The mini MPV segment is booming in the Indian auto market and currently the leader is clearly the Maruti Eritga. Its rivals Chevrolet Enjoy and Nissan Evalia are nowhere to be seen on the sales charts while other MPVs like the Mahindra Xylo and Toyota Innova are a segment above the Ertiga. The Ertiga will soon face some tough competition from the Honda Mobilio but now we are surprised to see the Fiat Doblo MPV being tested in India. The vehicle was sighted in Pune and if it does get launched in India, then it will add some spice to the mini MPV segment.
At first glance, the Fiat Doblo looks similar to the Skoda Yeti from the front quarter angle. The front design is quirky and it may not appeal to most buyers. The frog-like headlamps remind us of the Maruti A-Star. Since this is a van, the side profile can be justified to look bland but Fiat has reduced the monotony to a great extent by blackening the A, B and C-pillars and adding rubber protective strips on the sides. The rear is pretty straight forward and it comes with a huge glass area and vertical lights on both the sides. The Doblo also comes with roof-rails which are not installed on the test mule.
The Fiat Doblo is a very spacious vehicle and it has a maximum luggage capacity of 3200-litres with all seats folded down. The van can seat seven people and it can also haul a trailer with a maximum weight capacity of 1-tonne. Fiat has loaded the Doblo with the usual goodies like an audio system with a radio and CD player, steering-mounted audio controls, Blue&Me, leather steering wheel and gear knob and a setup for a navigation system. For safety you get ESP + Hill Holder function, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX attachments for children’s seats and side airbags to protect the front passengers. The Fiat Doblo also comes with a DeadLock system that locks all the doors and fuel tank making it impossible to open them even from the inside.
Fiat should keep aggressive pricing in mind if they are contemplating launching the vehicle in India. The company also needs to improve its after-sales service and fit and finish of its products. The Fiat Doblo has a great potential to succeed in the Indian market if it is marketed properly. Fiat also has an advantage of its legendary Multijet diesel engine which is being used in many cars on sale right now.
Spy Pictures Source – FIAT Cars – Himachal Pradesh
