Fiat Tipo review
The Fiat Tipo is a spacious and practical family hatchback that offers fantastic value for money and generous levels of equipment.
Author: The Cazoo editorial team
7th Jan 2026 – 8 mins read
If you’re looking for a family hatchback that’s big on space but small on price, the Fiat Tipo is a brilliant and often overlooked choice. It’s an honest, sensible car that aims to give you as much practicality as possible for your money. Available as a five-door hatchback or an even roomier estate, the Tipo is an affordable alternative to mainstream rivals like the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra. Sold new in the UK since 2015, the Tipo majors on comfort and value. While it might not have the fancy interior or sporty driving feel of some competitors, it delivers where it counts for many families: with a huge boot, a spacious cabin, and a low price tag. It’s a straightforward, no-nonsense car that gets the job done without any fuss.
Pros
- Very spacious interior and a large boot
- Affordable to buy, both new and used
- Good levels of standard equipment
Cons
- Petrol engines can feel a bit lacklustre
- Some rivals are more fun to drive
- The interior feels a little uninspiring
Interior
Dashboard & tech
The inside of the Fiat Tipo is sensible and functional. The dashboard is laid out clearly, with all the buttons and switches exactly where you’d expect them to be. It’s very easy to get along with. While it might lack the quirky charm of other Fiats like the 500, it’s a straightforward and user-friendly environment.
Higher-spec models come with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that includes features like Bluetooth, a DAB radio, and sometimes even Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for connecting your smartphone. Overall, the interior is perfectly acceptable for the price, but it just feels a little average compared to the more stylish cabins of some rivals.
Comfort
The Tipo is a car that prioritises comfort over sporty handling. The suspension is quite soft, which means it does a good job of soaking up bumps in the road, making for a relaxed and comfortable ride. This makes it a capable long-distance cruiser, as it won’t tire you out on the motorway.
The driver gets a great view out, and there’s plenty of space for passengers to get comfortable. It’s a car that’s designed for easy, stress-free journeys rather than thrilling drives on twisty roads.
Quality
The interior of the Tipo is built to be durable rather than luxurious. You’ll find plenty of hard, sturdy plastics that feel like they will stand up to the rigours of family life. While it doesn't have the premium, soft-touch feel of more expensive rivals, everything feels solid and well put together. For a car that offers so much value, the quality is perfectly reasonable.
Practicality & boot space
Interior space
This is an area where the Fiat Tipo really shines. For a car in this class, it’s surprisingly roomy inside. There’s plenty of space for passengers in the front and back to get comfortable, with good headroom and legroom for all.
It’s also packed with useful storage spaces. In total, there are 12 litres of storage in various cubbies around the cabin, including a large glovebox and well-sized door bins in both the front and rear. It’s these thoughtful touches that make the Tipo such a great family car.
Boot space
The Tipo’s boot is impressively large for a family hatchback, offering 440 litres of space. That’s more than you’ll find in popular rivals like the Ford Focus and SEAT Leon, and it’s plenty big enough for a family’s holiday luggage or a large buggy. While it can’t quite match the enormous boots of the Skoda Octavia or Peugeot 308, the Tipo still scores very highly for its load-lugging ability.
Versatility
With its spacious cabin and large boot, the Tipo is a very versatile and practical car. Available as a five-door hatchback or an even more practical estate (called the Station Wagon), it’s ready to handle whatever family life throws at it. The rear seats fold down to increase the load space for those occasional trips to the DIY store, making it a great all-round workhorse.
Driving
Driving experience
Those looking for a sporty driving experience might be a little disappointed with the Tipo. It’s not a bad car to drive – the steering has a decent amount of weight to it and there’s plenty of grip – but it focuses more on comfort than on dynamic handling.
The soft suspension means you might notice some body lean when you go around corners, but the payoff is a smooth and comfortable ride. It’s a car that’s easy and relaxing to drive, which is just what many people want from their daily transport.
Performance
The Tipo comes with a range of conventional petrol and diesel engines. The petrol options include a 94bhp 1.4-litre and a more powerful 118bhp turbocharged 1.4-litre. Neither engine is particularly quick, but they both offer enough punch for getting around town and keeping up with traffic.
For those who cover a lot of miles, the 118bhp 1.6-litre diesel engine is the best choice. It offers similar performance to the more powerful petrol but is much cheaper to run, thanks to its superior fuel economy.
Running costs
Fuel economy & CO2 emissions
Running costs are a bit of a mixed bag. The petrol engines are quite a bit behind the most efficient rivals in the class. The 94bhp petrol engine can achieve a claimed 43mpg, which is okay but not outstanding.
Most buyers, especially those planning to cover long distances, will be better off with the 1.6-litre diesel engine. It’s claimed to return just over 60mpg, with lower CO2 emissions, making it much more affordable to run day-to-day.
Value for money
The Tipo’s biggest strength is its fantastic value for money. When new, it was significantly cheaper than most of its main rivals, and this makes it a real bargain on the used market. You can get a lot of car for your money. To add to that, even the entry-level models are pretty well equipped, so you won’t feel like you’re missing out.
Reliability & Warranty
The Fiat brand sits around the middle of the pack in most reliability surveys, so the Tipo should prove to be a dependable choice. Because the car is priced so affordably from new, it doesn’t have as far to fall in value as more expensive rivals, meaning depreciation shouldn’t be a major concern when you come to sell it on.
Safety
Safety features
The Fiat Tipo was originally given a three-star safety rating by the experts at Euro NCAP. However, models fitted with an optional safety pack were awarded four stars. This pack includes features like autonomous emergency braking, which can help to prevent a collision. It's worth looking for a used model that has this pack fitted for extra peace of mind. All models come with the essential safety kit, including multiple airbags and electronic stability control.
Trims & Engines
Trim levels
The Tipo has been available in a wide range of trim levels over the years, including Easy, Street, Mirror, Lounge, S-Design and Sport. The entry-level Easy model comes with air conditioning, Bluetooth, and cruise control. Moving up the range adds features like alloy wheels, a 7-inch touchscreen, parking sensors, and automatic climate control.
The top-spec Sport model gives the car a much racier look, with 18-inch alloy wheels and a sporty body kit that includes a front splitter, side skirts, and a rear spoiler.
Engines
The engine range is straightforward, with a choice of petrol and diesel options. The petrol lineup consists of a 1.4-litre engine with 94bhp, and a turbocharged version of the same engine with 118bhp. For diesel buyers, there’s an economical 1.6-litre MultiJet engine that produces 118bhp. More recently, a modern 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine was introduced to the range.