Powerful Fullback pickup from Fiat Professional

Not a name commonly associated with crew-cab trucks, James Maloney got a chance to see if the Fullback could hold its own against the opposition.

James Maloney

24 May 2017

Powerful Fullback pickup from Fiat Professional

The Fullback is styled with Fiat badges and the Fullback name down the side; it looks pretty handsome on the whole. On the road, people were drawn to the fact it was a Fiat, which surprised many passing motorists.

A clear view of the dials and the adjustable multi-function steering wheel makes for a good driving position.

The depth of the load bed is 475mm, and there are plenty of lashing points in the interior of the load area.

Good access and space for rear passengers makes this vehicle a credible option for families and businesses.

Electrical operation of driving modes.

Inside the cab, the Fullback has a decent specification, including heated seats, dual zone climate control and sat-nav as standard.

On test for the week, and clocking up just under 1,400km, I got a good feel for the newcomer. The model tested was the Fiat Fullback 180 bhp LX with six-speed manual transmission. Now, to say that this 4x4 is a total newbie may not be correct. Fiat has agreed a deal with Mitsubishi to produce the Fullback. Based on the latest L200 version, the Fullback gets its own identity and has a good specification as standard on the LX. For now, Fiat Professional is only offering the LX version in Ireland. For Fiat, it is a clever way of entering this market segment. The company has added a few more comforts, which it hopes will appeal to the business driver who is looking for lower BIK rates at 5% and taxation at €333 per annum.

Based on the latest L200 version, the Fullback gets its own identity and has a good specification as standard on the LX. For now, Fiat Professional is only offering the LX version in Ireland. For Fiat, it is a clever way of entering this market segment. The company has added a few more comforts, which it hopes will appeal to the business driver who is looking for lower BIK rates at 5% and taxation at €333 per annum.

Luxuries such as electrically adjusted and heated leather seats, privacy glass, dual-zone climate control, bi-xenon headlamps, a six-inch touchscreen with sat-nav, lane departure warning and a softer suspension setup are designed to add a little extra comfort. The automatic LX also brings an upgraded seven-inch touchscreen and paddle gear shifters.

From a practical point of view, the Fiat Fullback is powered by the impressive Mitsubishi 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine, which is frugal on fuel and probably the best in its class as it is lighter than most others. Again, the Fullback benefits from the redesigned L200 chassis, lowering the overall kerb weight to just 1,860kg.

The Fullback on test came with the 180bhp version. It was lively with quick acceleration and lower noise levels when compared to earlier engines. Unfortunately, there was no opportunity to tow trailers with it to get to grips with the 3.1t towing capacity. I covered a lot of ground on motorways and secondary roads; I much prefer this machine on the motorway. It gives a smooth, solid drive, with plenty of power. The Fullback’s ladder chassis frame and leaf springs give a bit of a bumpy feel on bad roads.

The Fullback offers decent off-road ability in the field, however. It coped well with sticky off-road areas when the Super Select 4WD system was engaged at a low setting. The system allows permanent on-road 4x4 driving in the 4H setting.

Operated electrically using a dial, a central differential lock is engaged at low speeds. The 4H setting gives grip, especially on wet roads; driving on this setting will increase fuel consumption. Comfort wise, both the seat and steering adjustment should enable most drivers to find a comfortable driving position. Measuring 1,780mm in height, 1,815mm in width and 5,285mm in length, with a wheelbase of 3,000mm, the new Fiat Professional Fullback will offer a payload up to 1,045kg and a towing rating of 3.1t.

The build quality is good; the Fullback has a rugged feel and the switches and dials feel like they will last in tough conditions.

The sat-nav and Bluetooth system is a little hard to use due to the fact that the buttons are small on the unit. When hooked up, all functions perform well. There is a good view from the driver’s seat, and access is helped by the side steps which come as standard. The cabin itself is roomy, and the rear seats can actually fit two adults in relative comfort.

On test, we had two child seats fitted for a journey, as well as an ISOFIX connection, and there was ample space. If the cover was fitted, it would have been even better for boot space. That said, it was still fine and proved it was a capable all-rounder on the farm, delivering kids to school, cattle to the mart and the weekly shop.

Efficient driving

The aluminium 2.4l engine is the gem for me – smooth with low noise on the road.

Driving it is easy; without a trailer I did achieve 42mpg which impressed me a lot. On the open road, with the ears pinned back as they say, fuel consumption varied between 29mpg and 33mpg. Overall, it performed a respectable 35mpg on average.

Verdict

The Fiat Fullback is little more affordable at €29,700 + VAT than the rest and offers good value on specification. It is efficient for most work and well worth a look.