Autopedia
Register
Advertisement
NuovaCroma 12
Fiat Croma
Fiat
aka Fiat Croma
Production First Generation - 1985-1996
Second Generation - 2005-
Class Croma I - family saloon
Croma II - crossover
Body Style Croma I - five-door liftback
Croma II - five-door wagon
Length Croma I - 4495 mm
Croma II - 4755 mm
Width Croma I - 1755 mm
Croma II - 1775 mm
Height Croma I - 1425 mm
Croma II - 1600 mm
Wheelbase Croma I - 2660 mm
Croma II - 2700 mm
Weight Croma I -
Croma II -
Transmission Croma I - front-drive, five-speed manual
Croma II - front-drive, six-speed manual, five-speed automatic
Engine Croma I - 1.6/2.0/2.0 turbocharged/2.5 petrol, 1.9/2.5 litre turbocharged diesel
Croma II - 1.8/2.2 MPI, 1.9/2.4 MultiJet
Power 1.6 petrol - 82hp
2.0 petrol - 89-120hp
2.0 turbocharged petrol - 151hp
2.5 petrol - 157hp
1.9 diesel - 91hp
2.5 diesel - 74hp
2.5 turbodiesel - 100hp
1.8 MPI - 138hp
2.2 MPI - 145hp
1.9 MultiJet - 118-148hp
2.4 MultiJet - 197hp
Similar Vauxhall Sigma
Ford S-MAX
Designer Croma I and II - Giorgetto Giugiaro

The Fiat Croma was a large saloon car built by the Italian company from 1985 to 1996. The car was the top of the range Fiat, and was penned by legendary Italian Giorgietto Giugiaro. Despite laying dormant since 1996, the name was dusted off in 2005, and is in use on Fiat's current flagship, again designed by Giugiaro and sold throughout Europe.

The Croma I - 1985-1996[]

The first-generation Fiat Croma was unveiled in 1985, and was sold until 1996, when Fiat abandoned the large family car sector. Fiat chief Giovanni Agnelli pressed the other board members hard to commit to producing the Croma, insisting that the car would sell well.

The Croma was based upon the Fiat Type Four chassis, which had been developed in conjunction with Saab, Lancia and Alfa Romeo, and was the basis of their similarly aged saloons. The Croma was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and was a very typical Eighties saloon. It had five doors, the rear-most a full-size lifting hatch. The car sold strongly throughout its eleven-year production run, especially in native Italy.

The Croma, being top of the Fiat tree, was given a very strong group of engines, and was in fact the first passenger car in the world to have a direct injection diesel engine.

After Fiat ended Croma production in 1996, it announced that the badge would not be used on an immediate successor - and it was believed that there would never be a place for such a large vehicle in the Fiat range. However, in 2005, the new Croma was unveiled, and would yet again top off the Fiat range.

The Croma II - 2005-present[]

It was with surprise that Fiat unveiled the Croma badge again in 2005 - many industry analysts thought that the badge carried too much baggage with it. Also, the car that it was attached to was launched into an unenviable position - it was to guide Fiat back onto more solid ground after years of poor sales and negative profits.

The Croma is based upon a platform which was spawned from the so-short-it-almost-never-existed link between GM and Fiat, and is identical under the skin to the Vauxhall Signum, and using the GM Epsilon platform also the Saab 93 and Vauxhall Vectra. The new Croma was intended to top-off the modern Fiat range, but instead of opting for a large saloon, a genre-mixing 'Comfort Wagon' was chosen - which is essentially a very high roofed estate car, which Fiat claim provide optimum conditions for passengers.

Despite Fiat's bold claims, the Croma has been a disappointment - buyers remain confused by what the car is supposed to be, and feel slightly perplexed at the price required for a Fiat, a company which trades upon is budget, cheap and cheerful past. In many European markets there are large stocks of unsold Cromas, and the car has been withdrawn from sale in the UK after only 900 had been sold over one and a half years. Instead of winning profits for Fiat, the Croma plunged the company further into the red.

Major Options[]

The Croma, like every other Fiat model, is available in a number of trims. Each trim builds upon the one before, adding most optional equipment as standard fare. The trims are:

The Dynamic[]

The bottom of the range Croma is restricted only to the 1.8 litre petrol and 1.9 MultiJet engines, and features only 16-inch alloy wheels as standard. However, other more exciting standard equipment includes a CD player with steering wheel mounted controls, window airbags and air conditioning.

Unlike other models in the Fiat range, the Dynamic trim of the Croma can be ordered with any colour, and if the buyer chooses, any alloy wheel design for the model.

The Eleganza[]

Usually the top-of-the-range trim for conventional Fiat models, the Eleganza builds upon the Dynamic, but adds a few more key options as standard equipment. Featuring automatic, dual-zone air conditioning, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather steering wheel, parking aids and cruise control, the Eleganza trim can be ordered with the 2.2 MPI petrol and 1.9 (in both 8- and 16-valve variants) and 2.4 MultiJet diesels. The full compliment of colours can be chosen.

The Prestigio[]

To enhance the luxury side of the Croma model, Fiat created a new trim level, soley for use upon the car. Named Prestigio, Fiat claims that this trim level embodies 'Italian Prestige' (their capital, not mine). Despite the slightly silly marketing speak, the Prestigio actually has a lot going for it - the model is very highly specified and has the flagship engine choice - namely the 2.4 16-valve MultiJet engine.

Standard equipment includes 18-inch, 10-spoke alloys, tinted windows, rear window blinds, full-length SkyDome glass roof, an interior trimmed in Castiglio leather and an in-dash CD changer.

Pricing[]

Croma Trims

Dynamic

Eleganza

Prestigio

MSRP

£15010-16000

£16160-19180

£22180

Fuel Economy[]

Engine

1.9 MultiJet 8v

1.9 MultiJet 16v

2.4 MultiJet 20v

1.8 Petrol 16v

2.2 Petrol 16v

MPG

46.3 mpg

46.3 mpg

35.3 mpg

37.6 mpg

32.8 mpg

Colours[]

Exterior Colors
Metallic Colors Solid Colors
Jazz Blue  Ambient White 
Lounge Grey  Spiritual Ivory 
Flamenco Red 
Chill-out Brown 
Dub Azure 
Darkwave Black 

Safety[]

The EuroNCAP, Europe's crash testing body, rate the Croma five stars out of five for occupants. The rating breaks down into the following:

  • Front Impact test - 15 points, 94%.
  • Side Impact test - 18 points, 100%.
  • Child Occupant Protection - 39 points, 80%.
  • Pedestrian Protection - 6 points, 17%.
  • Total - Five star safety rating.

The Fiat Croma is in the minority due to the fitment of a driver's knee airbag as standard.

Gallery[]


2008 Facelift

See Also[]

Fiat-500-2007-219755
FIAT

The Fiat Group


Abarth | Alfa Romeo | Autobianchi | Fiat | Lancia | Innocenti | Maserati | Iveco | Chrysler | Dodge | Ram | Jeep


Current Models

Albea · Barchetta · Bravo · Croma · Doblò · Ducato · Fiorino (Qubo · LCV) · Punto · Punto Evo · Linea · Idea · Marea · Multipla · Nuova 500 · Nuova Panda · Palio · Palio Weekend · Siena · Scudo · Sedici · Seicento · Strada · Stilo · Ulysse · Perla · Uno

Historic Models

1 · 1T · 4 HP · 10 HP · 12 HP · 70 · 124 · 125 · 126 · 127 · 128 · 130 · 131 · 132/Argenta · 133 · 147/Spazio · 2B · 24 HP · 242 · 4 HP · 500 · 502 · 503 · 508 · 508C · 509 · 510S · 514 · 518 · 519S · 520 · 524 · 574 Corsa · 60 HP · 600 · 850 · 1100 · 1400 · 1300 · 1500 · 1800/2100 · 2300 · 2800 · 3000 · Albea · Bianchina · Bravo/Brava · Campagnola · Cinquecento · Croma · Coupé · Dino · Duna/Prêmio · Elba · Mod 5 · Oggi · Panorama · Panda · Fiat Panda 100 HP · Regata · Ritmo/Strada · Siena · Tempra · Tipo · Topolino · Turbina · X1/9 · Zero

Concept Models

EcoBasic · Panda Aria Concept · 500 Aria Concept · Portofino Concept · 500 Tender Two Concept · FCC II Concept · 500 BEV Electric Concept · Uno Ecology Concept · Mio FCC III Concept · Uno Roadster Concept · Oltre


Race Cars

·S61 Corsa


Engines


Giovanni Agnelli Corporate website A brand of the Fiat group


External Links[]

Advertisement