One of the newer names in the international motor industry is Stellantis, an amalgam of car brands from France, Germany and Italy.
These are all countries with a long and distinguished motoring history, brands such as Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Opel and Peugeot, among others.
Coming together was not just a cultural challenge; the real challenge was one of survival through economy of scale.
That’s been tested in recent years with some positive results. The urgency is to create modern fuel-efficient cars, be they hybrid or electric powered, that European car buyers want at affordable prices.
Small or B segment SUVs are now the market preference and Stellantis has responded.
I had the opportunity to take two relatively new models from different Stellantis brands, on test in recent weeks. Italian brands Alfa Romeo and Fiat are both offering something that looks the same with the Fiat 600 and the Alfa Romeo Junior. But the same is not exactly the same, when it comes to comparing these two models.
On first impressions there is more of a luxury look and feel to the Alfa Romeo Junior. The test car was the Ibrida Intensa model and it oozes style to make it a stand-out beautiful car that you simply cannot pass without taking a second look.
Fails to excite
The new Fiat 600 is the more attractively priced, but duller of the two cars with entry models starting from €28,995 or £25,360 NI.
The Fiat 600 has an own-brand dullness about the presentation that fails to excite. The Alfa Romeo Junior has a level of desirability that matches the Lexus LBX in my opinion... and that’s something.
Under the skin there are huge similarities in technology and performance. They both use the same 1.2 litre, three-cylinder petrol engine matched to a mild hybrid drive. The Alfa Romeo engine is rated for more power and torque, and you can feel that out on the road.
They both have a smooth six-speed automatic transmission that delivers good economy, and there’s little to separate them in this regard.
The 44-litre fuel tank should deliver almost 900km but the risk to be less economical in driving style is much more tempting with the Alfa Romeo Junior.
Alfa Romeo engine.
There should little or no differences in running costs between both cars, other than depreciation cost related to their initial purchase cost. The Alfa Romeo is slightly heavier than the Fiat 600, but that does not appear to be an economy penalty, while the boot space and rear legroom is marginally bigger, even though both cars are almost identical in length.
The disappointing feature for both cars is that, despite their impressive safety features, they lack any Euro NCAP safety rating.
Safety rating
Some newer Stellantis brand cars appear to be failing to achieve the top Euro NCAP 5-star ratings and the absence of these two models from the independently produced table, is noticeable at a time when Chinese brands are coming out with top results.
Both cars are produced in a Stellantis Polish factory that would have traditionally been part of the Fiat family.
The Fiat 600 interior is dull and less interesting even though it has all of the operational features, reversing camera, etc, needed in a modern car.
These cars are also available as battery electric versions, at slightly higher price points, neither of which I have driven. So, there is choice, at almost 50% lower range than their hybrid counterparts that I’ve driven, but they just need to be more affordable.
Of these two neat SUVs, the Alfa Romeo Junior is so much more desirable to own and drive. Entry prices start at €34,995 or £28,400 in Northern Ireland, that’s significantly more expensive than the Fiat 600 offering which starts at €28,995 or £25,360 in Northern Ireland.
Is the €6,000 more (£3,000 more in NI) for the Alfa Romeo Junior worth it?
In performance and running cost terms probably not, but if your decision is less practical, and the same is not the same, other than under the skin technical features, then the Alfa Romeo Junior will be the obvious choice.
It delivers all of the style and at a slightly more affordable price that than my small SUV segment leader, the Lexus LBX, which it can justifiably be compared with.
One of the newer names in the international motor industry is Stellantis, an amalgam of car brands from France, Germany and Italy.
These are all countries with a long and distinguished motoring history, brands such as Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Fiat, Opel and Peugeot, among others.
Coming together was not just a cultural challenge; the real challenge was one of survival through economy of scale.
That’s been tested in recent years with some positive results. The urgency is to create modern fuel-efficient cars, be they hybrid or electric powered, that European car buyers want at affordable prices.
Small or B segment SUVs are now the market preference and Stellantis has responded.
I had the opportunity to take two relatively new models from different Stellantis brands, on test in recent weeks. Italian brands Alfa Romeo and Fiat are both offering something that looks the same with the Fiat 600 and the Alfa Romeo Junior. But the same is not exactly the same, when it comes to comparing these two models.
On first impressions there is more of a luxury look and feel to the Alfa Romeo Junior. The test car was the Ibrida Intensa model and it oozes style to make it a stand-out beautiful car that you simply cannot pass without taking a second look.
Fails to excite
The new Fiat 600 is the more attractively priced, but duller of the two cars with entry models starting from €28,995 or £25,360 NI.
The Fiat 600 has an own-brand dullness about the presentation that fails to excite. The Alfa Romeo Junior has a level of desirability that matches the Lexus LBX in my opinion... and that’s something.
Under the skin there are huge similarities in technology and performance. They both use the same 1.2 litre, three-cylinder petrol engine matched to a mild hybrid drive. The Alfa Romeo engine is rated for more power and torque, and you can feel that out on the road.
They both have a smooth six-speed automatic transmission that delivers good economy, and there’s little to separate them in this regard.
The 44-litre fuel tank should deliver almost 900km but the risk to be less economical in driving style is much more tempting with the Alfa Romeo Junior.
Alfa Romeo engine.
There should little or no differences in running costs between both cars, other than depreciation cost related to their initial purchase cost. The Alfa Romeo is slightly heavier than the Fiat 600, but that does not appear to be an economy penalty, while the boot space and rear legroom is marginally bigger, even though both cars are almost identical in length.
The disappointing feature for both cars is that, despite their impressive safety features, they lack any Euro NCAP safety rating.
Safety rating
Some newer Stellantis brand cars appear to be failing to achieve the top Euro NCAP 5-star ratings and the absence of these two models from the independently produced table, is noticeable at a time when Chinese brands are coming out with top results.
Both cars are produced in a Stellantis Polish factory that would have traditionally been part of the Fiat family.
The Fiat 600 interior is dull and less interesting even though it has all of the operational features, reversing camera, etc, needed in a modern car.
These cars are also available as battery electric versions, at slightly higher price points, neither of which I have driven. So, there is choice, at almost 50% lower range than their hybrid counterparts that I’ve driven, but they just need to be more affordable.
Of these two neat SUVs, the Alfa Romeo Junior is so much more desirable to own and drive. Entry prices start at €34,995 or £28,400 in Northern Ireland, that’s significantly more expensive than the Fiat 600 offering which starts at €28,995 or £25,360 in Northern Ireland.
Is the €6,000 more (£3,000 more in NI) for the Alfa Romeo Junior worth it?
In performance and running cost terms probably not, but if your decision is less practical, and the same is not the same, other than under the skin technical features, then the Alfa Romeo Junior will be the obvious choice.
It delivers all of the style and at a slightly more affordable price that than my small SUV segment leader, the Lexus LBX, which it can justifiably be compared with.
SHARING OPTIONS