![]()
MPV
The Ulysse's dash has a modern, minimalist design, complete with centrally mounted dials, but it's very much a typical MPV otherwise. Most versions can carry seven, although there was an eight-seater option, and top-of-the-range cars have six individual captain’s chairs.
expand / collapse
In each model, all but the front pair of seats are removable. Every model also has sliding rear doors, which are a real help when getting in and out of the back in tight parking spots. However, where the virtually identical Citroen C8 and Peugeot 807 tend to come with these doors electrically operated useful when your hands are full - these were only a cost option on the Ulysse. Given the car's size and shape, it's surprisingly refined and good to drive: the ride, which is on the firm side around town, settles nicely at speed; and, while you're always aware of its bulk when tackling corners, the car is reasonably controlled, with only limited body roll.
Running Costs
The Ulysse depreciates quite heavily, making it a tempting second-hand buy, but it didn't sell as well as the near-identical Citroen C8 and Peugeot 807, so used examples are harder to find. As long as nothing major goes wrong, it should be affordable to maintain. The rates charged by Fiat dealers are on a par with most rival manufacturers, and independent Fiat specialists can undercut them by almost 40%. Fuel economy is pretty much what you'd expect for this sort of car, with the petrol engine returning 31.0mpg on the combined cycle, the 2.0-litre diesel averaging 40.4 and the 2.2 diesel 38.2mpg. However, insurance bills are low for a large MPV, with the Dynamic petrol car attracting a group 10 rating and all the other models sitting in group 11.