Test Drive Fiat IDEA since 2003 Minivan

All photos of Fiat Idea since 2003

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Fiat idea.
The pre-production sample project-350 debuted at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show. From this year, serially produced at the Miraphori factory in Turin (Italy). In addition to the basic front-wheel drive model, this year in Geneva shows all-wheel drive modification 4x4.
Five-door five-seater mini-Ven compact class is based on the enlarged Fiat Punto platform. Gasoline engines 1.2 l, 59 kW / 80 liters. with.; 1.4 l, 70 kW / 95 liters. with. or turbodiesels Multijet 1.3 l, 51 kW / 70 l. with.; 1.9 l, 74 kW / 100 liters. with. 5-speed gearbox mechanical, there is a modification with automatic control.
The minimum price in Germany is 13,290 euros per car with a motor of 1.2 liters (this is not for sale in Italy). Price range in Italy for basic equipment from 13,500 euros for Actual 1.4 l to 17 800 euros for Multijet Dynamic 1.9 liters. The cost of the test car Dynamic 1.4 l 15 200 euros, it is such cars and at the same price should appear in October in Russia.

Opel Meriva.
The prototype is shown at the 2002 Paris Salon, the debut of the serial model took place in six months in Geneva. Production has been established in Zaragoza (Spain). The same type of Chevrolet-Meriva is released in Brazil.
The five-seater five-door mini-Ven is built on an enlarged front-wheel drive platform of the Opel Corsa. Motors petrol 1.6 l, 64 kW / 87 liters. with. or 74 kW / 100 liters. with.; 1.8 l, 92 kW / 125 liters. s., as well as turbodiesel 1.7 l, 55 kW / 75 liters. with. or 74 kW / 100 liters. with. The gearbox is a five-speed mechanical, and with a more powerful 1.6 L motor also a five-speed EasyTronic with automatic control.
The price range in Germany on machines in standard equipment from 13,715 euros for cars with an eight-boiled motor 1.6 l to 16,810 euros for 1.7 CDTI. The cost of a test car 1.6 l 16V with additional equipment is 22,655 euros.

Sphyat idea we got acquainted at the beginning of spring in Italy. For the company they took a good acquaintance Opel Meriva (SP, 2003, No. 8). These two cars are direct competitors in Europe, and the autumn of this year their interests will face in Russia.
I pull and stretch!

A strange thing, a year ago, Opel Meriv seemed to me with a rounded kolobkom. And now he seemed to have grown, stretched out and lost, in comparison with the Fiat idea, which is slightly shorter and higher. However, the latter does not look like a thick respectful thanks to an elegant face with diagonal headlights, suspended orange turn signals.
Both trays are built on increased platforms of C-class hatchback platforms. The base of the Fiat Punto aggregate donor was stretched by 50 mm, about the same as the stake was expanded. But the opera-corsa platform lengthened by as much as 140 mm, ensuring the Meriv record indicator of its base of 2630 mm the largest in the class. The river is enlarged only 2040 mm.
It is unlikely that Fiatovtsam was unable to such a radical operation. Most likely, the case is in national preferences. In a relatively poor, Italy with its narrow ancient streets are traditionally popular with compact small trap, short and sophisticated. But the secure and high-speed Germany prefers the cars large and powerful, even small classes here are not so small and weak. As a result of Meriva, it turned out to be longer 115 mm, which, however, is noticeable only with attentive comparison, and the line of its power units begins where the idea ends.
The most popular layout in small classes front-wheel drive with the transverse arrangement of the power unit. The suspension is as common: the Mac-Fernson stands and the longitudinal levers associated with an elastic cross rear, such as, for example, in front-wheelwater vases. Small differences only in brakes: Opel is all disk, but the rear is non-ventilated; FIATA has ventilated discs in front of the drums. In addition, the Italian car has an electric dual-mode power steering dualrive, and in the German electro-hydraulic.
And what about drinking here?

Stewed Zaitanina was amazing, and lunch honestly earned hands hanged to twist the steering wheel on mountain serpents, past the cliffs of tiny pedestrian sites with a couple of hundreds of residents and the only parking on the entrance. The Italian at the next table accepted the Polbutalky Red, remembered English and suggested that we join. Excuses that we are driving, he clearly did not understand: so what, I, too! Somehow drank four bottles (!) And nothing, looked
By the way, about appetites. During the test, in which half the mileage fell on the highway, and the other on the mountains and city streets, we were able to evaluate the average fuel consumption. The lighter fiat idea with a small but stronger by the forced engine (1.4 liters, 70 kW / 95 l. P.) Showed a great result of only 6.8 l / 100 km. Opel Meriv is heavier almost a half hundred kilograms, and a larger motor (1.6 l, 74 kW / 100 l.) It is necessary to feed, the result is 8.4 liters per hundred. However, we will negotiate: we did not spend instrument measurements.
Cars are perceived differently on the go. The idea has a slightly noisy, prime and very working power unit pulls himself and pulls, without complaining of too high. Pretty rigid suspension voiced potholes with a disgruntled knock. The mode of operation of the CITY of the steering wheel tried once, and did not touch any more: to shift the wheels for a couple of times during parking, turn it on it just laziness, and a constant ride with an empty wheel even in urban tightness more annoying life.
Meriva has a more powerful habits softer suspension, sweeter motor, better noise insulation. By the way, the steering with the same turning radius is not as acute 3.3 turns from the stop up to the stop against 2.9 in FIATA. However, the fast pilot of Opel is contraindicated by the performance of the amplifier is limited and with a rapid turn of the steering wheel as if it caught up in an obstacle, which ways can jump from it.

APPEARANCES ARE DECEPTIVE
The fiat idea is balanced in shape and content, toy appearance corresponds to the interior of a free cut, made in beige tones. Peculiar dashboard in the center of the front panel, a short handy gear lever right at hand on the protrusion of the center console; Adds convenience many boxes and shelves. Including above the head, by the way, a good place for cards and atlases. An additional panoramic rear-view mirror is promoted from the ceiling. It is a pity that it is strongly shifted back, slightly not to the level of the driver's head. However, there is enough of the main mirror, since the rear head restraints are drilled with backs. But the stylish outer mirrors are not enough, and the control of their electrically regulators does not differ with clarity. The salon is very convenient, but the obvious features of the mass car: a simple hand shape, an inexpensive plastic, on which the burrs are visible, slightly uneven gaps, ringing the ceiling of the handle on the Opel with microlifes.
The playful appearance is round, lupido Meriva is deceptive. Inside, this is a completely adult car in the strict Opeless style techno: black leather, flat lines, flat panels, straight angles.

Everything is turned up to a millimeter, as in the pharmacy: comfortable seats, the steering wheel with the right grogging (although without adjusting the length of the column, like FIATA), good plastic, perfectly fitted panels, all controls exactly where they expect to see them. Is that the gearbox lever moves rather far backwards, almost to the middle of the hip middle growth of the driver. Although its position justifies the giant longitudinal seat adjustment.
Not very comfortable, the keys of the power windows are made several times wrong until you used. In the inner mirror (by the way, with automatic darkening), the pair of rear head restraints. There is another difference in visibility: both cars have split front racks that overlap the overlap in a common turn around the upper part: the Italian at the level of the middle-height driver, the German is high.
Equipped with cars without discounts on small sizes. The Fiat idea worth 15,200 euros in the standard configuration Dynamic offers electrically regulating windows and mirrors, air conditioning, BLAUPUNKT audio system with eight speakers, on-board computer, four airbags. Opel Meriva in the configuration Cosmo costs 15 395 euros. Slightly more expensive.

Many coming for additional equipment: side airbags (380 euros), stabilization system (525 euros), leather interior (1545 euros), audio system (750 euros), climate (1665 euros), xenon headlights (760 euros).
Grow, horns and legs
If the car chose a wife according to their windiness, she certainly would pay attention to the Fiat idea. The salon with a height of 1300 mm guarantees over the head of the medium height of 205 mm160 mm, respectively. Behind the passengers in both machines, there are about a dozen centimeters to the ceiling, 130 and 110 mm in front of the knees to the front back slightly more from FIATA. However, 30 mm Opel is playing in the width of the cabin from the back, three here will be rarely located. In general, the photographer in 198 cm did not experience any problems in Meriv, and in the idea it could still be a dozen centimeters, but only in the spine, for too long legs, there is not enough longitudinal adjustment of the chair.
A little more convenient to land in the Italian car: higher and even opening hours allow you to go there with proudly raised head. And the rounded corners of the seat pillows, especially the rear, are not forced to do ballet pa, to push the legs into the salon past the door rack.

As it should be mini-Wenam, the split rear seats admit plenty of transformation options, each section is equipped with a longitudinal adjustment and can be folded. FIATA algorithms of displacements are easier, but fully functional: there is a folding central armrest, and the backs have a wide range of adjustments of the angle of tilt can be made at least half a liter.
Opel Mechanics Wisely: The middle part when folding does not forms the armrest, and it takes down (the removable box-armrest is included in the list of additional equipment), after that, the side sections can be shifted to the center and then push back between the wheeled arches. Now only two places behind, but what! Grow yourself on health, not only horns, but the legs in front of the knees will be as much as 160 mm!
In standard five-seater configurations, the fiat trunk is deeper, but in short, exactly the difference in the body length and loses in the amount of almost a hundred liters, 264 against 350. However, putting the backs, including the right front seat, here you can place a load of 2.3 m. Opel on the shoulder is only 1.6 m, but the floor of the trunk is closed with opening (more precisely, the raised floor, there are still additional compartments under it), and its surface does not disturb the folded rear seats. Free space and easily accommodate the branched decoration. Opel Meriv from this point of view is not so attractive, only 1255 and

Who is who?
I love these little trailers. For a cheerful character, supported by a moderate price, is ready to forgive a good equipped Fiat idea small flaws in it much more advantages. Opel Meriva appreciates itself above and for comparable money offers just a good car without any excesses. Well, you want to ride with great comfort will have to pay extra.

Fiat.
+ Compact sizes, very high and spacious interior, huge doorways, abundance of boxes and shelves, economical and tracting engine, rich basic equipment.
- Hard suspension, noisy engine, small outer mirrors, some manufacturer's flaws, baggage opening above floor level.

Opel
+ High quality manufacturing, extensive list of additional equipment, spacious interior, a spacious trunk, a comfortable suspension.
- Pretty poor basic equipment, limited overview through an inner mirror, separate disadvantages of ergonomics.