Fiat Ducato Sportivo Review
Introduction
The Fiat Ducato Sportivo is the jewel in the crown of the Ducato range, offering a breadth of extra creature comforts and enhanced styling cues to help you and your business stand out from the crowd while also offering the same practicality and efficiency associated with the Ducato nameplate.
Over recent years, we have witnessed a major shift in van buyer’s tastes, gone are the days when a box on four wheels was the norm; instead buyers are becoming more sophisticated and higher specced models like the Ducato Sportivo are becoming increasingly popular.
Fiat Ducato Sportivo Specification
Image is key in today’s society and the Ducato Sportivo sets the tone at the top of the tree from the standard, Tecnico, Tecnico Plus, and Business Edition. It has enhanced features both inside and outside, for instance, it has 16″ two tone alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, colour-coded bumpers and sumptuous black grille with chrome bars on the outside together with front fog lights..
But the premium theme continues on the inside with the stylish ‘Techno’ dashboard and high-level instrument panel, heated seats and the ‘Ducato’ logo embroidered into the seats , a rear view camera, leather gearstick and alarm system.
Fiat Ducato Dimensions
There are two wheelbases with three lengths, the medium wheelbase is 3450mm and the 4035mm longer wheelbase features a short and long rear overhang allowing for a longer load bed area on the same wheelbase.
The medium wheelbase is available as a 10 and 11.5 cubic metre van depending on the roof height. The medium long also has two cubic capacities of 13 and 15 cubic metres with longer at 15 and 17 cubic metre.
Load lengths at the floor range from 3120mm to 4070mm, yes even a 4 m carpet roll should fit inside the van, no more open rear doors !
The maximum load width is 1870mm and between the wheel arches is 1422mm for all van models and the maximum roof heights are 1662mm, 1932mm and 2171mm.
The side load door is 1250mm wide and 1485mm high on the medium roof and 1755mm on the high roof. The rear doors are 1562mm wide and 1790mm high on the medium roof and 2030mm on the high roof version.
On the road
The Fiat Ducato Sportivo is a striking looking van with a wealth of driver features which makes it stand out from the crowd, with a choice of engine powers up to 180bhp and offers a six speed gearbox as well as nine speed automatic. Climbing into the vehicle you quickly realise the fit and finish is up with the premium brands and my vehicle had the auto transmission adding to that quality feeling with very slick gear shifts. Visibility is enhanced by large electrically operated rear view mirrors as well as a deep windscreen, although the mirrors do create one of the only drawbacks, in the form of wind noise heard in the cab.
The instrument panel features all of the important information you need and the steering wheel allows control of the cruise control as well as mobile and infotainment system. All in all the latest generation Ducato is a pleasure to drive and has caught up with the so called ‘ premium marques’.
