Fiat Doblo

The Fiat Doblo is a van with some glass in the sides, and should be regarded as such. It may be big, it may be quite cheap, but it’s also got all the class and refinement of a hen night in Clacton.

• Comfort

  The leaf-spring suspension actually makes for a reasonably comfortable ride, but the general lack off refinement inherent in anything that started life as a commercial vehicle can't just be papered over with a bit of colourful trim.

  

• Performance

  The 2.0 16v Multijet diesel does elevate performance to new dynamic levels for a Doblo - 11.3 secs 0-60 - but overall feel is still firmly in Transit territory

  

• Cool

  Nope. Some cars can become cool by simply rising above it. The Doblo ain't one of them.

  

• Quality

  Van-based cars are usually pretty hard-wearing and the Doblo looks like it can take a fair bit of abuse. The interior plastics are grimly utilitarian though, a constant reminder that the original target audience was Italian builders.

  

• Handling

  The Doblo has a leaf-spring suspension set-up, which means it's exceedingly basic in the handling stakes. It's also disproportionately tall, removing any vestige of mid-corner composure.

  

• Practicality

  That commercial heritage comes with attendant advantages: it's huge, bigger than ever. Seats-down you've got 3,200 litres to play with, which is officially ‘a lot': the most in its class.

  

• Running costs

  It's cheap to buy, reasonably cheap to run and easy to insure. But anything as unloveable as this is not what you'd call a bargain. The ‘Family' version is, however, the cheapest seven-seater on the market, which is something.