TURIN, ITALY - Fiat has given its Tipo range a refresh for 2020, and the update also ushers in a crossover version which, as you would have guessed, is called the Tipo Cross. Because most people are crossing over to SUV-like vehicles these days.
There’s no mention of a four-wheel drive option as yet, but the Tipo Cross is a good 7cm taller than the regular Tipo hatch, and also comes with some new bodywork, including a fresh grille with ‘FIAT’ block lettering as well as redesigned front and rear bumpers featuring silver skid plates, matching silver side skirts and roof bars.
The regular Tipos also get some botox in the form of new full-LED headlights and a fresh design for the bumpers and grille, with the latter also featuring the new Fiat badge.
The cabin has been freshened up with a fully configurable 17.8cm TFT digital instrument cluster as well as a more ergonomic steering wheel and new climate control buttons with chrome and black trim inserts.
Fiat has also modernised things beneath the bonnet, with the introduction of a new 1-litre, three-cylinder turbopetrol engine that produces 74kW and 290Nm.
Although it’s not a common sight on South African roads, the Fiat Tipo is popular in Italy and some other countries, having recorded 670 000 sales in the last four years, with 70 percent of those being outside Italy.
We’re currently awaiting feedback on whether the new range - including the Cross derivative - is destined for South Africa.