Fiat Scudo 2014 Review

The Fiat Scudo must be one of the least known models in Australia. I had actually forgotten it was available here until I turned up to a recent Fiat Commercial event in Melbourne. 

It seems I’m not the only one who hasn’t noticed the Scudo. VFACTS figures show that just 17 of them have been sold on average each month this year. The larger Ducato is not exactly a household name, but it still outsells the Scudo five to one.

PRICE AND FEATURES

The Scudo comes standard with Electronic Stability Control, but just one front airbag for the driver. The poor old passenger gets nothing. More airbags are available as options. It also only scores just three stars in a EuroNCAP test. Most other vans on the market get four stars.

Like many vans in Europe, the Scudo is also shared with other brands. Near identical versions are sold as the Citroen Jumpy and Peugeot Expert. It costs $28,990 and competes with the Hyundai iLoad and Toyota HiAce and would probably also be considered by people looking at the VW Caddy Maxi and Renault Kangoo Maxi.

DRIVING

When I took the Scudo for a spin on that rainy day in Melbourne I wasn’t expecting much, but came away pleasantly surprised. The Scudo is a relatively quiet and composed and it’s also comfortable.

It is practical, with two sliding doors and swinging barn doors at the rear, which is important for a working van like this. There is 6 cubic metres of cargo space and the gap between the rear wheel arches is a reasonable 1245mm. The Scudo gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel making 88kW and 300Nm, with power going to the front wheels. This is a strong engine that is relatively refined for a commercial vehicle and works well with the clean shifting six-speed manual but there is no auto option.

Fiat Scudo
Price: from $28,990
Engine: 2.0L four-cylinder diesel, 88kW/300Nm
Transmission: 6-speed manual, FWD
Thirst: 7.4L/100Km, 196g/km CO2