03.11.2005 The new four-wheel-drive Fiat Sedici 'crossover' is finally seen in the flesh, courtesy of Quattroruote magazine

The new Fiat Sedici 'crossover' is finally seen in the flesh, courtesy of Quattroruote magazine. Undisguised photos of the Suzuki-built small off-road capable vehicle reveal the aggressive, chunky looks that Fiat have moulded into the Hungarian built car which will come with either front or four wheel drive.

Scheduled to be presented to the press for the first time before the end of this month, the Sedici (Italian for sixteen, a play on 4x4) will be heavily promoted during next year's XX Winter Olympic Games, which are scheduled to be held in Turin, Fiat's home city. The Quattroruote photos reveal that while the Suzuki's bonnet and headlamps will be retained an aggressive snout dominates the front end, will chunky side panels that arch up over the wheels and sweep round onto the front and rear spoiler, the styling reminiscent of last autumn's Fiat Stilo Uproad.

Meanwhile, Channel 4's motoring website 4-Car has drive the mechanically-identical Suzuki version, and they were impressed by the engines, and in particular the 1.9 JTD version. "And so onto the curvy, undulating test track, first in a 1.6 with front-wheel drive," reports 4-Car, "The five-speed gearchange is particularly slick with its short, light movements, and the engine makes a fair fist of bringing this 1130kg 2x4 up to speed (112mph maximum). As promised, the SX4 stays surprisingly level in the corners, and it gets its power down well with not much understeer. It feels, in essence, like a bigger, softer Swift, and it rides nicely.
 

Fiat Sedici

To be presented to the press for the first time before the end of this month, the Fiat Sedici will be heavily promoted during the 2006  Torino  Winter  Games.  Photo:  Quattroruote

Fiat Sedici

The new four-wheel-drive, Suzuki-based Fiat Sedici 'crossover' is finally seen in the  flesh.  Photo:  Quattroruote.


"The 1.9 JTD, with four-wheel drive, is an altogether more engaging machine," continues 4-Car as they switch to driving the Fiat JTD diesel-powered version, "The engine is quite noisy in this application (work is continuing here), and the six-speed gearbox is less sweet than the 1.6's five-speeder, but there's much more acceleration on tap even if the top speed remains the same (opting for the front-wheel drive JTD gives you an extra 6mph). Switched to front-wheel drive mode the 1.9 feels quite inert and builds up some understeer at speed, as you'd expect from its heavier engine. But switch to 'auto' (4x4 on demand) and it undergoes a huge personality transformation. Now, you can power through corners with all wheels biting into the road, and if you back off the line tightens decisively. The SX4 had just become entertainingly throttle-steerable and thoroughly good fun."

Photos: Quattroruote /
Additional information: 4-Car
 

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