• Safety levels comparable to other cars in the class
• No innovative new technology introduced
• Optional adaptive cruise control works well

While no safety innovations have been ushered in with the Fiat Tipo Station Wagon, the firm expects it to score a full five-star rating when it’s crashed under the auspices of the experts at Euro NCAP, making it comparable to other models in the segment.

Whichever specification of Tipo Station Wagon you opt for it will come equipped with six airbags and a tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS) in addition to the usual raft of electronic stability software to minimise the chances of an accident before it happens.

Further up the range, niceties such as automatic headlights and wipers, cruise control and LED day-running lights are fitted as standard equipment.

There is a pair of optional safety pack bundles that include an upgrade to include emergency automatic braking and adaptive cruise control that monitors the gap between the Tipo and the vehicle in front, adjusting the speed accordingly.

• Large boot adds to the practicality
• Rear seats fold completely flat
• Variable-height boot floor is convenient

Seeing as the whole point of estate cars is to be practical, the Fiat Tipo Station Wagon gets off to a good start courtesy of its 550-litre boot.

As with its hatchback counterpart, it’s not the biggest in the segment – the Skoda Octavia Estate offers 590 litres, while the impressive Peugeot 308 SW will swallow 660 litres – but it’s still large enough to accommodate most families’ cargo.

Fiat’s yet to confirm the volume available with the rear seats folded but we have observed a couple of handy features that boost the Tipo’s flexibility.

There’s a variable-height boot floor which can be rested at a 45-degree angle, useful for wedging shopping against the seat and stopping errant tins of beans rolling around in the boot.

You can also fold the 60/40 split back seats flat and in line with the floor by lifting up the base part and flipping it towards the front seats before lowering the backrest. It’s not a new idea but it’s one that many rivals no longer bother with. Loads of up to 1.8m in length can be accommodated with the seats folded.

Previous generations of Fiat estate have featured a split rear tailgate with a drop-down lower section to aid loading heavy items but the Tipo Station Wagon doesn’t have one. Neither can you release the seatbacks with levers in the boot – instead you have to use the buttons on the seats themselves.

It does, however, feature two storage bins in the sides of the boot in addition to the 12 litres of cubby and storage space in the passenger compartment.