Hi,

Its car replacement time,

The Croma has caught my eye two questions if anyone can answer please.

1) Is the back middle seat foot bit flat or is there the usual bump on the floor as its hard to tell from photos.

2) Any cup holders in the front ? not a deal breaker

Thanks

kingchris said:

Hi,

Its car replacement time,

The Croma has caught my eye two questions if anyone can answer please.

1) Is the back middle seat foot bit flat or is there the usual bump on the floor as its hard to tell from photos.

2) Any cup holders in the front ? not a deal breaker

Thanks

Click to expand...

The New Croma has no shaft tunnel to make the rear seat floor higher.
Very roomy and flat.

If you remove the ashtray in between the two front seats, there will be a cupholder instead. Not quite a bottlleholder, though.

This model is, together with the GP and new Panda, selling beyond expectations.
Only UK has this unfriendly attitude to FIAT cars, so only few dealers have Croma in stock. The 2.4 JTD is very powerful but a bit thirsty, The 1.9 JTD is not weak in ay way but also very economical. The petrol engines are alle less powerful and more thirsty.

The car is very quiet to drive and smell of quality.
To race smaal roads it will need harder suspension though.
As a travel car it is in a very high class.

The armrest in the middle interfeers with th handbreak operation. There is to little ample space for small stuff to add up the glove compartment, e.g. drawer under seat and rooms under floor (like in Renault). But otherwise a very nice car that kicks ass.

"dolph"

i thought the croma had been pulled from the uk market!

lire100 said:

i thought the croma had been pulled from the uk market!

Click to expand...

Loads for sale at much reduced prices.....bargains to be had out there

lire100 said:

i thought the croma had been pulled from the uk market!

Click to expand...

They have basicly pulled it out from the UK market.
But taxidrivers and a few sensible people still want it.
So a few Cromas gets to FIAT centrally in UK.

Why so few people in UK wants it is a mystery to me.

It is selling beyond expectations on the world market and in many countrys it's all new on the market.

A MY upgrade came recently. This killed all (9) SIGI "call-back" faults in the software.

"dolph"

Thank you very much for answering my questions.

I love having something different and could never stand having a Ford Focus as I'm sure I'd loose it in the car park .

Down in the South West at lease my Stilo is pretty rare, but the croma seems a perfect replacement.

Will keep you updated regarding my thoughts after test drive.

In case you're interested, and you're looking for nearly new rather than new (best with the Croma), motorpoint have a regular supply, and the 06 models are going for £8299 at the moment. I've not seen better anywhere. It looks like these 06 cars are all being sold on at about 12-15k miles.

My dealer in Norwich has/had a beautiful 1.9 on for £9000.
The handbrake is crap, but if you can bear this, and I couldn't, here is a beautiful, roomy, comfy, powerful, economical and elegant car for the price of a Panda Sport.
The new Mondeo is an excellent car, but the basic 1.6 petrol starts at £16000 - twice the price of the Croma. It has to be the best new (practically) car deal out there.
Hallo!:yum:

Wouldn't it be nice if Fiat (hint hint!) re-launched it here with the few (& there was only a few) gripes sorted out

They should just fix the handbrake accessibility, put a cigaret-power outlet on the dashboard instead of / or as a supplement to the cigaret-power outlet under the armrest.

They should make the suspension just slightly firmer, kinda like the sportskit 1 for the Alfa 156.

They should let the steering wheel be a bit more adjustable up/down - mainly down.

They should make the center/gearchange console a little narrower for better space for drivers knee.

You can really get a special tailored car with the amount of equipment you get as standard and the huge options you have for extra equipment on this car.

The JTD's are found in the Alfa's. Thy are silky soft when it comes to noise level and they are lioness of the class when it comes to power.

The 1.9 16v can be remapped to 189 BHP and close to 400 nM Torque.
Guess what you can make out of the 2.4, which, in standard trim, has 200 BHP and 420 nM.

Here in Denmark cars are extremely expensive due to our tax system.
Those prices mentioned earlier in this thread are extreme low compared to here. Wish I was living i UK now. ;-)

In DK you pay around £41.000 for the 1.9 JTD 16v and close to £51.000 for the 2.4 JTD................................without any extras.

I just got my all-new Croma MY 1.9 JTD 16v wednesday this week.
It is the upgraded MY version built in february 2007. Alle the "birth-problems" are dealt with. No software mistakes regarding to the infodisplay, the opening function of the hatch, the electric window in the rear or others.

Drives wonderful with sportkit 1, as mentioned above. Plenty of power. Plenty of space. Handmade Leather cabin (aftermarket).

Consumption is very low.

We ar happy with it and it is a mystery to me why not a lot other people, including taxi drivers, here and there and everywhere go for it?

"dolph"

Hallo Dolph,
God, you pay a lot for cars. You make me feel like an American.
Still, you have great country, with excellent public services; and you are supposed to be a happy people. We have a sh!!"t government and high taxes, without anything much to show for it.
Anyway.
As T so well said, with the few stupid faults of the Croma addressed it would sell well here in the UK too. Fiat is so ignorant of the public reaction to the car's faults that it has decided we don't like big Fiats. It has listened to our prejudiced motoring press. We CAN like them, and once did. We just like them to have the silly little inconveniencies sorted out before they are offered for sale. The handbrake and the notquiteright steering wheel would be a start, followed by a really plush, velvety interior. (I hate leather). Actually, I don't want a firm ride, I like a soft comfy one, especially in a big car, so Fiat has seemingly got that right, for me. No. Nearly there. But they won't bother to make a good, very good, car perfect. And so the press will continue to say that Fiat can't build big cars. I am screaming as I write this....

When we chose our car, we tested over 20 cars without any prejudice within the same price range and fulfilling the same demands.

We talk about
Opel Zafira Flexivan Cosmo 1.9 CDTI DPF
Renault Scenic 2.0 dCI
Honda FR-V 2,2 CTDI Executive 140HK
Seat Altea 2,0 16V TDI PD FR 170HK Van 6g
Ford Focus C-Max 2.0 TDCI
VW Golf Plus TDI 140 HK
Toyota Sportsvan 2.2 sol D-4D Diesel 5d m/tagrling og VSC 177 HK
Mazda 5 2,0 D Touring 143HK Van 6g
Honda Civic 1.8 comfort 5d
Peugeot 307 Airvan .......................diesel
Citron C4 Picasso grand..................diesel
etc. etc. etc


Among all of these, just as with the Fiat Croma, there were compromises.

We just found that the compromises in the Fiat were easiest to live with. We found the overall quality in the Croma the best of them all. We found the roadholding the best of them all. We found the comfort the best of them all. We found the engine the best of them all.

The only car that was close for us was the Honda Civic. But the hangover here was the fuel economi due to the lack of diesel engine and the less torque would make the car hyperventilate when pulling stuff. A bit nervous on freeway rides but a genious on small roads.

All the other cars were chosen off because "the companys didn't want to listen to the users coments on small (or big) issues and sort them out".

But even so, they remain on the UK market.

There have to be another reason for pulling out the Croma from the UK market.
I think it's a general prejudice in the UK public about Fiat cars in general.

Somewhere on the net you can read that UK and Fiat are not "good friends".

Everywhere else but the UK, Croma, Grande Punto and the Panda is, statisticly, rescuing the Fiat concerns economi.

Dig that...................?

"dolph"

I tested a few of the cars that niklasthedolphin tried, the Vauxhall Zafira, a Focus hatchback, a Mazda 6 and I also looked at the Peugeot 407 before deciding on the Croma.

Zafira - the handling was so van-like that I couldn't have put up with it on bends. I still can't quite understand why the testers like it so much - maybe it's to do with the flexible interior - but I know I couldn't have driven it regularly

Focus - the complete opposite of the Zafira. Handling was v good, but the road noise at speed was just too distracting. Almost everything else about the Focus was excellent, and I can see why people buy them by the dozen.

Mazda 6 - well, it is an old design, and again, at speed it was too noisy. V good ride and handling, but pretty expensive

Peugeot 407 - generally a v nice car, but a bit small inside, and I just didn't trust the long term reliability.

So it came back to the Croma. I almost didn't try one because of the reviews it had received, but I'm so glad I did, as it is everything that people have said in this thread - v comfortable, quiet, the ride is good, and the handling is definitely more car like than the Zafira, although it can't match the Focus, consumption with the 1.9 8v diesel is just a little worse than my previous Mk1 Octavia 1.9 diesel, but then it is a bigger car. Quality seems as good as anything else at the price. Sorry, did I mention the price - at least 2k-3k cheaper than anything else. For that I can forgive the handbrake position and the (for me at 5'9") slightly high steering wheel (maybe only an inch or so), and I like the fact that there are not many around, although I'm sure Fiat would like to sell loads more.

I can only recommend that people try it before deciding, as that really swayed me. Actually that was probably the most difficult thing - to find one to test...

After having a Stillo 19.JTD Dynamique with all
the Toys Sat Nav Xenons, Sunshine roof, but no Leather.
Rear Split opening window.Parking Sensors
Had it from new and Liked it very much

I have Changed to a Croma 1.9 Prestigio Automatic.
3 weeks now,
I am getting to like it.
Not keen on the fuel consumption compared to
my Stillo though which was exceptional.
I have changed the Bulbs to Xenons types.
Added some clear Bumper rubbers to the Back, front and Mirrors.
It has rear parking sensors, but the Croma rubbing strip is not Compatible with sensors. and they don't make one that is.

Added side rubbers again an extra but should be Standard.
Has the Hi-FI pack with CD changer nice sound.
Tinted rear windows,

Automatic Lights, Wipers and dipping mirror.
But not the fold in Mirrors, Blank where the switch should be.
I wonder if the Wiring loom is there for it.

I Needed to have an Automatic,otherwise I would not have Changed so soon.

Not new but good deal ex Fiat Management.
I had a Test drive in the 1.9. Multi Jet Manual 6 speed,
I was impressed with the ride and how quiet it was.

I would say the 1 and 2 ratios are a bit too close though.

My Automatic is awesome 150BHP hence the lower fuel consumption
which accounts for it as well as being an Automatic.

But what a ride and smooth power delivery.
I was told that Auto Box is from BM which seems to be the case.
Has the same feel as my friends BM auto.

I missed the Stillo but am getting to like the Croma more each day..
Puts a smile on my face as I pull away from other lesser cars.

Just can't get over how quick it is, and so is the ride, a real Pleasure
to drive, just getting used to the handling.

Pity it's been pulled from showrooms in the UK but
will be available to order.

Its taken a while but I've finaly sat in one they are kinda rare to find.

Arranged a test drive for the middle of this week.

Still not sure about it, it looks nice and its huge inside but seems very distant from the road, like sitting in the back seat to drive.

The Prestigio spec is really nice with leather and rear tints, its sun roof is a worthy replacement for my Stilos sky roof.

kingchris said:

Its taken a while but I've finaly sat in one they are kinda rare to find.

Arranged a test drive for the middle of this week.

Still not sure about it, it looks nice and its huge inside but seems very distant from the road, like sitting in the back seat to drive.

The Prestigio spec is really nice with leather and rear tints, its sun roof is a worthy replacement for my Stilos sky roof.

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HOW DID YOU LIKE IT.
A few weeks on and I like it more and more.
I don't have the Leather but have the Sunroof, and as you say a
replacement to my Stillo sky roof like yours.


Ham