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The new Fiat
Sedici 'crossover' is finally seen in the flesh, courtesy of
Quattroruote magazine. Undisguised photos of the
Suzuki-built small off-road capable vehicle reveal the
aggressive, chunky looks that Fiat have moulded into the
Hungarian built car which will come with either front or
four wheel drive.
Scheduled to be presented to the press for the first time
before the end of this month, the Sedici (Italian for
sixteen, a play on 4x4) will be heavily promoted during next
year's XX Winter Olympic Games, which are scheduled to be
held in Turin, Fiat's home city. The Quattroruote
photos reveal that while the Suzuki's bonnet and headlamps
will be retained an aggressive snout dominates the front
end, will chunky side panels that arch up over the wheels
and sweep round onto the front and rear spoiler, the styling
reminiscent of last autumn's Fiat Stilo Uproad.
Meanwhile,
Channel 4's motoring website 4-Car has drive the
mechanically-identical Suzuki version, and they were
impressed by the engines, and in particular the 1.9 JTD
version. "And so onto the curvy, undulating test track,
first in a 1.6 with front-wheel drive," reports 4-Car,
"The five-speed gearchange is particularly slick with its
short, light movements, and the engine makes a fair fist of
bringing this 1130kg 2x4 up to speed (112mph maximum). As
promised, the SX4 stays surprisingly level in the corners,
and it gets its power down well with not much understeer. It
feels, in essence, like a bigger, softer Swift, and it rides
nicely.
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