FIAT Sedici 2006-2009 Photos, engines & full specs

Even if Fiat had some history in producing 4x4 vehicles, it needed some help to develop a new crossover, and, for that, it made a deal with Suzuki, and the Sedici/SX4 duet was born.

By the mid-2000s, the crossover market started to expand, and customers turned their attention from station-wagons and MPVs to the new, all-wheel-drive vehicles. Fiat, together with Suzuki, developed the compact Sedici. It was a car big enough to handle well inside the cities but good enough for trips on unpaved roads. The Sedici (sixteen) name was chosen due to the 4x4 system; hence 4 x 4 equals 16.

Giorgetto Giugiaro designed it, and it might be one of the biggest mixes on the market at those times. It featured a bodywork, which was a mix between a station wagon and a minivan, a ground clearance bigger than a compact vehicle, and smaller than a 4x4. Fiat offered a version with a front grille that resembled the Doblo range, and a pair of swept-back, curved, headlights. The high greenhouse with a slightly raked tailgate design was inspired by the MPV segment. The moldings around the wheel arches and on the sides ensured good protection against the bushes and shopping carts as well.

Inside, the Sedici offered ample headroom for five passengers and higher-mounted seats, which led to better legroom. The rear seats featured a split-folding and tilting mechanism to expand the otherwise small trunk.

Fiat installed a choice of two engines under the hood: a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter with gasoline and a 1.9-liter turbodiesel. The former was available as a 2WD or all-wheel-drive. Fiat and Suzuki developed a semi-independent rear suspension for both all-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive systems.