Item: Used Fiat Tipo 2016-present
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

This is where the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/fiat">Fiat</a> Tipo struggles a bit. While it might be cheaper to buy new than its rivals, when it comes to the second-hand market the price difference isn’t great enough to justify its shortcomings against more accomplished alternatives.

For a little bit more money, you could have an example of the award-winning <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/leon/hatchback/used-review/n805">Seat Leon</a>. It has a much better infotainment system, its interior is vastly superior in terms of the quality of materials used, the engine range is much more refined and it benefits from a full five-star Euro-NCAP safety rating compared with the Tipo’s three stars.

Then there’s the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/astra/hatchback/used-review/n17406">Vauxhall Astra</a>, which is another car that is very good in all areas, except for perhaps excitement. It’s roomy inside, has a range of fuel-efficient engines and, again, comes with a five-star safety score. The boot isn’t quite as big as the one in the Tipo, though.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/used-review/n851">Skoda Octavia</a> has never had a problem with boot space and this generation is no exception. Underneath, it’s based on the same platform as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/used-review/n776">Volkswagen Golf</a> and the Seat Leon, but it’s much bigger inside. It'll cost you more to buy than the Tipo, but it’s worth it for the extra space, superior interior finish and a more modern infotainment system.

<a href="http://www.whatcar.com/classifieds/used-cars/fiat/other-models">Find a used Fiat Tipo in the What Car? Classifieds here</a>

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/fiat">Fiat</a> Tipo is available with a couple of diesel engines that are both fitted with a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). To ensure that the DPF can regenerate (burn off the trapped soot), frequent motorway journeys are necessary because this process is only triggered when the exhaust is hot enough. Check how the previous owner has used the car if you are unsure because lots of urban journeys will clog up the filter.

Other potential problems with DPF-equipped cars come if it has been shut off part way through regeneration. The result is contamination of the oil system with fuel, which leads to the oil level rising gradually over time. This can cause damage to the engine, so it’s worth checking the oil level or have the car inspected if you are unsure.

The Fiat Tipo is still quite new, which is why it didn’t feature in our latest What Car? Reliability Survey. However, Fiat, as a brand, didn’t do particularly well. The manufacturer came in 24th place out of 32 car brands. Rivals, such as <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/seat">Seat</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/skoda">Skoda</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/vauxhall">Vauxhall</a> all did better.

If you would like to see the full reliability list for family cars, head to the What Car? Reliability Survey pages for more information.

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Hatchback

Modern Fiats fall into two categories: the retro models and those with more functional designs.

Cars in the first camp appeal to the heart and include the 124 Spider sports car and the 500 series: a hatchback, a convertible, an SUV and two MPVs.

By contrast, the remaining models rely on their practicality and attractive pricing, with the Panda city car, Tipo hatchback and Fullback pick-up truck all prime examples.

Fiat can trace its roots back to the 19th century but is now part of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group, along with Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Jeep and Maserati.

FIAT

TIPO

The Fiat Tipo is a decent value family car for those looking for space, good fuel economy and plenty of equipment

Used Fiat Tipo 2016-present

The thirstiest Tipo is the 1.6-litre petrol due to its automatic transmission. The combined average of this version is 44.8mpg and £150 road tax; however, both of the 1.4-litre petrol engines are cheaper to run with road tax costs of £135 for each and fuel economy of 49.6mpg for the 94bhp version and 47.1mpg for the 118bhp turbocharged variant.

Both the 1.3- and 1.6-litre diesel engines do 76.3mpg and have free road tax because they slip below the 100g/km threshold.

All cars registered after April 2017 will cost £140 per year to tax.

Insurance costs are comparable with rivals. Servicing costs are in line with rivals too, both in terms of fixed price packages and normal servicing.

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The Fiat Tipo is a decent value family car for those looking for space, good fuel economy and plenty of equipment

Some of the earliest <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/fiat">Fiat</a> Tipos with a full service history and around 10,000 miles can be found for as little as £8500. Easy Plus models with more kit are a little bit more, at roughly £9000.

A nearly new Tipo with the 1.4 T-Jet petrol engine and mid-range spec will cost you around £11,700.

To keep up to date with used Fiat Tipo prices, use our free valuation tool to make sure you are getting the best deal.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">Check the value of a used Fiat Tipo with What Car? Valuations</a>

Since the Tipo is quite a big car, we’d suggest going for the more powerful engines. The diesel is quite clattery under acceleration and is only really suitable for those who do frequent motorway journeys and cover big mileages. The turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol is much more refined, has plenty of power for most situations and is economical enough too.

The base-spec Easy doesn’t come with alloy wheels and the top-of-the-range Lounge spec pushes the price of the Tipo up, so it’s best to go for Easy Plus trim because it comes with all the equipment you require without making you pay over the odds.

Our favourite <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/fiat">Fiat</a> Tipo: 1.4 T-Jet Easy Plus

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of practical space </li> <li>Low running costs </li> <li>A comfortable ride </li> <li>A healthy equipment list </li> <li>Quality materials and thoughtful touches inside </li> <li>Rock-solid reliability</li></ul>

Family cars arguably have the toughest brief of all: they have to be good at pretty much everything. They’re used as the daily drive, on the school run or work commute (often both), and have to be able to cope with a family’s clutter on weekends and holidays.

The Skoda Scala is a relative newcomer, but it's&nbsp;already carved out a name for itself in this segment.&nbsp;If you're looking for a moderately priced car that combines a supple ride, neat handling, a spacious interior and a capacious boot&nbsp;it's well worth a look.&nbsp;Alternatively, if you're looking for entertaining handling then the&nbsp;BMW 1 Series may well be for you. It's great to drive, rides well&nbsp;and also comes with a top-notch interior, featuring one of our very favourite infotainment systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Toyota Corolla&nbsp;is another great choice. This latest version of one of the world's best-selling cars of all time can be had with a choice of two different petrol-electric hybrid engines, both of which should mean&nbsp;potentially lower fuel bills. It's comfortable, well equipped and should be very reliable, too.&nbsp;

Family

The plastics used in the interior can be marked easily, so look over the interior carefully when you go to look at a Tipo.

Make sure all the electrical items work on the car because some models come with plenty of kit (such as a reversing camera). Even early cars will still have some warranty left, so it’s not the end of the world if something isn’t working.

Family cars have become more refined and better equipped over recent years, but this has made them more expensive to buy. However, if you’re willing to sacrifice some refinement and you're after something practical that has a decent amount of kit and doesn’t force you to downsize into a small car, then the Fiat Tipo makes a good case for itself.

In a highly competitive class, the Tipo competes with more mainstream rivals such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/leon/hatchback/used-review/n805">Seat Leon</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/used-review/n851">Skoda Octavia</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/astra/hatchback/used-review/n17406">Vauxhall Astra</a>, wooing potential buyers with a big boot, decent interior space and some strong engine options.

There’s a choice of five engines: two 1.4-litre engines (one with a turbocharger and one without), a 1.6-litre petrol with an automatic transmission and two diesels – a 1.3-litre and a punchy (if a little noisy) 1.6-litre. The base petrol and diesel would be fine around town but will struggle on the open road. If you need to tackle the motorway regularly, then the turbocharged 1.4 petrol and larger 1.6 diesel will cope best.

Entry-level Easy spec has a decent amount of standard kit with air-con, electric front windows and a DAB radio. Easy Plus adds alloy wheels, electric rear windows, rear parking sensors and a 5.0in infotainment system. Top-spec Lounge isn't worth forking out for because it only has a couple of extra luxuries and uses the same tiny 5.0in infotainment screen that's difficult to use on the move.

Some of the materials used in the interior feel quite cheap, with hard, scratchy plastics on the doors and centre console. The soft-touch dashboard blends seamlessly into the cheaper stuff since it uses a similar grain. Most of the switches and dials come from other Fiat cars, giving the inside a very generic look.

The same can be said for the way the Tipo drives. There’s been some laudable effort put into the suppression of suspension noise, but the ride becomes fidgety over broken surfaces despite the soft suspension. The steering is quite heavy at slow speeds (although there is a ‘city’ mode to lighten it) and it’s quite vague at higher speeds with a strong self-centring action to it that makes it feel gloopy. Wind and road noise are more noticeable at motorway speeds than in some rivals.

<a href="http://www.whatcar.com/classifieds/used-cars/fiat/other-models">Find a used Fiat Tipo in the What Car? Classifieds here</a>

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Used Fiat Tipo 2016-present review

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