What is it?
The Ducato is the largest vehicle in the Fiat light-commercial range and like many of its siblings is effectively the Fiat variant of basically identical vehicles – any Ducato user jumping into a Citroën Relay, Peugeot Boxer or Vauxhall Movano would be in familiar surroundings.
The Ducato underwent a major facelift in 2024 and is today offered in two versions, the electrically-powered E-Ducato and the model Business Vans is testing here, with the traditional 2.2-litre diesel engine.
That facelift included updates to the interior, a more current infotainment system, better safety features and improved efficiency, but it is the basic qualities of the Ducato that keep it selling, albeit not to the level of its siblings. This is a large van with loads of cargo space that in terms of operating costs is competitive against rivals.
Versatility is a hallmark of this van’s appeal – it can be ordered in three different lengths (3.1 to 4.0 metre interior loading length), two wheelbase lengths, three heights (12.7 to 2.1 metre load height) and a variety of body styles.
Our test vehicle is the L2H2 model, which has a 3450mm wheelbase and within its exterior dimensions of 5413mm length, 2050mm width and 2522mm height can take up to 11.5 cubic metres of cargo, with a payload limit of 1340kg. Payload capacities max out at 1785kg for some of the 3.5-tonne models, which Fiat claims as best-in class, up to 2050kg on the 4.25-tonne variant. The most powerful Ducatos can also tow a braked trailer of up to three tonnes.
As well as the rear doors which swing out to a useful 270 degrees there is also a side-loading door of 1.2 metres width, making for a very practical van.
The safety specification of the Ducato has undergone an extensive overhaul with a number of electronic aids now coming as standard. These include a rear-view parking camera, rear parking sensors, traffic sign recognition and intelligent speed assist.
Automatic versions of the Ducato, when ordered with specific option packs, can also deliver what is known as level two autonomous driving. Making use of the adaptive cruise control with its ‘Stop & Go’ function, plus the lane positioning assist and traffic jam assist electronic aids, the Ducato to steer, brake and accelerate itself at speeds up to 18mph so long as the driver’s hands remain on the steering wheel – a boon in the slow-moving traffic of a typical urban centre.
In terms of the infotainment on offer the diesel Ducato does not quite benefit to the tune of its electric sister. While the E-Ducato gets a 10-inch touchscreen with fully integrated satellite navigation, voice recognition and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, diesel users have to make do with a five-inch touchscreen offering Bluetooth and DAB radio, the driver also having their own 3.5-inch information display.
For greater comfort and convenience, E-Ducato benefits from keyless entry and go, an electronic parking brake and automatic air conditioning.
Ducato prices start at just over £30,000 excluding VAT – that’s £14,000 less than the E-Ducato, with the Government plug-in van grant included.
What do we think of it?
The Business Vans test vehicle is quite simply a large, highly traditional van with plenty to attract those needing cargo transport. There are a vast number of different styles the transport operator could choose from to suit their particular needs, from glazed rear doors ands removing bulkhead separating cabin and load bay to bespoke interiors and electrics – Fiat Professional offers full conversion packages and of course there are also platform and chassis cab versions of the Ducato for those requiring a specific body on top.
Swinging open the doors reveals a very sensibly laid-out cargo bay, a very square format with minimal intrusion from the rear wheel arches, plus plenty of slots for securing straps along the sides and even above the rear doors. It’s all easily accessible too with the combination of wide-opening rear and sliding side doors.
The cabin is placed very far forward to free up as much loadspace as possible within the van’s footprint, and as a result it is not as spacious as rivals and can feel a little cramped with all the seats occupied. The driving position is somewhat traditional – you feel very upright in this vehicle with the steering wheel slanted back from you.
The dash layout too is very traditional, feeling rather consciously updated rather than new. Our model did not have the larger touchscreen of the upper trim level Primo variant and the system looks a little dated alongside more recent offerings from rivals.
Having said that it is not hard to get reasonably comfortable behind the wheel and out on the road the Ducato bowls along quite merrily. It is quite noisy – you certainly know you’ve got a big diesel engine doing all the work up front.
Our week with the Ducato saw runs in both unladen and laden form and the Ducato definitely works best when laden – an empty load bay encourages the suspension to bounce it around a bit on less than perfect road surfaces, though remaining competent at all times. Economy is what one generally expects with such a vehicle, just over 30mpg appeared to be the norm during our tests.
With such a large vehicle manoeuvring might spark some trepidation but this van takes away much of the worry. The steering wheel is light making life easy whether negotiating a twisty road or squeezing between other vehicles in a load bay. The combination of the big windscreen, mirrors, parking sensors and rear-view camera provide plenty of visibility, though the final touch would be the digital rear-view mirror fitted to some other Stellantis LCV product.
In summary the Fiat Ducato is a dependable large van that can accommodate a lot and is easy to live and work with. Most businesses, small or large, will find it can do all that they might need. But with more modern rivals coming onto the market, the Ducato might find it a little more difficult to stay in the spotlight.
