The Fiat Strada Sporting is the mini-ute for all reasons and most seasons and the only downside is that you have to go to Brazil to drive it. The ute, based on the platform of the Strada and built in Brazil at one of Fiat's South American factories, is made only in left-hand drive.
Fiat importers for Australia, Ateco Automotive, says there's "no chance" of it getting here. "It is a left hand drive only vehicle and has never been engineered for right hand drive," says cold water specialist Edward Rowe of Ateco.
The ute is based on the Strada Extended Cab and is powered by a 97kW/249Nm 1.8-litre four-cylinder driving the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox.
It is on sale at $BRL46,270, equivalent to about $27,000. Though that sounds expensive, it is hit with Brazil's high taxation regime. By comparison, a Toyota Corolla in Brazil is equivalent to about $52,000 - a car that in Australia sells for $21,000.