Fiat Ducato review (1994-2006)
PROS
- Wide range of models and engines
CONS
- Pricey against its twin the Citroen Relay
Summary
The Fiat Ducato shares its bodies and engines with the Citroen Relay and Peugeot Boxer and in fact comes off the same production line at the Sevel factory in Italy.
There are small differences in specification, warranty and price between the three but essentially they are the same.
Engines offered in 1994 were a 1.9-litre diesel giving out 70hp, a 2.5-litre diesel offering 86hp and a 2.8-litre turbodiesel with 100hp.
In 2002, all engines became JTD common rail versions – a 2.0-litre with 86hp, a 2.2-litre with 104hp and a 2.8-litre with 127hp.
There are three wheelbases and four gross vehicle weights of 2.5, 2.9, 3.3 and 3.5 tonnes.
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The Ducato will perform smoothly, strongly and surely, especially when equipped with a common-rail JTD engine – this is one of the best diesel engine ranges around and powers not only this van but a host of other Fiat cars.
Ride and handling are up there with others in its class, such as the Vauxhall Movano and Ford Transit, if not quite in the same league as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter.
Meanwhile, a dash-mounted gearlever proves slick and sure and power steering is nicely weighted to allow just enough feel through the steering wheel.
A four-way adjustable driver's seat and height adjustable steering wheel will allow all sizes of driver to get comfortable behind the wheel. A radio/cassette player comes as standard.
When the Ducato was upgraded in 2002, better insulation was added so that at 70mph, noise levels were within three decibels of that of an average saloon car.
There is a plethora of cubby holes and storage spaces, including cola bins in each door and later models have a removable clipboard, an A4 storage compartment and a mobile phone holder.
Fiat's warranty is a very reasonable three years/100,000 miles.
Servicing for the 2.0-litre and 2.2-litre models is 12,500 miles while the 2.8-litre versions go for 20,000 miles between checks.
Those common rail JTD engines are renowned for their frugality, so fuel consumption figures in the low 30s should be possible.
We've heard no horror stories about problems with this van. The number of old models still running suggest that it will provide good service for many years, especially in JTD format.
Unlike some of its rivals, the Ducato did not offer a driver's airbag and ABS brakes as standard across the range until the 2002 facelift. Both were on the options list, though, so it's worth checking on the exact specification before making a purchasing decision.
The 2002 facelift saw strengthening of door components and locking/latch mechanisms, along with the standard fitment of an engine immobiliser, although an alarm remained on the options list
