Fiat - Doblo

2001-05

Few cars are as ugly as Doblo, but this angular van-derived midi-MPV is cheap and ultimately practical, so who cares about looks? Maximum space and minimum running costs recommend it.

	Cheap, practical family and cargo carry-all
	Better to drive than its commercial origins suggest
	Roomy cabin and generous load space
	1.2 and 1.9D are both lethargic
	Questionable looks - too ungainly for some buyers
	Depreciates quite quickly if bought new

If you've a thick skin and an eye for a bargain, consider this car. Italy's answer to the Citroen Berlingo and Renault Kangoo, it's too wilfully weird for most British buyers, so prices are keen. Specification is adequate for the money, the boxy interior swallows kids and cargo with ease (the rear doors slide for easy access), and it's cheap to run with low insurance premiums.
It's oh-so-ungainly to look at (Fiat appear to have borrowed the external mouldings from a cheap kiddie-car), but it actually drives quite well, with light, responsive steering and good roadholding. Not that you'll push it to the limits unless you choose the most expensive (and recommended) 100bhp 1.9 JTD. The 1.2 and 1.9 TD are woefully sluggish and noisy at motorway speeds; buy them and be doomed to the slow lane for eternity.
Is this car the 2-CV of the 21st century? You decide.