FIAT Tempra SW Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Fiat built the Tempra lineup on the same platform as the Tipo range but lengthened the car by adding a larger trunk in the back.

While a part of Europe celebrated the post-communism era, Fiat introduced a car that was able to carry all the needs for a family of four. The '90s were still the glorious years for station wagons, and the Italian carmaker didn't want to lose its slice of the pie.

Unlike the Tipo, the Tempra featured slimmer and longer headlights but still designed in the cubist way imagined by the I.DE.A institute. Its grille with two gaps and the four oblique Fiat bars completed the front fascia. Compared to the sedan version, the SW featured a higher and more extended roofline extended and an abrupt, vertical tailgate.

The Italian carmaker offered a choice of the classic instrument cluster with two large dials or a fully electronic one with a digital dashboard. It was the years of the Knightrider and his KITT. Only that Tempra didn't talk. Inside, there was as much room as in any compact-segment vehicle, and customers had higher expectations from a car of that size. But, for a typical family of four with at least one toddler, it was more than enough.

Under the hood, Fiat offered a wide choice of engines, depending on the market. While the base version featured a 1.4-liter unit that provided a mere 69 hp, the Turkish-built Tempra offered 148 hp. For specific markets, Fiat installed an all-wheel-drive system for the Tempra Weekend (SW).