Fiat Idea Multijet Dynamic

And Fiat's latest Idea is one of the company's most important yet. With its recent history mired by financial chaos, boardroom battles and a monumental drop in sales throughout Europe, the Italian company is in serious trouble. A major success is needed to bring the firm back from the brink, and it hopes the Idea mini-MPV does the trick.

Auto Express has driven the newcomer to find out if it has what it takes to boost Fiat's flagging popularity. In theory, the Idea is sound. It's a multi-purpose family vehicle based on the Punto's platform, but with greater versatility and one of the most practical interiors in its class. The car looks good, too. Its neat Giugiaro-styled bodywork has more than a hint of Daewoo Kalos or Hyundai Getz about it, but that's no bad thing. The lines work well, while tight panel gaps, a wide grille and subtle rubbing strips give the Fiat the appearance of a more upmarket model. It's boxy, but not without character.

What's more, the Idea is immensely versatile inside. The rear seat is divided in two, and both halves can be moved forwards or backwards independently to increase legroom or luggage space. A fold-down centre armrest houses a shallow storage tray and cup-holder.

With the back seats folded flat, the cabin has 1,420 litres of room for baggage - which is equivalent to that of a medium-sized estate car - while the passenger chair can be tilted forward to make space for long items.

And the Fiat has another trick up its sleeve. By sliding the rear seats forward, tilting the backrests and then folding both front chairs, the interior can be converted into a surprisingly comfortable full-size double bed - ideal when you want to have 40 winks while parked.

Other clever touches include a flip-out interior mirror, which lets you keep an eye on kids in the back seats, and a total of 27 cubbyholes. Such versatility comes at a price, though. It might be big and clever, but the new Fiat's impressive interior isn't complemented by the quality of its materials. Although the seats are chunky and well made, the light grey plastics of the model we drove were disappointingly poor. The optional overhead luggage lockers were brittle and started to rattle, even though the car had covered less than 500 miles, while the trim around the bonnet release and parcel shelf didn't fit properly.

Worse still, the Idea is no thriller on the move, either. The driving position is unusual due to an offset pedal layout, while the thick A-pillars restrict visibility when cornering or turning across junctions. And the car leans heavily through bends, being prone to understeer when pushed, while the ride feels unsettled on less than perfect road surfaces. The Fiat's saving grace is under the bonnet in the form of a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine. Responsive in the mid-range, this unit offers smooth power delivery and excellent high-speed refinement.

As a package, the Idea has a lot going for it and, if Fiat follows its European pricing policy, the car will under-cut its rivals by a fair margin in the UK. In short, the newcomer is a reasonably good idea - but not a great one.