While Fiat has been present in Europe’s half-tonne pickup market for years with the Fiat Strada, this is the Italian manufacturer’s first attempt at the full-size market. Essentially a rebadged Mitsubishi L200, the Fiat Fullback will be powered by a 2.4-litre unit and will be arriving in UK dealerships in 2017.
Fiat Professional has teamed up with Mitsubishi for the development of the vehicle; a company with over 80 years of experience in manufacturing 4×4 vehicles. This was a surprise for many, as the Italian company has recently acquired one of the most reputable pickup brands in the world; Ram Trucks.
Fiat Fullback: Specification
As the Fiat Fullback will be manufactured by Mitsubishi, the specification list differs very little from the L200. Fiat has announced that the Fullback will be available with just two trim levels, compared with the three or four on most pickups; the base model and a higher-end model, likely to be named the Tecnico.
High-end trim levels will be fitted with a 7.0-inch touchscreen display, with an integrated DAB radio and reversing camera. Other creature comforts include steering-mounted controls, cruise control and climate control, while the exterior benefits from a chrome grille, door mirrors and handles, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Fiat Fullback: Engine & Driveline
Powering along the Fiat Fullback is Mitsubishi’s all-new 2.4-litre turbo-diesel engine. While the 42.8mpg fuel economy may sound impressive, this has already been beaten by the Nissan NP300 Navara, which offers 44.1mpg.
As with the L200, there will be two power ratings offered on the Fiat Fullback. There will be an entry-level 148hp output and a more powerful 178hp output, along with the option of a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.
Fiat Fullback: Towing and Load Area
One of the drawbacks of the Mitsubishi L200 is its productivity, and unfortunately, the Fiat Fullback inherits these issues. The maximum towing capacity of 3.1 tonnes seems puny when the likes of the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and now the Toyota Hilux and Nissan NP300 Navara now all offering 3.5 tonnes.
Even the size of the load bed is compact. Measuring 1,470mm square, it’s around 60mm to 100mm shorter both length and width ways than most of the vehicles in the sector. Even the maximum sidewall height of 475mm is low compared with the deep load beds of the Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Nissan NP300 Navara.
Fiat Fullback: Off-Road
We can already confirm that the Fiat Fullback will be a top performer off-road as we have already tested the Mitsubishi L200. The respectable 4WD-system from Mitsubishi has four settings; 2WD High, 4WD High, 4WD Low and 4WD Low with centre diff-lock.
The maximum approach and departure angles are 30 and 22-degrees respectively, with a ground clearance of 205mm. A slight criticism is that there is no hill descent control, and the first gear is quite fast so a lot of braking is required while travelling downhill.
Fiat Fullback: Price and Availability
After making its debut at the Dubai International Motor Show, it’s expected that the Fiat Fullback will be available in Fiat Professional dealerships (which are made up of a mixture of Fiat car and Iveco truck outlets), arriving in the UK in late 2016 or early 2017. Expect a starting price of around £22,000 plus VAT.
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