A thing I did not know existed.

"SmugAardvark" (SmugAardvark) 01/03/2020 at 00:29 • Filed to: fiat, RAM, Ute, Brazil

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So, reading !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! by “ethan drives dumb cars” about the Kia Soul got me thinking. Of course, getting me thinking is generally a bad thing to do, as it quickly leads down a rabbit hole of flipping the tabs of Google searches and Wikipedia articles.

When Akio posted in the comments about the Jeep Renegade, I immediately thought of its chassis-mate, the Fiat 500L. Deciding to read more about the 500L, I was surprised by two things. The first was that Fiat has already produced half a million 500L units, although I’m curious as to how many they have actually sold.

Secondly, there was a link to a car I was unfamiliar with, the Fiat Toro. It’s not like I wasn’t going to click the link at that point. I was amazed to learn that Fiat (in Brazil) makes an actual Ute off the same platform.

Not terrible looking at all. It looks like...I dunno...a less ugly Nissan Juke* that actually has a degree of utility and functionality to it.

Available engines include the Tigershark 2.4L gasoline engine that was also used in the Dodge Dart, Jeep Renegade, and Chrysler 200; the 1.8L Fiat E.TorQ gasoline engine that has a silly name, and the 2.0L Fiat Multijet II turbo diesel. Transmissions come in the flavor of 6MT, 6AT, and 9AT from Fiat, Aisin, and ZF respectively.

The rear tailgate is a barn door design design, similar to the 2019 Ram pickup and the Mini Clubman. Hopefully, there is a manual release on the Toro, unlike on the poor Clubman.

It does sport a payload of about 1,400 lbs. Towing capacity, there seems to be two different numbers floating around. Some say about 880 lbs, and some give the towing spec of around 2,200 lbs. The latter would put it right near the Renegade, but I’m not sure. Best guess, the higher number is for the turbo diesel layout.

As for interior, it seems to be about what you expect. By that, I mean it looks pretty much like the interior of the 500L and Renegade. Not bad, but nothing that really stands out.

The car is even exported beyond Brazil. To Colombia. But it’s somewhat confusingly called the Ram 1000 there. Seems like it will be spreading throughout South America, but no plans so far to bring it to the U.S.

So, there you have it. The Fiat Toro.

*Sorry Juke fans. They aren’t terrible cars, but I personally find them terrible-looking

Svend > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 02:07

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Ye’, it’s been mentioned before about South American little pickups, the Fiat Strada is also called the Dodge RAM 700 too there.

In Europe we get the larger Fiat pickup, the Fiat Fullback, which is a rebadged Mitsubishi L200.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 03:37

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Peugeot... somethingorother

SmugAardvark > Svend 01/03/2020 at 03:47

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That Fullback is sort of interesting.

Also in the name of weird pickup badge engineering...the Mitsubishi Raider of the early 00's, which was a rebadged Dodge Dakota, which was still actively being sold.

ethan drives dumb cars > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 04:05

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I’d love to see more weird stuff like this sold in the US!

SmugAardvark > ethan drives dumb cars 01/03/2020 at 04:13

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With the ongiong crossover/CUV craze, I think there’d definitely be a market for it, and with the chassis and drivetrains already being sold here under other labels, build costs likely wouldn’t be unreasonable.

I’d definitely consider a mini-ute before a CUV.

Svend > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 04:49

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The Fiat Fullback is the Mitsubishi L200 (Triton in Aus and NZ, Barbarian in Europe, Strakar in Portugal, etc...) in many places and RAM 1200 South America and a few other markets where RAM sell.

Mitsubishis new face L200.

RAM 1200.

M.T. Blake > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 05:20

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It’s ugly and goofy, but I like it. 

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 06:43

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Yup, I actually quite like the Toro! This is the size of ‘truck’ that I would ever need, likely!

There’s also the FIAT Strada! I wouldn’t mind a Strada Adventure! :D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Strada

Oppenheimer - not missing my shitboxes anymore > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 07:51

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I worked on it’s development, when I was in FCA in Brazil. It was comfortable to drive, the 1.8 being really slow. 

Cargo capacity figures change between the 2wd and the 4wd.

BahamaTodd > ethan drives dumb cars 01/03/2020 at 09:28

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We will see the Hyundai Santa Cruz soon in the US. The production version will have four fullsize doors.

https://thekoreancarblog.com/2019/12/30/hyundai-santa-cruz-spied-looks-smaller-than-we-thought/  

Textured Soy Protein > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 10:09

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The Juke-like light setup with aux lights where the turn signal/marker lights are above the headlights is used on more cars than the Juke. Including within the FCA family.

sn4cktimes > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 11:49

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As a Dodge Rampage owner I gravitate towards vehicles such as this... I think I’ve seen an older similarish Ute in Mexico Years ago.  There was no reasonably possible way for me to import one up to Canada at the time

AlfaCorse > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 13:48

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I think the 500x would be the closer Fiat equivalent to the Renegade, they are both on the Small Wide 4×4 version of the GM Fiat Small platform, share drivetrains,   and are built along side each other in the same Fiat SATA factory . The 500L is on the Small Wide version, main difference it that it optimizes interior volume in exchange for the ability to use an AWD drivetrain.

SmugAardvark > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/03/2020 at 19:03

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I would stee r away from the Strada just because it only has 2 doors. We already have too many 2-door vehicles at my house. But it looks like a great little romp of a mini truck.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 19:29

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Actually, I believe they are 4-door esque! :) :P

SmugAardvark > Oppenheimer - not missing my shitboxes anymore 01/03/2020 at 19:37

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I’m guessing the TD Multijet is the engine to get?

SmugAardvark > Textured Soy Protein 01/03/2020 at 19:37

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Oh yeah, definitely. The Juke is somehow just where my mind goes first.

SmugAardvark > sn4cktimes 01/03/2020 at 19:39

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You get +100 awesome points for owning a Rampage. Well done.

SmugAardvark > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/03/2020 at 19:40

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Well then, I’m back in!

Oppenheimer - not missing my shitboxes anymore > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 19:43

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No doubt!

sn4cktimes > SmugAardvark 01/03/2020 at 23:56

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Thanks. It’s a fun vehicle but pretty gutless. I’ve been considering ways to reasonably convert the drivetrain the AWD and  maybe get more power. A twin piston rotary could be fun but gets more and more expensive the longer I research them. Can get the entire thing out of billet aluminum... pipe dreams. Should probably get the Eagle repainted and converted to a manual first.

SmugAardvark > sn4cktimes 01/04/2020 at 02:47

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Have you considered an SRT-4 (or PT Cruiser GT) swap? You’d be keeping it in the family, while having plenty of power to just straight up ruin some tires.

sn4cktimes > SmugAardvark 01/04/2020 at 11:36

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Interesting. I never knew the PT had a GT level trim. Is that engine a transverse mount? Would make the swap easier. 

SmugAardvark > sn4cktimes 01/04/2020 at 18:00

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It is indeed.

It’s actually the same motor as the SRT-4, as I recall, with the latter years putting out around 230hp.

sn4cktimes > SmugAardvark 01/05/2020 at 17:45

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That is a surprising amount of hardware...