The Italian automaker is on a bit of a high at the moment with the successful 500, but as the Nuova Croma shows, has also been busy elsewhere.
The Nuova Croma has a roomy interior, equipment worthy of a flagship that is now the standard outfit, and above all the roomiest car in its segment. It was designed to meet the needs of European society, where there is a growing trend among 'new families' (young families with children) to pay more attention to substance, and to demand safety and reliability from the family car, all at an affordable price.
Consistent with the Fiat 'family feeling' introduced with the Grande Punto and reiterated on the Bravo, the front of the Nuova Croma features original drop-shaped headlights with distinctive Italian styling, highlighted by a stylish burnished finish; the design of the front air inlet and the grille with its wide links and Crome Shadow painting, is also new. There is a new rear bumper, very similar to an air extractor, which gives the car a sportier look, and the same dynamism conveyed in the side view by the new light clusters, together with the wings, rear spoiler and new sideskirts.
The Nuova Croma is available with one bodystyle, which is one of the roomiest in its class; 478 centimetres long, 177 wide, 160 tall, and with a wheelbase of 270 cm. The model's distinguishing features are the generous amount of headroom for passengers, and the space between the seats (the best in its category), while the raised driving position guarantees excellent control over the road and better exterior visibility, even for rear passengers.
The Nuova Croma comes with two sparkling petrol engines (140 bhp 1.8 16v and 147 bhp 2.2 16v) and three Multijet turbodiesels (120 or 150 bhp 1.9 and 200 bhp 2.4). All the engines meet EU Stage 4 emission standards, and the diesel units are fitted with particulate filters. They are offered with 5 different gearboxes that exploit the engine performance in full; all the petrol engines are combined with 5-speed transmissions, with the option of sequential automatic transmission on the 2.2 16v, and all the diesel engines have 6-speed gearboxes (the sequential automatic unit is offered as an alternative on the 150 bhp 1.9 Multijet, and as the standard unit on the powerful 200 bhp 2.4 Multijet 20v).
The Nuova Croma was designed and built to achieve the highest safety standards, and has been awarded the prestigious five-star NCAP rating that puts it at the top of its class, thanks to an array of sophisticated devices that are standard equipment on the model. |
