Fiat Croma
Ratings
3 stars
Summary
Average. Sensible and practical transport, but without the quality or dynamics to be anything more than a segment also-ran.
Review
Big and unarguably useful, the Croma is another of the growing number of attempts to reinvent the family car. Fiat has incorporated lots of cues from MPVs into it, including tall construction and a spacious cabin, but the rest of the driving and ownership experience is profoundly average.
Despite slightly awkward visual proportions, the Croma is a reasonable enough looking car from the outside. Once inside the cabin is spacious and solidly constructed, but lots of the materials feel very cheap when compared to rivals. Rear seat space is decent, but the boot isn't as big as you'd expect - unable to match the VW Passat estate on overall volume.
On the road, the Croma drives very well - providing you're not anticipating white-knuckle driving dynamics. Soft suspension helps to smooth out bumps, while high-speed refinement is very good. On twisty roads the chassis can't evince much interest for faster progress, though, with big lean angles and poor grip from the front end.
It's hard to make too much of a case for the petrol engines, although the smooth-spinning 2.2 litre unit goes very nicely indeed. But the diesels are the better powerplants by far, especially the entry level 120 bhp 1.9 litre JTD engine. The more potent 150 bhp version gives more urge and pretty much matches the lesser motor's fuel economy, but its noisier and with a peakier power delivery. The range-topping 2.4 litre JTD is thirsty and barely more rapid than the 1.9.
Ratings Breakdown
Styling
3 star
Boring but practical - the Croma looks like it emerged fully formed from a jelly mould.
Handling
3 star
Safe and predictable, but not the sort of car you're ever going to choose to chuck around for fun.
Comfort
4 star
Soothing ride, good driving position and impressive motorway refinement make the Croma an easy car to spend time with.
Quality & Reliability
2 star
It feels tough enough, but interior trim quality is nothing like that of classier rivals.
Performance
3 star
The petrol engines are pretty much pointless - entry-level 120 bhp diesel motor is by far the sweetest model in the range.
Roominess
4 star
As big and practical as you would expect from something that looks like this.
Running Costs
2 star
Fuel, insurance and servicing costs are all competitive - but the Croma's disastrous residuals mean it looks expensive on a cost-per-mile basis.
Value for money
3 star
Well priced against the competition considering the amount of standard equipment on offer - until you remember the punishing depreciation.
