Road test - Fiat Qubo

Author: Ian Strachan

You could never accuse Fiat of coming up with something conventional. And they’ve done it again with Qubo. This cube on wheels is well named, and it‘s packed with nice touches.

The Qubo is essentially a city car, but with bags of interior space. Lots of glass makes this small car seem much bigger than it looks. Small it might be, but there's not a square centimetre of space wasted.

The inside of the cabin is high and the window glass area is large, giving a very light and airy feel - a bit like driving a small greenhouse. 

With the seats folded down you get 2500 litres of load space, the best in its class. The squared off rear end means that what it loses in width and length it more than makes up for in height. Sliding rear doors make loading and getting in and out in tight parking spaces much easier, and you get hefty roof rails.

The square back and protruding front end (a safety feature which also reduces damage in low speed knocks and protects vulnerable areas such as headlights and radiator) make the Qubo a bit of an ugly bug. But when you drive this car you'll be pleasantly surprised. I drove a model fitted with Fiat's competitive 1.3 turbo diesel engine - the smallest common rail direct injection unit in the world. 

It's an impressively smooth engine for a small unit. Inside the car you won't think it's a diesel, and you won't think it's only a 1.3 engine. It feels bigger and more powerful. It is only let down by a slight but noticeable turbo delay, but once the turbo cuts in acceleration is impressive. And you'll get nearly 63 miles to the gallon in mixed driving. The five speed manual gearbox is pleasant to use and precise, and CO2 emissions are very low at 119g/km.

Ride and handling are good, though suspension is a little harsh, making bumpy roads uncomfortable. Steering is taught and precise. 

Another advantage of the Qubo is that it sits low on the road, making getting in and out and loading easier.

Equipment levels are good. ABS, remote central locking, dual front airbags and electric front windows are standard across the range. In-car communications are excellent for a small car with Bluetooth, a USB port and voice control mode. My Dynamic specification test car was also fitted with a very good CD sound system.

The cabin layout is very Fiat, with a central instrument binnacle with useful facia-top storage bins. 

It's difficult to fault this versatile little car, even though it comes in some pretty outrageous colours like funky green or fiery orange. The only real niggle I have is that the front seats aren't particularly supportive. I found myself shuffling around to get comfortable.

That apart this is a good package for an on the road price of £11,650. The range starts at a very competitive £10,250.

Road test by Ian Strachan Communications Ltd

Ian Strachan is a motoring and business writer and PR consultant. He can be contacted on 01543 490932 or 07949 202596 or via email: ian@strachan13.freeserve.co.uk