Introduction

Back in the eighties, the original Tipo was a quite sophisticated family hatchback with a digital dashboard and a dash of style. Performance, too thanks to the semi-iconic Sedicivalvole hot hatch version. Fast forward to 2017, and the tale is quite different. The current Tipo is a built-down-to-a-price bargain hatch designed to wrest back buyers for Fiat who’ve defected to the Koreans and Dacia over the years.

Did you know? The original Fiat Tipo was European Car of the Year when it was launched in 1989.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing

Verdict: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6/10)

There are few criticisms of the Tipo that cannot be waved away with simple repetition of the phrase ‘but look at the price tag.’ It undercut an equivalent Ford Focus, for example, by as much as £4,000, yet it’s every bit as spacious and practical, and Fiat seems to have got the build quality right too. It’s only average to drive, the cabin is rather plain, and refinement is not its strong suit, but the Tipo represents solid, sensible family motoring for a bargain price tag, and just a faint whiff of eighties Italian glamour.