What's the news?
Fiat has confirmed that the new Tipo hatchback will be cheaper than its major opposition when it goes on sale in November. Prices will start, for a basic Pop model with the 95hp naturally-aspirated 1.4-litre petrol engine, from €17,995 - that pitches it at least €1,500 cheaper than most other five-door hatchbacks of the same size.
It's not a poverty-spec model either. Standard kit on a Pop includes air conditioning, remote central locking, front and rear electric windows, body-coloured door mirrors with electric adjustment, six airbags, split rear seats, a front seat centre arm rest, full size spare wheel, plus USB and Bluetooth connectivity with steering wheel remote controls. To get a diesel engine, you'll need to upgrade to the 95hp 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel, which starts at €19,745 in Pop trim.
For those fancying more toys, the mid-spec Easy trim includes a five-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob, LED daytime running lights, 16-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, rear parking sensors and cruise control. If you order your car early, though, Fiat is offering the Easy trim for the same price as Pop, for a limited time.
Ritzier Lounge models come with satellite navigation with TomTom LIVE services including HD Traffic, climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic lights and wipers, rear view camera, driver's side lumbar support and a chrome pack all as standard. Key options for the Tipo Lounge include leather upholstery with heated seats (€1,000) and Safety Packs A (which comes with adaptive cruise control in addition to a speed limiter and emergency braking) for €600 and B (which includes the speed limiter and Automatic Emergency Braking) for €250, but neither pack is available on the cheapest Tipo.
Petrol engines include a basic 1.4-litre with 95hp and CO2 emissions of 132g/km, and a 1.4-litre turbo with 120hp and 139g/km. There's also a 1.6 E-Torq fitted with an automatic gearbox that has CO2 emissions of 147g/km.
Diesels kick off with the 95hp 1.3 MultiJet with CO2 of 99g/km and you can upgrade to the 120hp 1.6 MultiJet with CO2 of 98g/km. A dual-clutch automatic is available on the 1.6 diesel.
The Tipo will also come as a (very handsome) compact estate, (which adds 110 litres of luggage space to the hatchback's 440 litres) with pricing starting from €19,245. More crucially for Ireland, Fiat has agreed to produce the four-door saloon in right-hand drive, in spite of the fact that the UK market isn't getting the saloon. It will arrive on sale here in January.
Already on sale in Europe for some time, the Tipo has already picked up the Autobest "Best Buy Car 2016" award, the jury for which includes our very own Dave Humphreys.