Geneva motor show: Fiat’s new Tipo takes the simple route

The new Fiat Tipo has't even gone on sale yet, but the four-door saloon version has already picked up one European award - the Autobest 2016 award. With one of its major rivals, the new Opel Astra, picking up the European Car Of The Year award, Fiat will be hoping that its new hatch and estate versions will allow it to make some similar trophy-winning ways.

The Tipo, seen at the show in saloon format for the first time, is actually something of a conventional car. It’s based on the same basic chassis as the 500L, 500x and Jeep Renegade, but there’s nothing too ground-breaking here - a five-door hatch or estate body, relatively handsome, and fitted with a choice of 1.3 or 1.6 diesel engines with 95hp or 120hp, a 1.4 petrol with 95hp, a 1.6 petrol with 110hp and a 1.4 Turbo petrol with 120hp. Both dual-clutch and conventional automatic transmissions will be optionally available.

While the car has been designed to be relatively simple and cheap to build (and is built in a low-cost factory in Turkey) the Tipo will have some high-tech options including a uConnect touch-screen infotainment system with DAB radio and Bluetooth as standard. It’ll be practical too - the hatch’s 420-litre boot is well ahead of most rivals, while the estate’s 520-litres of luggage space is decent, if not class-leading.

Generally speaking though, it’s a car that will be sold on its price and value first. Fiat Ireland has previously told us that it will significantly undercut the prices of its major rivals, and will come with a full five-year warranty.