There’s not much in the way of power produced from the Fiat Tipo Station Wagon’s range of engines, so that ensures running costs are more than manageable.

It’s no surprise to learn that diesel versions are the most frugal and least CO2-emitting, meaning our pick of the 1.6-litre MultiJet II with manual transmission emits 98g/km on its way to a claimed average of 76.3mpg.

Least impressive is the combination of the 1.6-litre E-TorQ petrol combined with its standard six-speed automatic transmission, with official quotes of 147g/km and 44.8mpg.

Putting aside question marks about particulate and nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions, diesel-engined Fiat Tipo Station Wagons have lower CO2 emissions than petrol models.

Championing the efficiency cause is the 1.6-litre MultiJet II diesel producing 98g/km, while the automatic 1.6-litre E-TorQ petrol is the most polluting at 147g/km.

While the Italian brand hasn’t enjoyed a long and illustrious reputation for reliability, the mechanical components fitted to the Fiat Tipo Station Wagon are already seeing service elsewhere in the firm’s cars, including under the Alfa Romeo and Jeep marques.

That there’s nothing significantly new or radical about the Tipo could actually do it a favour as it reduces the risk of potential reliability maladies.

As a new model it’s difficult to forecast the Tipo Station Wagon’s reliability but the hatchback version of its predecessor, the Fiat Bravo, was subject to three product recalls for modifications related to engine cooling and suspension componentry.

It’s worth noting that the pre-production versions driven on the launch had a couple of annoying rattles, including from the retractable luggage cover.