Fiat Croma

The Fiat Croma was a large saloon car built by the Italian company from 1985 to 1996. The car was the top of the range Fiat, and was penned by legendary Italian Giorgietto Giugiaro. Despite laying dormant since 1996, the name was dusted off in 2005, and is in use on Fiat's current flagship, again designed by Giugiaro and sold throughout Europe.

The Croma I - 1985-1996
The first-generation Fiat Croma was unveiled in 1985, and was sold until 1996, when Fiat abandoned the large family car sector. Fiat chief Giovanni Agnelli pressed the other board members hard to commit to producing the Croma, insisting that the car would sell well.

The Croma was based upon the Fiat Type Four chassis, which had been developed in conjunction with Saab, Lancia and Alfa Romeo, and was the basis of their similarly aged saloons. The Croma was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and was a very typical Eighties saloon. It had five doors, the rear-most a full-size lifting hatch. The car sold strongly throughout its eleven-year production run, especially in native Italy.

The Croma, being top of the Fiat tree, was given a very strong group of engines, and was in fact the first passenger car in the world to have a direct injection diesel engine.

After Fiat ended Croma production in 1996, it announced that the badge would not be used on an immediate successor - and it was believed that there would never be a place for such a large vehicle in the Fiat range. However, in 2005, the new Croma was unveiled, and would yet again top off the Fiat range.

The Croma II - 2005-present
It was with surprise that Fiat unveiled the Croma badge again in 2005 - many industry analysts thought that the badge carried too much baggage with it. Also, the car that it was attached to was launched into an unenviable position - it was to guide Fiat back onto more solid ground after years of poor sales and negative profits.

The Croma is based upon a platform which was spawned from the so-short-it-almost-never-existed link between GM and Fiat, and is identical under the skin to the Vauxhall Signum, and using the GM Epsilon platform also the Saab 93 and Vauxhall Vectra. The new Croma was intended to top-off the modern Fiat range, but instead of opting for a large saloon, a genre-mixing 'Comfort Wagon' was chosen - which is essentially a very high roofed estate car, which Fiat claim provide optimum conditions for passengers.

Despite Fiat's bold claims, the Croma has been a disappointment - buyers remain confused by what the car is supposed to be, and feel slightly perplexed at the price required for a Fiat, a company which trades upon is budget, cheap and cheerful past. In many European markets there are large stocks of unsold Cromas, and the car has been withdrawn from sale in the UK after only 900 had been sold over one and a half years. Instead of winning profits for Fiat, the Croma plunged the company further into the red.

Major Options
The Croma, like every other Fiat model, is available in a number of trims. Each trim builds upon the one before, adding most optional equipment as standard fare. The trims are:

The Dynamic
The bottom of the range Croma is restricted only to the 1.8 litre petrol and 1.9 MultiJet engines, and features only 16-inch alloy wheels as standard. However, other more exciting standard equipment includes a CD player with steering wheel mounted controls, window airbags and air conditioning.

Unlike other models in the Fiat range, the Dynamic trim of the Croma can be ordered with any colour, and if the buyer chooses, any alloy wheel design for the model.

The Eleganza
Usually the top-of-the-range trim for conventional Fiat models, the Eleganza builds upon the Dynamic, but adds a few more key options as standard equipment. Featuring automatic, dual-zone air conditioning, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather steering wheel, parking aids and cruise control, the Eleganza trim can be ordered with the 2.2 MPI petrol and 1.9 (in both 8- and 16-valve variants) and 2.4 MultiJet diesels. The full compliment of colours can be chosen.

The Prestigio
To enhance the luxury side of the Croma model, Fiat created a new trim level, soley for use upon the car. Named Prestigio, Fiat claims that this trim level embodies 'Italian Prestige' (their capital, not mine). Despite the slightly silly marketing speak, the Prestigio actually has a lot going for it - the model is very highly specified and has the flagship engine choice - namely the 2.4 16-valve MultiJet engine.

Standard equipment includes 18-inch, 10-spoke alloys, tinted windows, rear window blinds, full-length SkyDome glass roof, an interior trimmed in Castiglio leather and an in-dash CD changer.

Colours


Safety
The EuroNCAP, Europe's crash testing body, rate the Croma five stars out of five for occupants. The rating breaks down into the following:


 * Front Impact test - 15 points, 94%.
 * Side Impact test - 18 points, 100%.
 * Child Occupant Protection - 39 points, 80%.
 * Pedestrian Protection - 6 points, 17%.
 * Total - Five star safety rating.

The Fiat Croma is in the minority due to the fitment of a driver's knee airbag as standard.