Ten Second Review

As with the larger Delta, the Ypsilon supermini's mission is to bring unprecedented levels of luxury, technology, refinement and roominess to its sector and, at first, the claim that a car just 3.8 metres long can seat five adults (in comfort) seems a little hard to swallow. But although the baby Chrysler's underpinnings are closely related to those of the diddy Fiat 500 and Ford Ka, the key to the claim lies with its longer wheelbase taken from the fortchcoming, all-new Fiat Panda.

Background

When Fiat killed off the Lancia brand in the UK over a decade ago, there was always the expectation it would one day return. That it has now done so is undoubtedly good news, not least for Chrysler who, at a stroke, can extend its reach - previously limited to the 300C saloon and Grand Voyager MPV if you exclude Jeep - in the UK market. The question is whether people who fancy something idiosyncratically Itanianate will be put off by the Chrysler brand connotations remains to be seen but Fiat seems to be confident that by placing the emphasis on design, comfort, luxury and technology, the Ypsilon, like the Delta, will be a credible and desirable alternative to the mainstream offerings.

Driving Experience

Naturally, the Ypsilon pulls together a powertrain and technology package cherry picked from the Fiat Group's most modern offerings. The three-strong UK engine line up comprises the 875cc TwinAir two-cylinder powerplant now well established in the Fiat 500, the 1.3-litre MultiJet II turbo-diesel with 95bhp and, in the entry-level position, Fiat's stalwart 1.2-litre Fire petrol engine. All the engines come with a start and stop system as standard and all are Euro 5 emissions compliant. In the TwinAir model, a semi-auto five speed transmission. It also features an ECO button on the fascia which limits torque to 100Nm at 2000rpm for even better economy. The seating position is fairly high but, once you get used to it, and the elaborate control stack and instrument binnacle, you might well believe you were driving a bigger car. It's a clever illusion because interior space doesn't seem notably better than the class average and the actual quality of the plastics and materials seems to play second fiddle to the effort that's gone into the design. That said, it rides pretty well with suspension that doesn't make too much of a fuss over pock-marked urban roads. And it's reasonably refined on the motorway, too, so there's no reason why it should be confined to the city We'd say the pick of the engine range is the familiar GM-sourced 1.3 turbodiesel. It doesn't feel especially brawny from low revs but feels pleasingly lively and responsive after that. With this engine, the Ypsilon can sprint to 60mph in 11.0sec and, should it find itself on a German autobahn, roll on to a claimed 114mph. It seems that today's city cars like to stretch their legs.

Design and Build

If you want to stand out from the supermini crowd, the Ypsilon's distinctive design will certainly provide the means. The elements of retro Lancia (despite the Chrysler branding) could look awkward and gimmicky but add a quirky Italianate flavour to the acutely curvy, almost coupe-like shape. Lancia has had plenty of success selling its smallest cars to style conscious Italian women and is hoping to snag a similarly enthusiastic customer base over here. The claim that the Ypsilon is a comfortable five-seater, however, is somewhat wide of the mark. It's roomy enough in the front but if it's realistic about accommodating five people, three of them had better be children, and even a brace of six-footers would find things rather tight. But there's no denying that the boldly styled cabin has a sophisticated, up-market air. It's just a shame that the quality doesn't measure up to the design.

Market and Model

The range kicks off with the £10,695 1.2-litre 68bhp S model which benefits from the funky cabin design but does without air con and alloys. If you want these you have to move up to the mid-spec SE, which starts at just under £12,000. If you want your premium supermini to really look the part, however, you'd better budget on spending between £15,500 and £17,800. This gets you the top drawer Limited trim level and 1.3-litre diesel motor gilded with goodies such as Blue&Me navigation system, headlamps with dusk sensors, reclining rear seats and 'luxury' leather upholstery. To push on towards £18k just add two-tone paint, 16-inch alloys, ESP, a sunroof, cruise control and rain sensing wipers..

Cost of Ownership

Obviously time will tell, but strong residual values are predicted for the Ypsilon in anticipation that buyers will welcome some of the premium features it offers. Fine economy and low emissions are another strong suit, the diesel model in particular offering an attractive blend of frugality and punchy performance: 74.3mpg on the combined cycle which equates to just 99 g/km of CO2.

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