Fiat Ulysse Estate 2003 - 2006

Not a big a seller as it perhaps deserves to be, the Ulysse is a very well made MPV, which offers one extra seat over it's stablemate the Multipla, with seven. It was developed with the Citroen C8 and the Peugeot 807, which both outsell it. The current model has been seen in the showrooms since early 2003 and is quite a step up from the model that it replaced. It's well engineered and nicely finished, with quality materials used throughout the inside of the cabin. Well laid out to make good use of it's space it is often better value than it's French cousins.

Inside the cabin there is lots of space. The three rows of seats are as you'd expect with decreasing levels of room as you go back. So the front seats offer comfort and room as well as the ability to be set up to offer a car like driving position, which is nice and adds to the driving pleasure. The second row of seats is also comfortable, with plenty of room available for occupants but the third row of seats offers limited headroom and is only really suitable for the short or young. This is a shame as with the middle row of seats removed the Ulysse makes a limo style vehicle which would be fun to ride in, were it not for the lack of headroom. With the rear seats removed the space in the back is huge and will be very versatile if required.

The engine options are the same as those found in it's French cousins, the C8 and 807, which means a choice of 2.0- or 2.2-litre turbodiesels and a 2.0-litre petrol unit. The 109bhp 2.0 and 128bhp 2.2 JTD turbodiesels are quiet and perform pretty well. None of them are stellar performers but they offer good levels of usable power. The diesel's main delivery of torque is between 2000 - 3000 rpm so you'll find ample usable power right through the rev range. The 135 bhp 2.0L petrol engine is refined and performs well for all but the most demanding driver. On the economy front it's the oil burners that have the edge with figures around 40 mpg as opposed to the petrol units which sit around 30 mpg.

The Ulysse handles pretty well, for a big car but as it shares the fundamentals with the Peugeot and Citroen, there's little to choose between the three. The engine and wind noise are a little more than ideal but are nonetheless pretty well suppressed.

The Ulysse should be on the list for anyone looking for a new MPV and will probably offer best value for a used purchase. The only issue second hand buyers are likely to find is the lack of availability to choose from.

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