Fiat Urban Cross Long Term Review – Second Report

Fiat Urban Cross Long Term Review

Long Term Test No. 112

Car Tested: Fiat Urban Cross
Kms Done: 6578 kms
Test Started at: 3839 kms
Test Concluded at: 10,417 kms
Mileage: 12.25 km/l, 14.8 km/l (best), 9.7 km/l (worst)
Fuel Consumed: 536.97-litres
Fuel Cost: Rs. 31,681/-
Rs. per km: Rs. 4.81/-

The Fiat Urban Cross is a mixed bag of sorts – it has good as well as bad things

I really don’t know where to begin. It has been an interesting few months with the new Fiat Avventura Urban Cross that has been my daily ride. This is one of those few times when I’m unable to decide whether I really like this car or not. Sure, every car has its boons and banes, but Fiat cars have always been something away from the ordinary and whether you love them or hate them, you just cannot ignore them.

I really don’t need to mention that the Punto Evo is one beautiful car and there is no denying this. The Urban Cross is derived from the Punto itself and comes with quite a lot of enhancements while the overall shape and look of the car aren’t too different. On the outside, you get body cladding all over, along with attractive diamond cut alloys wrapped around fat rubber which really lend the car a masculine stance. Our test car was grey in colour and it gelled really well with the alloys and body cladding. The headlights remain similar to the Punto just like the tail-lamps. The Urban Cross looks a bit exclusive on our roads which are infested with the usual hatchbacks and I had a lot of people come and ask me about the car. Someone even commented that I’ve modified my Punto very tastefully.

The build quality feels very good, especially compared to other cars in the same price band that have a very tinny feel. The interiors are largely similar to the Punto and Avventura, but unlike the latter, you don’t get those 3 dials on the centre console. What has also changed compared to the Avventura is the positioning of the spare wheel, which is now placed in the boot conventionally, and that is far more practical than the boot-mounted wheel. Build quality on the inside also feels great but fit and finish levels are below par at some places and honestly we would be happy with better finish. For instance, the interior LHS C-pillar trim on our car was constantly coming off.

It takes some time to get used to the cabin which feels a bit unusual

Ergonomics are far from the best and there is scope for a lot of improvement. The steering wheel is set high up and doesn’t have adjustment for reach, the front seats are a bit weird and take time getting used to, the placement of the pedals could have been better too. Another thing worth noting is that your leg rubs against the steering column when you turn the steering and the foot is on the clutch. The space between the clutch and the dead pedal also isn’t much and people wearing large shoes will find an issue with this.

The equipment list isn’t great too. You just get stuff like electrically adjustable ORVMs, touchscreen infotainment system, MID, remote locking and ABS. This being a diesel variant isn’t offered in the top trim and hence misses out on dual front airbags shockingly. The touchscreen infotainment system isn’t the best one out there and has average sound quality. The touchscreen was also behaving erratically and it used to keep blinking on its own, which became so irritating at night that I had to activate the Auto-Off function which would shut the screen after 20 seconds. However, not having steering-mounted audio controls meant that the screen would wake up every time I would adjust the volume or change the song. For opening the boot, you either need to use the button inside the cabin or insert the key in the boot lid, there is no other button or latch on the boot lid to open it.

90 PS might sound low on paper but the engine has punch even at the top end

Let us discuss about the performance now. You get the familiar 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel engine that is offered in the 90 PS tune. The engine is also offered with many other vehicles but the tuning done by Fiat is completely different. There is a lot of turbo lag but post that, the power delivery feels very punchy and surprisingly, the oil-burner loves to be revved right up to a notch above 4000 RPM. In fact, the mid-range and top-end are very punchy and that makes the car an eager performer.

Due to the massive turbo lag, you need to change gears very frequently in the city. The way the Urban Cross accelerates is just another thing. The style of power delivery makes the car feel quicker than what it actually is and the turbo lag is definitely the silence before the storm. However, the gear shifts are way too notchy and it feels as if someone has stuck a chewing gum in the mechanism. A slick shifting gearbox would have definitely added to the fun factor. The clutch isn’t too heavy and feels easy to use. Talking about fuel efficiency, we got anywhere between 9.7 to 14.8 km/l. The heavy weight of the car coupled with the fat tyres has its impact on the efficiency but the fun factor compensates for it.

Fiat cars always excel when it comes to dynamics and are fun to drive

The steering on the Urban Cross isn’t exactly light. In fact, it is well-weighted and feels very direct and full of feedback. Driving the car was a pleasant experience thanks to the steering and we cannot deny the fact that while the Urban Cross may not be as much fun to drive as the Punto, it still feels very engaging and is a lot of fun to throw around the corners too. The car performs really well on almost all road surfaces and body control is fantastic. The suspension is another area where the Urban Cross excels since the ride is very good and the suspension makes you believe that it can take up a lot of abuse. Braking power is good but when you stomp the pedal in emergency situations, the ABS kicks in a bit too early and the stopping power doesn’t instil confidence at times, even though the car does stop how you expect it to, without any drama.

The Fiat Urban Cross is one car which won’t be liked by many, but the few people who will admire this car, they will definitely love it for the feel that it offers. It has some issues with the ergonomics and equipment list, but the driving dynamics and feel are unmatched and the car feels very involving to drive. However, this involvement comes at a cost and the diesel top variant comes at Rs. 9.80 lakhs (on-road, Mumbai) and paying a million bucks for a car that has poor ergonomics and no airbags is a big question. If you really want to buy a fun to drive crossover, we would totally recommend the petrol version of the Urban Cross, because it comes with the monstrous 1.4-litre turbocharged Abarth engine and also gets dual front airbags.

Fiat Urban Cross Service Costs

1. Service Schedule – 15,000 kms and 1 year (whichever is earlier)
2. Cost of Spares –

* Engine Oil Per Service – Rs. 2264/- (D)
* Brake Oil – Rs. 675/- (D)
* Oil Filter – Rs. 464/- (D)
* Fuel Filter – Rs. 2123/- (D)
* Brake Pads (Front) – Rs. 3455/- (est.)
* Front Bumper (without painting) – Rs. 2800/- (est.)
* Rear Bumper (without painting) – Rs. 2600/- (est.)
* Headlamp Assembly (Each) – Rs. 3800/- (est.)
* Tail Lamp Assembly (Each) – Rs. 3300/- (est.)

What’s Cool

* Looks beautiful and tough at the same time
* The engine has good performance
* Handling is fun, the crossover feels planted always
* Ride quality is splendid, suspension feels durable

What’s Not So Cool

* Many features are missing despite the price
* Airbags should have been provided at least
* Not everyone will like the ergonomics

Testers’ Note:

Further Reading –

Fiat Urban Cross Long Term Review – First Report
Fiat Urban Cross Review