Fiat’s Doblo is growing up

The improved Fiat Doblo Cargo XL van offers small van operators the one thing they crave more than anything: sheer utility.

Fiat’s compact van has come an awful long way from the rather awkwardlooking thing launched here around the turn of the century. Today, it’s a confident commercial design that offers one of the most spacious choices in the segment.

There’s been a shift in recent years to more capable small vans that can do more than deliver flowers and pizzas, vehicles with heavy duty potential and this Doblo XL reflects that, offering operators the utility they need at a price they’ll like.

With some great diesel engines on offer, the model in this form looks to have really come of age in the commercial sector.

Predictably from a manufacturer that pioneered the common-rail diesel technology that now dominates the engine bays of our top commercial vehicles, Fiat has given the van a strong range of engines.

There are Multijet common-rail diesels in 1.3, 1.6 and two-litre guises.

The 1.3-litre Multijet II oil-burner has 95bhp and the 1.6 Multijet II unit ups the torque output to 105bhp – or 90bhp if you choose the Comfort-Matic Fiat makes that easy to access with wideopening doors and a nicely shaped load floor.

Up front, there’s a large shelf above the windscreen and a lockable glovebox with space for a smallish laptop computer. The door pockets will each take a couple of small drinks bottles and a document clip can be assigned to the dashboard from the options list.

As for running costs, well the big news with this revised model comes with the news that the 90hp 1.3 Multijet II and 105hp 1.6 Multijet II engines are now available in frugal EcoJet guises.

These variants offer a reduction in fuel consumption and emissions levels thanks to the use of Start&Stop engine technology, low rolling-resistance tyres, low-viscosity oil, an intelligent alternator, a variable-displacement oil pump and an aerodynamic pack. All this makes it possible to achieve a fuel economy figure of up to 64mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of just 115g/km.

The improved Fiat Doblo Cargo XL offers a huge carrying capacity in a comparatively compact vehicle.

This, along with value pricing and a strong reliability record, ought to be a recipe for fleet success.

With a range of engines and body styles, along with Fiat’s huge dealer network, it’s one of those vans that doesn’t seem to put a foot wrong.

The Doblo XL is one of Fiat’s wide range of commercial vehicles.