Fiat Scudo 2024MY Review
What’s great:
- The new frontal aspect looks fabulous
- ICE and digital dash improvements are up (at least) with the best
- Electronic rear-view mirror a welcome addition
- Good, competitive payloads available
What’s not so good:
- Sloppy, clunky manual gearchange
- Cramped and dated cab
- Road noise very intrusive at times
- A relatively bland driving experience
Fiat was the last of the Stellantis brands to take on the medium van platform already shared by its siblings Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroen, and in 2024 there’s already been a minor refresh, no doubt designed to make the van a worthy competitor to the venerable Ford Transit Custom, the clear leader in the segment.
The model range is straight forward, the van being offered in two lengths, two trim levels, 1.5 litre and 2.0 litre diesel engines producing 120PS and 145PS, and there’s a fully electric version.
The Exterior
There’s been a significant change at the front, the Scudo now sporting a very smart and modern aspect. Taking design cues from the latest electric vehicles, there is less emphasis on a grille, smooth lines prevailing and the headlights connected by a horizontal bar. The FIAT badge is large and unmissable but, overall the effect is excellent, and a straw poll of people asked voted unanimously that the van looked from the front at least, great. Finished in a very dark, almost black grey, the test van looked really good with its body coloured wheel trims and other parts.
The Cab
The other major change is the new 10” infotainment touchscreen together with a digital dashboard. These are clear and very easy to navigate, something that can’t be said for units fitted to some competitor vehicles. Smartphone integration is standard and the higher trim level Primo van as tested also has navigation built in. Thankfully, heating and ventilation controls are mechanical, located under the screen. The digital rear view mirror with Primo spec is a welcome addition, albeit a perspective that most van users are unfamiliar with. Manual air conditioning is standard across the range.
The cab feels small, almost claustrophobic compared to other vans in the medium van sector, especially when passengers accompany the driver although the seats whilst firm are comfortable. As ever, the gear lever housing intrudes into the area that would naturally be occupied by the passenger’s legs, so a compromise is required by them. Once again, I had no sensation of the driving position being offset, a complaint often levelled at these vans but never experienced by myself. The design of the dash otherwise is less than attractive, almost looking cheap and dated. Storage is OK, certainly not the best but adequate, the passenger seat having an area underneath for stowing items out of sight.
Equipment
The Scudo has the usual raft of safety equipment as standard including lane keeping assist, advanced emergency braking and driver attention alert. Rear parking sensors, cruise control, rain sensitive wipers and high beam assist all aid the driver. The Primo trim level adds fully electric door mirrors, dynamic surround view, an alarm system, and on the exterior there’s some body colour painted parts and full size wheel trims.
Loadspace.
Twin rear doors and twin sliding side doors is the standard configuration, and payloads range from 1121kg to 1384kg on the diesel models. Interior dimensions for the L1 (L2 in brackets) are a length of 2512mm (2862mm), a width of 1636mm and a height of 1397mm. Load volumes are 5.3cu/m (6.1cu/m). There’s a full steel bulkhead and some load lashing eyes but there’s no LED lighting, just some old fashioned, dim bulbs to aid loading and unloading in poor light.
On The Road
The test van was fitted with the 145PS engine coupled to a 6-speed manual gearbox so performance was acceptable, without being earth shattering. The gear change mechanism is notchy and sloppy, not something expected in a modern van and is particularly unpleasant.
The van handles OK, not exactly inspiring ‘spirited’ driving but, the Scudo is perfectly competent on the road. Noise levels are generally OK, but the test van had a serious shortcoming which alone could lose the Scudo some potential customers. On some road surfaces, the noise generated by the tyres is very loud, almost deafening. This was apparent on some dual carriageways with a decent surface that normally presents no issues. To be fair, the test van was completely empty in the rear, not even having any ply-lining to reduce the amplifying effect and, on most roads, the noise intrusion was minimal and acceptable. But, a long journey would give most a headache if these surfaces were to be encountered.
Conclusion
The benchmark in this sector that all other vans should be judged by is the Ford Transit Custom, and, whilst the Scudo will prove to be a competent, good looking workhorse it’s not a match for the Ford. It’s let down by a cramped, dated cab, an awful gear change and that intrusive road noise. But, praise is due when it comes to the new displays, with a screen I found easier to navigate than that fitted to the Custom, and the redesigned front which is ultra-modern and eye-catching. For productivity, payloads are decent, too.
