The third generation version of Fiat's Doblo van gets a useful update. Jonathan Crouch sees how it measures up.

Ten Second Review

The third generation version of Fiat's Doblo van has evolved - particularly in all-electric form. Much about this now-smarter design is now shared with competing brands in the sector for compact LCVs, but this one still deserves a look if you're seeking a modern value-based package.

Background

For the first time in a long time, the Fiat Professional van range is looking properly modern and cutting-edge. All three of the LCVs the Italian brand offers have been significantly refreshed in recent times - including the smallest member of the line-up, the little Doblo van we look at here. Like the larger Scudo and Ducato models, it has shared Stellantis Group underpinnings, specifically here the EMP2 chassis already used by the Peugeot Partner, Citroen Berlingo, Vauxhall Combo Cargo and Toyota Proace City. Which means there can be a (now-improved) all-electric E-Doblo model too. There's inevitably good and bad in this. Good in that it brings us a much more sophisticated Doblo than businesses have ever had access to before. And bad in that it also brings us the priciest Doblo we've ever seen here. Value was always this Fiat van's calling card. Can this one still deliver in that regard?. Let's take a look.

Driving Experience

One day in the not-too-distant future, you won't be able to acquire a new van of this size with a combustion engine, but for the time being, fossil-fuelled powerplants are very much alive and well in the Doblo range. There's no longer a petrol option, but Fiat still offers two 1.5-litre units, one with 100PS and manual transmission, the other with 130PS and an automatic. A neat touch is Fiat's 'Grip Control System', designed to aid traction on slippery surfaces. And for those awkward deliveries on building sites, there's a Hill descent control set-up for gradients of over 3%. Your Fiat Professional dealer is also going to want you to consider the option of the alternative all-electric E-Doblo, which uses exactly the same now-improved powertrain as its Peugeot E-Partner, Citroen e-Berlingo, Vauxhall Combo Electric and Toyota Proace City Electric segment cousins. This sees a 100kW motor drive the front wheels powered by a 50kWh battery, which when fully charged can now take the E-Doblo up to 205 miles. As usual with this powertrain, there are three driving modes, 'Normal', 'Eco' and 'Power'.

Design and Build

This Doblo might be a re-badged version of an existing Stellantis Group small LCV design but at least from the front end, it doesn't look it. The nose (smartened up for this revised model) gives this van its own sense of urban style, with Fiat's latest retro brand badge where you'd normally expect the grille to be: cooling is taken care of by a large intake lower down. As you'd expect, there are long and short wheelbase van and 5-seater Crew Cab versions. Sadly though, there's no option for the kind of high roof variant that was so useful to operators with the previous generation Doblo Cargo. Inside, the dash and instrument layout is of course as you'll find it with this model's other Stellantis cousins. You'll like the 'Magic Cargo' feature, which enables the van to carry up to three people in the front seats or, alternatively, increase the cargo area's length and loading volume. The passenger-side seat can be raised and the compartment underneath used for boxes or fragile items. On the E-Doblo, one neat touch, unique at launch, is the 'Magic Plug', which makes it possible to use the battery energy to power tools or other electrical appliances.

Market and Model

Prices start from just over £21,000 for the combustion variants and from around £26,000 for the E-Doblo (the latter figure following subtraction of the government's £2,500 Plug-in Van Grant). There's a choice of standard or plusher 'Primo' levels of trim. The base price just quoted is for the short wheelbase L1 version. It's probably worth stretching to the long wheelbase L2 variant, which only costs £950 more. With base trim and the L2 body shape, there's also a Crew Van variant with a second fold-out seating row, available from around £24,000 in combustion form - or from around £29,000 in EV form - ex VAT after grant deduction. With all E-Doblos, a 7.4kW on-board charger is standard with an optional 11kW one as an alternative. This Doblo might be a re-badged version of an existing Stellantis Group small LCV design but at least from the front end, it doesn't look it. The nose (smartened up for this revised model) gives this van its own sense of urban style, with a prominent Fiat brand badge. As you'd expect, there are long and short wheelbase van and 5-seater Crew Cab versions. Inside, where this revised model offers a smarter Fiat-branded steering wheel and upgraded fabrics, the dash and instrument layout is of course much as you'll find it with this model's other Stellantis cousins. You'll like the available 'Magic Cargo' feature, which enables the van to carry up to three people in the front seats or, alternatively, increase the cargo area's length and loading volume. The passenger-side seat can be raised and the compartment underneath used for boxes or fragile items. On the E-Doblo, one neat touch is the ePTO 'Magic Plug', which makes it possible to use the battery energy to power tools or other electrical appliances. With plusher trim, you get 10-inch screens for the instruments and the infotainment, the latter one with 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. There is no lack of storage space in the cab: 16 storage points according to Fiat, these including a 15-litre area in the centre console.

Practicalities and Costs

The dimensions are perfectly in line with the segment, with a length of 4,403mm for the short wheelbase version, ensuring an optimum effective usable length of 1.81m and a 3.3m3 capacity, sufficient to accommodate two Euro pallets. There are slide-opening side doors and twin side-hinged rear doors that open to 180 degrees. Plus the payload is up to one tonne. The long wheelbase version, which is 4,753mm long, provides even greater load capacity - 3.9m3. Yet more space can be freed up with the clever 'Magic Cargo' feature. This uses a folding front passenger bench to add an extra 0.4m3, while also increasing the maximum load length by 1.3m. Payload across the range is up to 1,000kgs. And there's a 1.5-tonne towing capability that's un-bettered in the class. And running costs? Well here, there's little for operators to worry about. Returns from the various turbo-charged, direct injection diesel engines are competitive, CO2 emissions starting from 111g/km and fuel economy of up to 67.3mpg possible for the 1.5-litre 100PS diesel. The 1.5-litre 130PS diesel manages 65.7mpg and 113g/km. Both these powertrains meet the stringent Euro 6d-TEMP emissions standard. On the move, an engine stop-start function supports fuel economy and lower emissions. The E-Doblo is available with a 'Rapid Charge Mode', which allows 80% of the battery to recharge in 30 minutes when hooked up to a 100kW public charger. On all Doblos, maintenance schedules are up to 25,000 miles/two years. All Doblo vans are covered by a comprehensive five-year/100,000-mile manufacturer's warranty along with five year's roadside assistance.

Summary

We'd be disappointed if Fiat stopped fundamentally designing its own cars, but it does seem logical in the current climate for the brand to be sharing the design of its vans. As it's done for decades with its medium and large-sized models. Even the city-shaped tiny Fiorano van was a shared design. But the Dobo LCV has always been a stand-alone Fiat - until this third generation model arrived. At least in this revised form it still has its own unique front-end look. And the E-Doblo's improved driving range and its clever 'Magic Plug' might be selling points that make you think once more about a switch to a full-EV fleet. Either way, combustion or EV, the Doblo's worth a place on your shortlist.