Used Fiat Multipla MPV 1999 - 2004 review

The quirky, bug-eyed styling of this original car divides opinion like few other cars. You'll either love it or hate it. And, that's in complete contrast to the face-lifted car, which replaced it in 2004. It has a conventional (read 'dull') Fiat face, which you'll neither love nor loathe.

There's plenty to love elsewhere in this model, though. Having two rows of three individual seats works extremely well and the seat backs fold to create a table. There's still a decent boot with all six seats in place.

The driver won't complain, either. Although the car's width can be a hassle in town, he'll find it easy and fun to drive. It's very stable, handles and rides well, and scores highly for long-distance comfort.

In that respect, the engines are a big help. The petrol and diesel are both willing and get on with the job quietly.

You may be pleasantly surprised at the price of a used Fiat Multipla. They lose value very quickly from new, but then tend to stabilise over the next few years.

So if you're canny, you can buy a one- or two-year-old for a bargain price, run it for a few years and flog it on without suffering too much of a loss.

Insurance and fuel costs are reasonable, too. The petrol versions come in for groups 7 to 9, depending on how plush they are, and the diesels group 8 to 10. The diesels should also give you low or mid-40s to the gallon, the petrols about 10mpg less.

Servicing won't hurt your wallet, but expect to save about 35% on labour costs by going outside the Fiat dealer network, according to Warranty Direct data.

There's not much choice - one petrol, one diesel and only a few trim levels. Not to worry - there isn't a dud among them.

The 103bhp 1.6-litre petrol is eager and revs easily, which is just as well - you'll need to work it hard if you're fully laden. Perhaps more importantly, it's also the cheaper buy.

However, the turbodiesel is more relaxing and, ultimately, our favourite. The refined 1.9 JTD (102-115bhp, depending on its age) has good mid-range pull, but the fact that it gives an extra 10mpg is the clincher for us.

The entry-level model (badged SX on early cars, Dynamic on later models) has all the essentials for family motoring, including air-conditioning, so there's little point in spending more. But, for the record, top-trim ELX (early cars) and Eleganza (later ones) come with alloy wheels, climate control and electric rear windows.