier reduces that load bay length to 1430mm but on the whole it's a flexible, well-equipped space, with an internal light, six sturdy tie-down anchor points and a tough PVC liner.

ge5305748726357631847

The Doblo's boxy dimensions mean just about every bit of that space can be utilised, while access is easy via the all-steel twin sliding side doors and 60/40 rear barn doors. The latter feature demisters (and a wiper on the larger door) and they can fold out to 180 degrees.

There's a multitude of cut-outs and stamping marks but there are no sharp edges and in general the load bay is well presented, although the door handles feel a little flimsy.

That general level of presentation flows through to the cab, where the fit and finish of the hard-wearing plastics are of a slightly higher standard than the Ducato we sampled recently.

With a large windscreen and massive side windows, the cab feels spacious and airy. The seating offers basic adjustment and adequate comfort while the two-tone fabric is attractive and should prove durable.

The expanses of glass ensure excellent forward vision while the view through the barn doors is also good. However, the lower convex sections of the side mirrors can't be adjusted and for this scribe, their angle rendered them next to useless. This was frustrating, as the Doblo's steel sides and the seating position relative to the B-pillar mean some effort is required to check the vehicle's blind spots.

While cab storage was adequate, with a large overhead shelf, a locking glove box, reasonable door side pockets and a number of trays, we would have appreciated some readily accessed, concealed storage.

The cup holder near the central park brake lever is really only big enough to take a small takeaway cup while the larger one behind the park brake is awkward to get to. The mobile phone holder near the USB/3.5mm inputs is a nice touch but it's only big enough to take an iPhone – and not this tester's Samsung Galaxy.

ge5617247423753446360

On the road, the Doblo's open interior does succumb to a bit of road and wind noise. While 66kW and 200Nm sounds modest, in real-world use the Doblo delivers decent acceleration off the line and adequate punch at around-town speeds.

It feels relatively strong from 2000rpm to 4500rpm and spins up freely in manual mode, while shifting early in auto mode to enhance economy.

The five-speed automated manual takes its time when shifting and is generally a bit ponderous in its operation. For swift progress we resorted to manual mode, lifting off the accelerator between shifts, but the AMT certainly promotes a gentle approach which in turn helps deliver excellent fuel economy.

At 100km/h in top (fifth) gear the Doblo's engine is spinning at 2500rpm. The AMT feels like it needs a sixth gear but then the trip computer reports it's still sipping just 4.5L/100km.

While we never pushed it beyond a bit less than half of its payload, over the course of a week we notched up an average economy of 5.7L/100km. That's great going, helped along as it is by a standard (and switchable) idle stop-start feature.

The suspension handles its role with aplomb, taking speed humps and typically bumpy Australian roads in its stride; the Doblo feels more like a passenger car than an LCV through the bends. The brakes are excellent, offering both power and feel at the pedal, while its car-like manoeuvrability has obvious benefits in the city.

Our test vehicle was equipped with numerous standard features, including cruise control, air-conditioning, rear parking sensors, hill start assist, a comprehensive trip computer and a stereo/multimedia/communications system. Everything seems to work well enough but the quality of the radio could be better – its reception isn't brilliant.

There's no sat-nav but there is a dash-top port for an optional TomTom unit ($637), plus a sensibly-placed 12-volt socket.
Safety is addressed comprehensively with stability control, traction control, antilock brakes, driver and passenger airbags, side airbags, height-adjustable three-point seat belts and anti-intrusions bars on the cabin doors.

Fiat Professional offers a three-year, 200,000km warranty but no capped servicing schedule or roadside assistance.

The longer we spent in the Doblo the more its appeal grew. It's nimble through congested city streets and it comes with a pleasingly high level of equipment. It's not without its foibles, but with a practical load bay, impressive payload and fuel-efficient performance, it's a worthy new contender in the compact LCV class.

2015 Fiat Doblo SWB Multijet 90 pricing and specifications:
Price:
$29,000 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 66kW/200Nm
Transmission: Five-speed automated manual
Fuel: 5.6L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 130g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A

Pricing and Features
Share this article
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Expert rating
71/100
Engine, Drivetrain & Chassis
14/20
Price, Packaging & Practicality
17/20
Safety & Technology
15/20
Behind The Wheel
15/20
X-Factor
10/20
Pros
  • Super-practical load bay
  • Fuel economy and range
  • Generous packaging
Cons
  • Ineffective convex mirrors
  • Lack of practical cab storage
  • Ponderous AMT transmission
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Looking for a tradie car?Get the latest advice and reviews on tradie car that's right for you.
Explore the Tradie Hub
Tradie
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.

If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
Download the carsales app
    AppStoreDownloadGooglePlayDownload
    App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
    © CAR Group Ltd 1999-2024
    In the spirit of reconciliation we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.