I'm 6'5" tall with arms and legs long enough for a man of 6'8", so it's very rare indeed for me to climb into a car and feel immediately as if it's been specifically tailor-made for me. But that's precisely how I feel about the Fiat Qubo. And it feels so good. Glory hallelujah.

Add to this the fact that I'm specifically looking for a smallish car which does many miles to the gallon and which also has significant load space - and you'll understand just how tempting the Qubo looks both on paper and in person. I also prefer non-mainstream cars (as long as they're not damn silly like the Nissan Cube), so again the Qubo scores well.

But here's the thing. Everywhere I look, I see adverse reviews of the vehicle by people who actually own one. Whether it be reviews of the Qubo/Fiorino on Roadtestreports.co.uk or on Carbuyer.co.uk, or whether it be reviews of the identical Peugeot Bipper Tepee or Citroen Nemo Multispace or their van equivalents, I see negative after negative.

Okay, so people who don't have an axe to grind don't generally make a beeline for Owner Review websites in order to sound off, so in theory I could kid myself that all the moaners and groaners on those sites are an unrepresentative sample of Qubo owners, most of whom are happy and therefore silent. But what I do notice is that it's basically the same problems which are being mentioned again and again in the unfavourable reviews: judderings in high gears, electronics failing, wheel bearings developing problems, front tyres wearing out far too fast, electric windows conking out, warning lights being permanently displayed, door catches misbehaving, nasty smoke coming from the exhaust, fumes pouring from under the bonnet etc., etc., etc. Even the rear door hinges on the vans go rusty too early in their lives, it would appear.

Glancing at eBay and AutoTrader.co.uk, I also notice that there are a lot of Qubos/Fiorinos (and their Peugeot and Citroen equivalents) which appear to have had an unnatural number of owners, e.g. seven-year-old cars with five previous owners, which implies that after a year or so of ownership the owners simply admit defeat and give up the unwinnable struggle. Or an advertiser will say ‘recent new turbo’ or ‘thousands spent’, which at first glance reads like a recommendation but which can also be taken to mean that the car is simply a money pit on wheels. Fiat customer service at dealership level doesn't appear to be too great either, rendering the whole concept of a warranty something of a travesty. That's to say, if Fiat dealers can't figure out what's causing a problem with a Qubo, they simply shrug their shoulders and do nothing.

I find all this deeply worrying and have several times decided to forget all about Qubos, since my finances are tight and I can't afford to make a costly mistake. But every time a Qubo, Fiorino, Bipper or Nemo passes me on the road, I get this wistful feeling, not least because I know I'd feel so unbelievably comfortable behind the wheel. (Years ago, when I was hoping to learn to drive, I approached 25 driving schools before I found one with a car I could actually fit into, so you'll appreciate just what an amazing find the Qubo represents on that score.)

So, what would you advise? Are only a relative handful of Qubos absolute clunkers? Are most of them great and that's why you're all on this web forum, to agree how great they are? Or are Qubos sadly a good design wrecked by poor quality control in a factory in Turkey and therefore to be avoided at all costs? And would I be out of my mind to contemplate a 600-mile round trip in one? Is it only safe to use them as run-arounds close to home?

In a nutshell, is owning a Qubo like supporting Notts County - something which only a romantic idiot would do, because the reality is that there's actually no positive, rewarding aspect to it at all, just never-ending frustration and misery?

Thanks for your thoughts.

Our Qubo registered in Mar 12 had 10k on the clock when we brought it in July 13. It now has 57k and has regular been on long journeys as we live in Norfolk and our son lives in deepest Scotland.

Yes it has had both front strut bearings replaced at around 30k however they were replaced by the new enclosed type ( stops the water getting in ) and have been fine since. I changed the front tyres at around 28k and they need changing again soon. Rears went to 40k.

Serviced by fiat (not cheap) until mar 15 to keep warranty, since then I have serviced it myself ( oil changed, fuel filter , pollen filter etc ) reset service indicator / degradation using multiecuscan.

Ours having the dreaded DPF filter with a duologic gearbox, I was expecting more problems, however probably because I have a daily 12 mile run to work each way on A roads I have never had a DPF problem.

The duologic sometimes holds 5th for longer then necessary and so leading to a judderring, however very rarely, and a quick tap on the lever for 4th soon sorts that.

I also have a intermittent glow plug warning, which I will deal with if it continues, however it is only a warning as the car still starts readily even at -6 today.

I will have the timing belt (chain?), replaced by my local (non fiat) garage who has been really good in the past when it is due.

All in all, no more troublesome than a normal car to me, combined with around 50 mpg local and 55mpg longer runs, all that space as you said, I don't want to change it!

Hope this helps

Ken

Hi Vietislav,
Had mine since 2009, its a 1.3 Muti Jet Diesel, 75hp, with the dual logic 6 speed gear box. That gear box is no longer supplied, and now its just a 5 speed. With the age of mine I have no nasty DPF to worry about, though I do have the EGR system.
Car has covered 40 thousand mile or thereabout, had all the normal problems, strut bearings, power steering leaks, broken road springs.....all which were early problems replaced under warranty...the tyres, well I tried a cheepo set, they did under 10.000....waste of time, then on last change went for Michelin and these have done best part 20.000, with at least another 3 thou on them. Which I'm happy with. Its all about tracking, and care on speed humps, trying to avoid pot holes and making sure those top bearings are ok.
That said, car has been and is fantastic, great on fuel, reliable, serviced by our local Fiat Main Dealer, who is very good.......be aware, some are not.
No intention to change it, why would I, its even cheap to insure...........
Cheers Qube O.

Hi, make sure you get one with a full service history.
Rule of thumb : more miles less life , less miles more life.
Test drive a few ,to get a feel , so you make the right choice in choosing the best one.
If you are really keen on buying one , download MES and buy the right cables to make sure what you're buying has nothing to hide , plus you'll find a very good use for the software in the future and will save money ,means it pays for itself.
Software £45 , cables £20.

Hi again Vietislav,
Should have said, if your thinking of going for the auto, ( and they are great, best on fuel ), make sure you can cope with them. Take some getting used to, as its a robotic system.........full manual gearbox/clutch, but the clutch is operated by computer, no clutch pedal. Seems really strange and jerky when you first go in one, but just needs practice and understanding of whats going on. Mine is constantly run in the auto mode with the E button depressed (economy setting), and my MPG never drops below 50, and have done just short of 70 on a run with 4 adults and luggage on board. You do have a manual select option, but only if the computer allows........Folk who complain about the jerks in top gear fail to understand all you need do is drop it a notch.....not rocket science.
Have fun.
Qube O.

Ours has is the 95hp multijet manual. Had the tracking done been perfect for even tyre wear. Had the normal front top bearings replaced and a pair of front springs. Registered in jan 2012, just had mot no advisory, 59940 on the clock, we had it since 18000. It has thrown an engine light and gone into limp mode twice. After a wait the engine started and ran fine again. Using my own copy of multiecuscan was the same engine code and I belive both times were due to a freak coincidence of a roundabout just at the end of the dpf cycle as we habitually do the same journey. The bad reviews here can normally be traced back to a bodge or misunderstanding of otherwise fairly tame faults.. The smoke event was almost certainly spilled oils burning off hot parts.
It is no worse than any of my previous cars Inc Toyota, Skoda, Mitsubishi and Nissan and actually cheaper over this mileage by some margin all in.
Oh and yes by far the most ergonomic and sensible cockpit of very many cars these days.

Many thanks for bringing your brains to bear. Greatly appreciated.

Mad One, it’s very reassuring to hear that you do round trips from Norfolk to Scotland in a Qubo and live to tell the tale. My brother lives in Scotland too and I was rather daunted by the idea of driving there and back from Derbyshire, but you’ve managed to calm me down a bit. Also good to know that regular significant use of the vehicle keeps those DPF problems away.

Is it fair to assume that all Qubos will have had their front struts replaced within a couple of years? And is it a problem which Fiat acknowledges? If so, are Qubos now equipped with better front struts from new, or would that be too much to hope for?

Qube O, thanks for your input too. As for the power steering leaks, are Fiat dealerships capable of sorting out the problem permanently or is there a risk of recurrence? Likewise with the springs? That’s to say, are the replacement parts shoddy? Or am I panicking needlessly?

As for the automatic manual gearbox, I’m wary of automatics by nature and I’ve read a few unflattering things about the Qubo’s, so I think I’ll keep life simple by pretending to myself that they don’t even exist.

Thanks for the tip about not going with the cheapo tyre option. Do you fit the mud and snow tyres as standard? I've read that some Qubo owners swear by them and use the all year round.

Gizzybusy, your input is appreciated too. As for whether I have the self-discipline and focus to download MES and get myself some cables…. Hmmm. I wish I were the kind of person who did that kind of thing. But sadly I'm a spineless sap.

Andydiver, I too would be aiming for the 95 hp model. I’ve recently been driving a 69 hp Corsa and it’s so scarily underpowered when it comes to trying to get from 60 to 70 whilst overtaking on a dual carriageway that I feel morally obliged not to spoil other motorists’ days by irritating them to death all day long. The limp mode issues which you refer to leave me deeply disturbed, so I shall simply blank my mind and pretend you never mentioned them.

Final questions:

Can Fiat dealerships actually fix the kind of electronic problems which result in warning lights being displayed permanently? Or do they just shrug their shoulders and say “Sorry, mate. Can’t help you.”

Likewise issues with central locking and malfunctioning electric windows, which I hear can bedevil certain Qubos. Are the causes actually identifiable and addressable or are the electronics possessed by Satan?

Thanks.

(PS: Just went to look at a Jeep Renegade. Masses of legroom and headroom....but no handbrake? They’ve got to be joking.)

no handbrake - that's to make room for the bigger fuel storage

generally all modern electronics is actually ok, whether the person in Citroen overalls understand this is another matter..

but there is NO REASON things cannot be "fixed" even if it involves attending to wiring rather than 10 mins on a laptop..,
Charlie

Hi Vietislav,
Will try and answer your questions to me........Fiat prefer not to acknowledge the front strut/bearing problem, but are aware it exists......the replacement parts now incorporate a large rubber seal over the top of the Strut Bearing, which protects it from water damage.
Power Steering is a expensive fix, complete new rack/power ram system, however the new parts are modified from the originals to overcome the problems which were a design/manufacture fault..............
No, never fitted Mud/Snow tyres, no need for them with my use of the car.
Will say again, very strongly, you do need a GOOD dealer..........some I'm afraid do not appear to be up to the jobs.

No problems on long runs, have done Scotland with mine, a 75hp, fully laden, 4 adults and luggage, 75/80 on the motorway, uphill and down dale.......(remember I have a 6 speed gearbox), and returned 56 mpg...........

As always, it comes down to you make your choice and spend your money..
Good luck.
Cheers Qube O.

Some input from me to balance all your horror stories.

For the past 7 years since May 2010 I have used as my main vehicle firstly a Peugeot Bipper Tepee Outdoor 1.4HDI manual until late 2013,since then a 1.3 Qubo 75bhp dualogic.

From my home in SW France I have travelled comfortably without glitches in the Bipper to both Italy and Southern Spain plus all over France and numerous trips back to UK often with the car rear seats folded forward and the rear space stuffed to the roof with stuff.2000 miles in a week are easily dispatched by these cars.I regularly cover 450 miles in one journey.The Qubo has been likewise used, regularly to and fro in and from France/UK plus also to Southern Spain

I am 6 feet 2 inches tall, long arms and legs. I can survive these journies even with the restricted front space afforded by the folded seats- but only just! One issue I have is with the WIDTH of the seats, as I am 115kgs.The Bipper has piping on the seats which cut into my derriere, the Qubo a stitched seam rubs on the right side likewise

My Bipper did 40k miles on one set of rear tyres and two changes of fronts onto "cheapos", the second set still being barely worn when I sold the car. I sold it at 40k miles and 4 years with no sign of front strut problems,despite it being an earlier spec 2009 built car

The 2012 Qubo I bought showing 9k miles and now at 34k miles is still on the original rears.The fronts were a different story, the originals went just 13k miles, the first change set to " cheapos" went just 7k until I reversed them to eke out a few more miles. I got a "proper" mechanic to MANUALLY retrack the front end correctly- no lasers, just a metal bar and chalk-- and these second set cheapos are wearing evenly and still look really good after 11k miles,I anticipate at least 15k from them. Again,no front strut probs.

My assessment overall is that these cars are very capable for the money, and barring a "rogue" or abused one can run for little cost and without significant problems for many years ( just watch mine start to play up now!).Though I am a multi FIAT owner over many years, I feel the Bipper was the better of the two sister cars, and significantly better on fuel economy

Don't worry about negative press reviews, remember, unless it's an owners own opinions it's probably a review site getting backhanders from a) Volkswagen or b) the Korean car companies. These are undoubtably paying for reviews.

If you like the Qubo, go for it. It's based on a van model which is used by people I know in various trades and seems to be reliable for their livelihood so should be for your personal needs too!

New here. Love my qubo but at 37000 miles the power stealing is wining and groaning. It's doing small tugs to the left at low speeds.. Any ideas anyone.?

Yes, certainly agree that reviews are a waste of time. If you like the car as you do you won't find a more affordable option nor one with such a good forum. Really absolutely everything has been listed here and not one issue is particularly expensive to fix. And the 95 Hp engine pulls very well, very hard to find a similar car nearly so fast with the same space or affordable nature. A lot of car for the money and just look at how many of the van derivatives are hammered around all day every day.

Martin dainty said:

New here. Love my qubo but at 37000 miles the power stealing is wining and groaning. It's doing small tugs to the left at low speeds.. Any ideas anyone.?

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Check you power steering fluid,, sounds like if its empty. Check for leaks

I've had my 2012 1.3 95 for 2 n half years now originally bought it as I needed something with enough room to move my tortoise in , had 51.000 on when I bought it at 2 half years old , the strut bearings wear done under warranty when I got it , tyre wear is good but I do do the tracking a couple times a year , not had any dpf issues even when was doing really short journeys but I do notice when it regens so will keep driving until I know it's finished , may need some injectors soon as a couple are slightly over correcting now , may go for extra load tyres next as the always look soft at 2.4 bar other than that chuffed to bits with it

Hi all, we have owned our Qubo from new on a '59 Registration, the only problems we have had are the upper bearings replaced and the heater fan fuse blew.
Having worked in the car industry for over 30 years i have seen the good, the bad the ugly, and the never ever again......cars.

Our Qubo has been to the Austrian Alps twice and does the Christmas wine/beer run most Decembers, just the Mrs and I, roll the rear seats forwards and fill her up, and never hit the bump stops yet !!!:bang:, the only " modification " we have done is make some custom mudflaps and we tinted the windows dark.

Watch the for sale section soon if anyone is, or maybe looking at a Qubo, ours is going on the market soon
White with 23.5k miles

K333fer said:

I've had my 2012 1.3 95 for 2 n half years now originally bought it as I needed something with enough room to move my tortoise in , had 51.000 on when I bought it at 2 half years old , the strut bearings wear done under warranty when I got it , tyre wear is good but I do do the tracking a couple times a year , not had any dpf issues even when was doing really short journeys but I do notice when it regens so will keep driving until I know it's finished , may need some injectors soon as a couple are slightly over correcting now , may go for extra load tyres next as the always look soft at 2.4 bar other than that chuffed to bits with it

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Have been scared to ask.. . exactly how big is your tortoise?!

andydiver said:

Have been scared to ask.. . exactly how big is your tortoise?!

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She's around 3 and a half stone and nearly 3 feet long now

K333fer said:

She's around 3 and a half stone and nearly 3 feet long now

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Pic....pics...pics.....

that was taken last year