Fiat Doblo long-term test
Can the Fiat Doblo provide the right amount of space and enough range for a videographer spending life on the road?...
The Car Fiat Doblo L1 Multijet3 1.5 100ps manual Primo Run by Tom Goodban, Videographer
Why it’s here To prove there are compact van alternatives to the Ford Transit, and ones which you should consider alongside it
Needs to Act as a mobile office on video shoots and cover long distances to shoot locations around the country
Mileage 6,890 List price £24,040 Price as tested £24,573 exc. VAT Test economy 47.2mpg Official economy 54mpg Dealer value now £13,875 Private value now £13,875 Running costs (Excl. depreciation) fuel £949
1 October 2025 – Doblo done and dusted…
My time with the Fiat Doblo has come to an end and getting to know the van life has been quite a journey.
I’ve tested its ability to act as my mobile office when on video shoots around the country. I've tested its fuel economy and comfort on a road trip to Devon, and I’ve utilised the rear cargo space to clear my parents' loft of boxes.
In this final report, I thought I would put it through one final challenge by testing the whole package on a long drive down to the south coast – and then sleeping in it overnight.
But first, what was my time with the Fiat Doblo like overall? Well, being my first van (after a life of cars) I was intrigued, and a little nervous, at the beginning. I know I chose the Doblo for its immense practicality, but would the shine wear off if it felt, well, a little agricultural compared with a car?
In the end, I was perfectly happy with this compromise and it fitted into my lifestyle perfectly. I needed something big enough to ferry my camera gear around and yet with plenty of space to use my laptop, and the Doblo provided that. The swivel desk on the fold down middle seat was one of my favourite features, providing me with a handy desk no matter where I found myself.
The rear cargo space was plenty big enough for what I needed, too. One frustration I had with my particular L1 version of the Doblo was that it only had one sliding door meaning that if, for example, you had reversed into a space and then have someone park a bit too close to that door in the car park, you couldn’t just open the other side to access the cargo space. Going up to an L2 version gets you the extra door, so I’d consider that if I had my time again.
Three seats in the front sounded like a handy feature but with the middle one being so small it’s extremely cramped if you do try and get three adults in – it was pretty uncomfortable even just dropping someone off around the corner, let alone if you had a full day of work ahead of you. However, this did handily get me out of being a designated driver on multiple occasions.
Infotainment was a key strength, with Apple CarPlay being my most used feature, and the digital rear-view mirror was extremely useful in helping me see what was behind me when on the road.
Speaking of how it drove, the Doblo was comfortable and refined enough (even if it could kick up a bit of a racket inside at motorway speeds), and I found it to be fairly nimble, too. If I was regularly carrying heavy cargo, though, I'd opt for the more powerful of the two engine options, with 128bhp compared with the 100bhp of my van.
In terms of fuel economy, I averaged 47.2mpg over my six months with the van, across almost 7000 miles. That's not far off the official figure, but of more use to me was the fact that with a full tank I was getting around 500 miles between fill-ups, which meant I could manage a long journey to a video shoot without having to factor in a fuel station search as part of my already long day.
But now onto my stay in Hotel il Doblo. I was planning a camping trip with a group of friends, and as a farewell to the Doblo, and to highlight its versatility, my plan was to make the journey down south, load the rear cargo space with pillows, blankets and a good read and enjoy a five-star sleep in the van itself – rather than squeezing into a sweaty tent with my mates.
On arrival at our campsite, I must admit I felt pretty smug as I parked up and settled down with a cold drink while my friends were still trying to put their tent up. Being 6ft1in my main concern was not being able to stretch out fully without being blocked by the van's bulkhead, but I needn’t have feared because thanks to the handy load-through seat, I could throw that down and poke my legs through. And with the balmy summer’s evening allowing me to keep the doors open, I could immerse myself in the natural world and drift off.
Was it the most comfortable night’s sleep of my life? No. But was it a unique experience and a fitting farewell to my work companion? You bet.
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