To boot, or not to boot

PUZZLING: IF YOU WANT A HATCH, PREPARE TO PAY MORE FOR THE PRIVILEGE

Big selling point is that thieves, hijackers don’t want a Fiat Tipo.

There will always be a debate about which particular version of a car is better – the sedan or the hatchback. In Europe, for many years, hatchbacks ruled the roost … and especially when it came to the prejudices of motoring journalists. For them it was simple. Sedan equals dead boring; hatchback equals sexy.

It still is a perception that sedans are bought by older, more conservative people and that may be true to a certain extent – although I (as someone who has owned both) prefer to believe that a sedan buyer is more sensible.

Twenty years ago, you could bet that a hatchback would have quite a bit less boot and interior space than its sedan sister. At the same time, you could also guarantee that the hatch would rattle and allow dust inside the cabin if you dared to take it on gravel roads for more than the briefest of drives.

Sedans, on the other hand, gave you much more luggage and interior space – and if you were a family man (as I was for almost 30 years until the last of them left the nest) then that sort of space is precious.

Also, back in the day, you would pay a premium for a boot on your car – as I did when I bought my VW Jetta. That car almost spoilt me for everything else, because, a part from second-to-none reliability and comfort, there was Space, with a capital S.

So, it was quite interesting to see that Fiat actually charges more for the hatchback version of its medium model, the Tipo. I have been through the specs sheets and I cannot see why because the equipment levels are virtually the same between the sedan and the hatch, with the exception of daytime running lights, which are standard on the hatch. You’ll pay around R20 000 more for the privilege of having a hatch. Go figure…

I think the Tipo is an appealing car for a number of reasons – in either sedan or hatch flavour. But I would take the boot – especially if I was looking to buy one with the annual pilgrimage to the coast with family in tow in mind.

Firstly, at prices which start at R229 000 for the sedan and R249 000 for the hatch, it is not bad value for money, because it is well specced, even at base levels, with goodies and safety equipment. Secondly, the myth about Fiat unrealiability is exactly that these days – a myth. Go to Europe and see how many of them you see on the roads … more than Toyotas in many places. That tells you something.

Most importantly, if you are buying for your family, is the elephant in the room few motoring hacks ever write about – the theft quotient. The chances of Fiat Tipo being stolen or, more frighteningly, of having someone stick a 9mm pistol in your face to relieve you of your Fiat Tipo are, frankly, vanishingly small.

That’s worth bearing in mind … and worth weighing against the fact there are few Fiat dealers around the country than there are for the major manufacturers. Personally, given what I said about reliability, that’s a risk I would take.

The Tipo is a well-engineered and well-built car.

The hatch is the better looking of the two, with shades of the BMW 1 Series design emerging from some angles. It is a decent-looking alternative to a Golf – for less money.

It also handles well, mainly because its 1,4 petrol engine (in the version we had) pushes out only 70kW and doesn’t come close to stretching the chassis. It offers a reasonable ride, although it tends to the hard side: I wondered if the suspension could have been made a bit softer, considering the car is no road burner.

It’s economical, though, returning less than eight litres per 100km in the city and under 6l/100km on the open road.

It’s different. That may scare you even more than a 9mm barrel. Your choice.