Fiat's 500L Trekking - muddy two shoes?

If only the Italians could wave the same magic wand over their big cars. There hasn’t been a big-selling Fiat in the large family hatch sector for at least 30 years.

This problem isn’t unique to Fiat. Plenty of other bread ‘n butter car manufacturers have suffered a bloody nose after the premium marques moved in. Some, like Nissan and Renault, have abandoned the D-segment altogether.

Fiat has opted for a left-field approach - taking the Fiat 500 concept and feeding it steroids to create a whole family of cars.

To date the biggest cars spun off this plan are the 500L Trekking and the MPW (multi-purpose wagon) - two 500s big enough for the whole family.

But can the 500’s pert proportions really survive or does the Trekking have all the attraction of Eric Pickles in hot pants?

ON THE ROAD: ​ Initially I thought Eric Pickles, but I must admit the looks rather grew on me throughout the test. Maybe it’s because the upright body is the perfect size for a family hold-all - the tall boy proportions give the Trekking excellent headroom and it’s wider than you expect so there’s plenty of elbow room as well.

The Trekking is supposed to be a crossover - that happy melange of MPV, family hatchback and SUV that’s insanely popular with family drivers.

For the pseudo-SUV transformation Fiat has jacked up the suspension by ten per cent, thrown on a set of all-weather tyres and paired that with a clever traction control system that uses electronics to give more grip in winter.

It’s no Land Rover but the Trekking will keep going in mud and snow when a Mondeo is spinning its wheels uselessly.

The six-speed gearbox is a bit notchy but the added ratio helps improve your fuel consumption while slogging along the motorway. The 1.6-litre multijet diesel is a excellent powerplant, smooth and torquey, and the ride is fine in town, even with all the family on board.

​ ON THE INSIDE: ​ Inside none of the plastic is of the slush moulded ‘soft feel’ variety, but some gloss black plastic on the dashboard helps lift the interior ambience.

The analogue instruments are nice and clear but I found the steering partially obscured my view of the speedo if I adjusted the rim to my personal preference. This might not be an issue if you like your steering wheel to be quite high.

The interior feels very spacious thanks to the ‘seamless’ glazing design and the windscreen pillars that have been split and tapered to reduce dangerous blackspots to an absolute minimum. Other manufacturers still building cars with A-pillars thicker than marble columns could do well to follow Fiat’s example.

I was surprised to find a surface covering of rust on the steering column’s universal joint. As this component is inside the cabin, I presume the part had to be rusting before it was fitted or the car had been stored in damp conditions which had got to the bare metal.

​ WHAT DO YOU GET: ​ Other features unique to the Trekking include protective underbody shields (unlikely to be troubled unless you venture off the road) and smart-looking diamond-finished alloy wheels (likely to be the first cosmetic casualty when you do).

Depending on the model, the Trekking benefits from a host of large car features, such as cruise control, the five-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, air conditioning and six airbags first seen on the 500L. Exclusive features on the 500L Trekking are specific bumpers, dark tinted windows and Traction+ grip control system.

The 500L Trekking is the first Fiat to feature City Brake Control as standard which monitors your driving and helps mitigate the damage in a low-speed prang.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT? ​ The 500L is a wide car with lots of room for five people, especially in the back. The doors open wide for easy access, and the low sills mean there’s no step up as in an SUV.

The split level boot is well thought out. Unlike similar two-storey luggage compartments, the Trekking arrangement allows easy access to the main boot space and the compartment underneath. The false floor can be stowed away when it isn’t needed. The 400-litre capacity can accommodate five large suitcases.

The upright hatch and the tall body makes it possible to carry bulky items like a bicycle without dropping the rear seat backs.

There are two gloveboxes, the usual one near the passenger’s knees and a smaller cubby higher up that’s just about big enough for a bag of sweets.

​ RUNNING COSTS: ​ There are four engines: three petrols and a brace of diesels. The multiple award-winning 0.9 TwinAir Turbo 105hp, the 1.4 95hp FIRE engine and the 16 valve 120bhp T-Jet make up the petrol offerings. In the diesel corner, Fiat’s clever MultiJet II technology appears in 1.3-litre 85hp and 1.6-litre formats. All engines, apart from the 1.4 petrol, feature Start&Stop.

Fiat reckons both the 1.6s (available with 105 or 120bhp) is good for about 60mpg overall, and the CO2 emissions (122g/km) are barely any worse than the standard 500L despite the increased ride height and the bodywork add-ons.

​ VERDICT: ​ The 500L Trekking is a family-friendly crossover with lots of room for the driver and four passengers. Fiat’s diesel engine is torquey and very flexible, especially in town where it will dawdle along in high gear without a hint of protest. Ultimately, the Fiat it most reminded me of was not the 500 but the wacky Multipla and that was one of the most underrated cars of the past 20 years. Fiat’s back in the big car league.

​ Spec:​ Engine: ​1.6-litre 16 valve four-cylinder diesel turbo Power: ​120bhp Torque: ​235lb/ft Top speed: ​112mph 0-62mph: ​11.3 seconds Fuel economy: ​60.1mpg (combined) CO2 emissions: ​122g/km Insurance group: ​15 Equipment: ​power steering, air conditioning, alloy wheels, electric windows (4), electric mirrors, Bluetooth music streaming, split/fold rear seat ​