Added: 15th of November 2013
An excellent all round strong and practical vehicle which unfortunately is not on sale in the uk any more, if it were I would buy another. It was too expensive for Fiat customers in the uk but had it had a Ford or G.M. badge on the front they could not have made enough. Mine obtains between 40 and 50 mpg and is extremly comfortable. It is now 7 years old and has covered 65,000 + miles. I had various mechanical problems when I first bought it but this was only because it had stood in a compound for over 12 months. Therefore I had to replace the Alternator the Air Con. pump and condenser which failed due to them not being use for a long period of time. I feel the nearest replacement is a Ford "S" Max but I have yet to drive one.
Added: 12th of October 2013
I find this car too heavy to drive now due to the stiff gearbox and relatively heavy steering which is causing me neck and shoulder pain. The clutch is heavy also but that is not causing a problem. There is a lot of space between the driver seat and the gear lever. There's also a long reach to the foot pedals. This car is probably more suitable for a tall man than a middle sized woman. Lots of luggage space in the boot section but the back seat will not lie flat to give even more useable space. It's economical on long runs getting 50mpg. I get 47mpg on a mixed run.
Added: 11th of October 2013
Bought my Croma (1.9 8v deisel) about 9 months ago. The alternative cars for the same price (£3000) were older and had at least 150k on the odometer (my Croma had 64k). Fiat didn't have much success with this car which is a shame because it isn't a bad car at all. Commute frequently from Oxford to Coventry in a car share and all my passengers (not 'car' people) have commented on how spacious and comfortable the car is. I am pleased with my purchase and would happily buy another one.
