Fiat Ulysse

The Ulysse is, literally, the Italian equivalent of the Odyssey. Will its name prove prophetic to its success here?

What's New
Ulysses is Latin for Odysseus, the Greek king whose mythic exploits were recorded in Homer's epic poem, the Iliad. If you think about it, 'Ulysse', is actually a pretty apt name for a new Fiat as these have been such a rare sight on Singapore's roads that they almost qualify as mythological figures. However, new distributor, TTS Eurocars, hopes to improve the situation with an aggressive model push.

Part of the reason for Fiat's disappearance from the local market was epic unreliability, which the Italian manufacturer has been taking big steps in the intervening years to banish. In fact TTS is so confident in Fiat's products that it's offering a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty…So, with our 10-year-old COE renewal system you appear to be in very safe hands on that front.

The Ulysse is a key part of Fiat's current six-model line-up and it constitutes the company's seven-seater salvo at the lucrative Multi-Purpose Vehicle or MPV segment.

If you still have some reservations regarding Fiat build quality and engineering ability, you might be relieved to note that the Ulysse is actually the result of a joint venture between Fiat and French conglomerate, the PSA Group. PSA owns French car giants Citroën and Peugeot, amongst other brands, and these two marques also offer their own MPVs based on the same platform.

To begin with, the Ulysse is huge. The car isn't especially lengthy but it is very tall and considerably wide, the restrained styling helps to disguise some of the Ulysse's sheer size from a distance, but up close it remains monolithic.

Italian flair is present in the details. For example, the Ulysse's headlamps are very complex affairs, as are the indicator repeaters in the wing mirrors. You also get very attractive tail lamps and chunky door handles that help to break up the bluff side profile.

The Highway tested the range topping 'Prestigio' version that comes with three sunroofs, one for each row of seats. The sunroofs add plenty of light and a great sensation of spaciousness to what is already a very large cabin, and they each open individually too.

The cabin architecture is attractive also, with the centrally-mounted instruments a neat touch. Most of the surfaces are lined in soft-touch plastic, suede or leather and everything feels fairly well made. The climate control panel arrangement probably owes more to form than it does function, but you quickly get used to it.

The seats are all very comfortable, the front and middle pairs of individual armchairs especially. The front pair can also swivel 180 degrees to face rearwards, handy if you're on a picnic. The rear seats fold forwards, liberating more cargo room if necessary, and they can also be removed altogether.

You do get plenty of equipment in the form of climate control, an integrated stereo, and satellite controls for the same on the steering column, cruise control, and xenon headlamps. A very handy feature is that the two side doors can also be opened by remote control, making access easier in the rain, for the elderly in particular or if your hands are full with bags of groceries.

How it Performs
The Ulysse is powered by a 136bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. It musters 190Nm of torque but with a full load of people plus cargo, don't expect progress to be super brisk. In fact, with just two on board, acceleration is decidedly leisurely. The four-speed automatic has a manual override feature and adaptive software that adjusts to suit different driving styles. It is undoubtedly smooth but sometimes it can hesitate to find the correct gear.

It's better to enjoy the commanding seating position and the comfort than to really push its performance. Corner enthusiastically though and you'll find that the Ulysse exhibits surprising levels of grip. However, the tall seating position accentuates body roll to stomach churning proportions if you decide to be very enthusiastic.

On the safety front, you get a whole phalanx of airbags both front and rear, and added assurance in the form of a coveted five-star EuroNCAP safety rating. That's good to know for you and your family

How it Stacks Up
At $128,800 with COE, the Ulysse isn't exactly cheap, especially considering that Japanese rivals like the Honda Odyssey undercut it by about $20,000. You do get plenty of kit though for your money though, and the added cachet of driving something that's pretty much unique in the competitive MPV market.

Technical Specifications

MODEL Fiat Ulysse ENGINE Engine: 1,997cc 16V in-line four Max Power: 136bhp @ 6,000rpm Max Torque: 190Nm @ 4,100rpm TRANSMISSION 4-speed adaptive automatic TOP SPEED 178 kmh 0-100km/h 13.1s