One day all vans will be made by the same manufacturer but marketed under different brand-names. Far-fetched? Maybe. But then again, maybe not.
Bear in mind that Ford and Volkswagen’s light commercial line-ups will soon be almost the same aside from their badges. Bear in mind too that Renault’s Trafic and Master are sold by sister brand Nissan as the Primastar and Interstar respectively, and that Mercedes-Benz’s Citan is in fact a Renault Kangoo.
And MAN’s TGE? It’s a VW Crafter.
So the trend is clear, and is writ large in the shape of global automotive behemoth Stellantis.
The cornucopia of brands it owns means among other things that Citroën’s Dispatch, Peugeot’s Expert, Vauxhall’s Vivaro and Fiat Professional’s Scudo – the subject of our test – are all identical apart from various styling tweaks.
Furthermore, the same model can be bought from a Toyota dealership as the Proace thanks to a joint-venture agreement between Stellantis and the Japanese giant. So you have no less than five dealer networks supplying what is basically the same vehicle.
As a consequence, figuring out which make to buy is increasingly less about the van itself and more about the competence (or otherwise) of your local dealership and the package the brand concerned can offer.
Which one offers the most generous warranty? Which one offers the most attractive finance deal? And which one delivers the most effective aftersales support?
Turning to the product itself, Scudo comes with the choice of two MultiJet diesel engines; a 1.5L producing 100hp or 120hp or a 2.0L pumping out 145hp or 180hp.
A six-speed manual box is standard with an automatic transmission offered as an option. Alternatively, you can opt for an electric model – a definite advantage for Fiat Professional in today’s zero-emission-conscious climate – with 136hp on tap and either a 50kWh or a 75kWh battery pack.
Two wheelbases are listed across the range, but just one roof height. Load cube extends from 5.3m3 to 6.1m3 while gross payload runs from 1,000kg to 1,446kg.
Fiat Professional offers three trim levels – SX, Tecnico and Business – and Scudo is marketed as a crew van as well as in van guise. The E-Scudo is further offered as a platform cab.
We sampled a stylish-looking short-wheelbase van in top-of-the-range Business trim powered by the 145hp diesel; and one that was clearly being promoted as a Fiat given the prominent lettering to that effect on its front grille.
Load bay
Access to the cargo area is exemplary thanks to a sliding door on each side of the body plus twin rear doors which can be pushed through 90 degrees – and through 180 degrees if you unlatch the easy-to-release stays.
Half-a-dozen load-lashing points are fitted, and a full-height steel bulkhead should prevent the occupants of the cab from coming to grief should items suddenly shoot forwards.
A hatch in the bottom of the bulkhead directly behind the outboard passenger seat allows extra-long items to be slid forwards into the three-seater cabin. Delivering an extra load length of 1,162mm and part of a package sold under the Moduwork banner, it’s a useful facility which ensures that over-length cargo doesn’t end up sticking out through the back doors.
To make full use of it just fold the outboard passenger seat cushion upwards, out of the way. Doing so creates 0.5m3 of extra carrying space, and you may wish to avail yourself of a seventh tie-down ring, located in the passenger seat foot-well.
A gross payload capacity in excess of 1.4t and a 2.5t braked towing weight are both healthy figures for a van of this size.
Interior and equipment
Slotting three seats into a cab of limited width means you end up getting closer to your fellow travellers than you might ideally like given the lack of shoulder room.
If you are a passenger then do all you can to avoid the middle seat, especially if you are tall.
Even if you are of modest height, you will quickly discover that the way in which the moulding which accommodates the leather-trimmed gear lever bows outwards from the dashboard restricts the available leg space. Your right knee will be pressed up close against it; not a lot of fun if you are travelling any distance.
Shoehorning three seats into a space only suitable for two means – among other things – that the driver’s seat is so close to the door that it is near-impossible to get at anything in the door’s big lower bin when the door is shut. That is the case even if, like the writer, you have small hands. At least there is no shortage of storage space.
Each of the doors has two bins in addition to the one just referred to and you will find a lidded compartment on top of the dashboard.
Further facilities include a small, lidded – but not lockable – glove-box with a large cubby-hole beneath it, and a shelf just above the gear stick with a USB port and a 12V power point close by. You will find another 12V socket in the load area.
Wondering where to put your morning cappuccino? You’ll find a cup-holder at either extremity of the fascia.
While we may have disrespected the middle seat, it offers a valuable trump card. Flip the centre section of its back downwards and it turns into a handy desk, complete with an elasticated strap to hold paperwork in place.
By pulling the seat cushion upwards you reveal a hidden compartment which you can use to conceal your smartphone and other bits and pieces you would prefer not to lose. A nice touch.
The driver’s seat and the leather-trimmed steering wheel are both height-adjustable, but it is a pity that the latter is offset to the left. The seat comes with lumbar adjustment and an armrest.
For your money you get air-conditioning, cruise control, a reversing camera, front fog lights, electric windows, electrically-adjustable, folding and heated exterior mirrors and driver and passenger airbags.
A 7in colour touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard allows you to switch the Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Traction Control, and Stop & Start systems on and off and do the same to the parking sensors. It is accompanied by a DAB radio and sat nav and the cab is Bluetooth-enabled.
Smartphone integration is another feature, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Aside from LDW, on-board safety systems include ABS, Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, Emergency Brake Assist, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and speed
sign recognition.
The headlights illuminate automatically when night falls and raindrops on the windscreen trigger the wipers.
Scudo’s suspension employs MacPherson struts and an anti-roll bar at the front along with a trailing arm set-up at the rear. Electric power steering delivers a 12.4m turning circle between kerbs increasing to 12.9m between walls.
Disc brakes are fitted all round and our test van’s 17in alloy wheels wore Michelin Agilis 215/60 R17C tyres.
Powertrain
Equipped with a variable-geometry turbocharger plus an intercooler, Scudo’s four-cylinder in-line transverse-mounted common rail direct-injection diesel delivers maximum power at 3750rpm.
Maximum torque of 340Nm kicks in at 2000rpm.
AdBlue is required to ensure the vehicle meets the Euro 6 exhaust emission regulations. The reservoir filler point is concealed by the passenger door.
Driving
When it comes to driveability one of the sturdily-built Scudo’s key advantages is its sharp handling. Tackle a bend with determination and it clings on to the highway doggedly, showing little desire to disappear into the shrubbery unless the driver does something foolish.
Aside from becoming a little choppy when unladen the ride is acceptable too, although the gear change is not quite as impressive. It is neither as crisp nor as quick as the change delivered by transmissions in certain rival products; Ford’s Transit Custom springs to mind.
Acceleration from rest and through the gears is adequate, but certainly not outstanding given the size of the van and the amount of power on tap, and more could be done to suppress in-cab noise levels. The tyres, suspension, engine and wind are all culprits, and better sound insulation is required.
Operating
The Scudo is embraced by a welcome three-year/100,000-mile warranty, with roadside assistance provided for the first year, while service intervals are set at two years/24,000 miles.
Fuel economy? Fiat Professional cites a WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) combined figure of 39.8mpg, which is roughly what we achieved.
Side rubbing strips help protect Scudo from minor damage and both they and the front and rear bumpers and door handles were painted to match the rest of the body.
Our demonstrator was finished in metallic paint, which we are delighted to see is included in the van’s price. Well done Fiat Professional – and it’s also good to see a proper, full-size, steel spare wheel rather than having to rely solely on an inflator/sealer.
A number of Fiat Professional dealers also represent heavy truck manufacturers DAF and Iveco. That means their workshops open early, and shut late – worth knowing if you want your Scudo serviced outside normal working hours.
Fiat Professional Scudo Business 2.0 litre MultiJet 145hp diesel SWB van
Price (ex VAT) £32,480
Price range (ex. VAT) £26,465–£49,120
Gross payload 1,446g
Load length 2,512mm
Load width (min/max) 1258mm/1628mm
Load bay height 1,397mm
Load volume 5.3m3
Loading height 544mm
Rear door aperture 1,282mm x 1,220mm
Side door aperture 935mm x 1,241mm
Gross vehicle weight 3,100kg
Braked trailer towing weight 2,500kg
Residual value 23.2%*
Cost per mile 44.8p
Engine size/power 1,997cc, 145hp @ 3,750rpm
Torque 340Nm @ 2,000rpm
Gearbox 6sp
Fuel economy 39.8mpg (WLTP)
Fuel tank 70 litres
CO2 185g/km (WLTP)
Warranty 3yrs/100,000 miles
Service intervals 2yrs/24,000 miles
Insurance group 39
Price as tested £32,680
* after 48 months/20,000 miles p.a – source – KWIKcarcost
Options
Premium interior pack £200
Rivals
Ford Transit Custom
Price (ex VAT) £28,145-£57,955
Load volume 6.0-8.3m3
Gross payload 686-1,459kg
Engines 105hp, 130hp, 170hp 2.0 diesel
Verdict: Transit Custom is astonishingly successful, and it is not hard to see why. Its handling, ride and overall performance are all top-notch, it invariably holds its value on the second-hand market, there are Ford dealers everywhere and independent garages should have no trouble servicing what has become a best-seller. Check out the exciting MS-RT version and the plug-in hybrid, and don’t forget that an electric model will debut next year as part of a new Custom line-up.
Renault Trafic
Price (ex VAT) £27,450-£39,650
Load volume 5.8-8.9m3
Gross payload 935-1,251kg
Engines 110hp, l30hp, 150hp, 170hp 2.0 diesel
Verdict: One of Trafic’s big plus-points is the availability of the Efficient Dual Clutch automated gearbox; an exemplary transmission that is undoubtedly worth sampling, and one we much prefer to the vehicle’s manual transmission. Trafic is also marketed by Nissan as the Primastar and by Renault Trucks, an entity completely separate from Renault’s car and van operation. Go to Renault Trucks if you want your Trafic serviced overnight. An electric model should arrive in 2023.
Volkswagen Transporter
Price (ex VAT) £26,500-£51,530
Load volume 5.8-9.3cu/m
Gross payload 747-1,278kg
Engines 110hp, 150hp, 204hp 2.0 diesel
Verdict: With a stress on safety, an impressive diesel engine, a slick gear-change and un-matched build quality, Transporter ticks a lot of boxes. If it’s style and excitement you are looking for then get behind the wheel of the Sportline variant. Let’s hope that VW and Ford’s joint-venture agreement, which among other things means that the next Ford Transit Custom will be the template for the next Transporter, will not diminish the advantages of an excellent product.
The Final Verdict
Design 7/10 – Attractive-looking light commercial vehicle with useful practical features.
Cabin 6/10 – Not a three-seater cab. Disliked the offset steering wheel, liked the middle seat/desk
Ride 7/10 – Slightly choppy when unladen but smooth enough under normal working conditions
Refinement 7/10 – In-cab noise levels too high, more sound deadening needed, though it is solidly-built
Load area 9/10 – Sliding doors and space for longer items. Impressive payload and towing capacities
Handling/performance 7/10 – Former is great and comparable with competitors. Latter a little unsatisfying though
Engine/transmission 6/10 – Former didn’t deliver what we expected, latter rough at times
Standard equipment 7/10 – Plenty of in-cab kit but more safety systems required to put on a par with VW
Operating costs 7/10 – Respectable warranty, sensible service intervals, and reasonably fuel-frugal.
What Van? subjective rating 7/10 – Still a competent package with plenty to commend it, and availability of an electric version is a definite plus, but otherwise lags behind Ford’s Transit Custom
Overall Rating = 70/100
