Fiat Doblo Review (2010-2020)

In essence, the Doblo has always been a small van with windows. But that’s no bad thing if what you’re looking for is a spacious, practical car with a compact footprint and an affordable price tag.

When the second-generation Fiat Doblo arrived in 2010, Fiat stated that just 3% of its components were carried over from the original Doblo. Even so, if you ever see the two models parked next to each other, it's clear they are cut from similar cloth. The upright and boxy body points to the Doblo's origins as a commercial vehicle.

Although the Doblo is no longer available as a new car, there are plenty to choose from on the used market. It's a practical and affordable option if form matters less than function.

Only a mother could love the Doblo's tall and ungainly styling, but mum, dad and all the kids will love the space inside. There's room for five as standard, while cars with the optional Family Pack had a third row of seats. Go for the five-seater and you have an absolutely enormous boot. It beats the luggage space in the Citroen Berlingo Multispace and Peugeot Partner Tepee hands-down.

Headroom is plentiful, whichever row of seats you travel in, and there's enough legroom for adults to be reasonably comfortable in the second row. Sliding rear doors make it easy to get in and out, while the car's generous width means three adults can sit in the second row without too much elbow-banging.

The driver sits up high, even with the seat on its lowest setting. It is a very van-like driving position, but sitting high and handsome is what many buyers are looking for from this style of MPV. It makes for a comfortable driving position that keeps aches and pains to a minimum on a long journey.

By the standards of van-based MPVs, the Doblo drives reasonably well. As with most of these cars, however, that’s a relative term. There’s no getting away from the fact that the ride is bouncy and the Doblo is noisy at speed. A Ford Tourneo Connect follows a similar template, yet feels more like a conventional MPV or hatchback to drive.

Fiat launched the Doblo with a choice of one petrol and two diesel engines. The 94bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine was the cheapest version to buy, and works well enough around town.

The diesels have more mid-range pulling power for hauling a full car of people and luggage. The entry-level diesel was a 103bhp 1.6-litre Multijet. The punchier of the two was a 133bhp 2.0 Multijet. Either diesel can sound rather rough and noisy when put to work.

A facelift at the start of 2015 sharpened the Doblo's looks and dropped the more powerful of the two diesels. Extra sound insulation means the post-facelift cars are a little quieter than earlier models, and changes to the gearshift and throttle promised a better driving experience.

Running costs should be affordable, especially if you choose one of the diesels. The 94bhp 1.6 Multijet Dualogic automatic has the lowest fuel consumption of the lot on paper. It should be capable of 56.5mpg, according to the official figures. However, the car was tested using the old and outdated NEDC test method, which tends to give results that are difficult to match in real-world driving. Somewhere between 40mpg and 45mpg is a more realistic expectation.

These autos are quite rare, so you'll have your work cut out finding one on the used market unless you are prepared to travel. Diesels with a manual gearbox are far more commonplace, and won't be far away from the fuel economy achieved by the automatic. Go for either the 103bhp 1.6 or the 118bhp 1.6, and the official combined MPG figure is in the 50s. Again, expect low 40s, or maybe 45mpg if you drive gently.

Petrol Doblos make cheap and cheerful used MPVs, but be wary of higher fuel bills. Some owners struggle to get much better than 30mpg from the 1.4 petrol. And remember, you'll need to work this engine hard to get anywhere in a hurry. Low insurance groups mean annual premiums should be affordable. The entry-level 1.4 16V Active sits in group 4E of 50, which really is exceptionally low. That's the kind of insurance grouping you'd expect of a city car rather than a roomy MPV. At the other end of the range, stepping up to the 2.0 Multijet Eleganza brings an insurance group of 14E. So premiums should still be very affordable, even with this version's greater performance.

Reasonably low carbon dioxide emissions mean annual Vehicle Excise Duty bills aren't too steep. The post-facelift 103bhp 1.6 Multijet emits 138g/km of CO2, which means a car tax cost of £165 for cars registered before April 2017. Similar cars registered after this date attract the flat-rate charge of £165, so there's no change if you choose a later example.

Fiat doesn't always get glowing reviews in reliability and owner satisfaction surveys. In fairness, there's quite a lot of variation from model to model, and Fiat has achieved some respectable midfield finishes in recent studies.

The Doblo isn't the most complex or sophisticated of cars, so without flashy touchscreen infotainment systems or the last word in high-tech driver aids, there's less to go wrong. Most of the mechanical parts are reasonably robust too, although we have heard of minor faults like the rear wash-wipe hose becoming disconnected.

There have been some issues serious enough for a safety recall. Some Doblos have a fault in the airbag ignition chemicals, which can prevent the airbags from deploying. This applies to cars built between September and November 2016. Affected vehicles should have been identified and fixed by now, although you can enter a car's reg number into the recall checker on the gov.uk website to make sure.

If you're shopping for a Doblo at a Fiat main dealer, the Fiat Found approved used scheme includes a minimum of 12 months warranty cover. A year's breakdown cover is also included, and there's a 30-day exchange promise which allows you to swap the car for one of similar value if you are not happy.