italiaspeed.com

The award-winning Fiat Doblò Cargo has just been honoured once more – this time it’s best Small Van in the fifth annual Professional Van & Light Truck Awards held at the British CV Show in Birmingham last week.

The award is all the more important to Fiat Professional – the commercial vehicle division of Fiat Group SpA – as the tough judging process for the competition is unique in the Light Commercial Vehicle world.

Based on the fact that vans are bought primarily to carry goods and tools, the Professional Van & Light Truck award categories are clearly defined and determined by loadspace volume and payload. These provide a much more meaningful indicator to van buyers and drivers than the generic terms used within the industry, such as: car derived van, high-cube or panel van.

Fiat Doblò Cargo is no stranger to commercial vehicle awards – a former International Van of the Year 2006, Doblò Cargo also won the magazine’s Compact Van (3.4-4.5 cu metres) award in 2006.

“The re-styling of Fiat’s Doblò Cargo two years ago merely emphasised this van’s position in PV&LT magazine’s Small Van category,” says PV&LT editor, John Fife. “Other manufacturers have produced new models in recent years, but the Doblò’s 3.2 cubic metre loadspace and 730 kg – upgradeable to 850 kg – are still hard to match, let alone beat.

“The sheer practicality of the loadbox space is complemented by a comfortable and spacious cabin, and the whole mix is topped off by a range of frugal engines including the surprising little 1.3 MultiJet.”

“We are delighted to take this latest award,” adds Gerry Clarke, director of Fiat Professional in the UK. “Doblo’s value for money, versatility and practicality is a vote winner with so many of our customers – and it seems the same goes for the experts!”

The Fiat Doblò Cargo comes with a choice of three engines – the 1.4 Fire 8v petrol, and the 1.3 MultiJet 16v and 1.9 MultiJet 105 diesel units. Available with numerous equipment levels, Doblò Cargo starts at £9,445 plus VAT for the 1.4 MPI, rising to £10,950 for the 1.9 MultiJet SX.

Meanwhile, in a double celebration for Fiat, its dealer in West Yorkshire, Northern Commercials, took the Silver Award for Dealer of the Year 2008 in PV&LT’s Dealer Awards. “These awards reflect the fact that a van is only as good as the dealer behind it,” says John Fife. “In recent years Fiat has made great strides in extending and strengthening its network in the UK, and last year’s announcement of the new Fiat Professional service merely emphasises that commitment. “The staff at Northern Commercials impressed not only with their product knowledge, but also the helpful and friendly way in which they responded.”