On October 18, Richard Magno de Paula photographed and filmed seven units of the Fiat Strada in a car hauler on A12, close to the Vasco da Gama bridge in Portugal. The Brazilian magazine Quatro Rodas checked with its sources and learned that the subcompact unibody pickup truck would be sold in Europe. Stellantis later told me that this information was not correct, but it still didn't explain what the Strada units were doing close to Lisbon. We may now have a reason for that: the pickup will be sold in Africa and the Middle East.
It may have been the case that it was easier for Stellantis to ship them to Portugal and eventually send them to these new markets. It may also have made an event for dealers in this European country to present the vehicle instead of sending them directly to each of these new markets. Considering how close Portugal is to Africa, those are feasible hypotheses.
According to Stellantis, it intends to sell the Brazilian-built Strada in Cameroon, Cape Verde, Ghana, Guinea-Conakry, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Rwanda. As for the Middle East, the automaker did not disclose which countries will see the pickup truck, which may suggest it will be for sale in all markets in that region. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.
For a work tool like the Strada, it would be mandatory to have diesel engines in Europe. Even if it were meant to be a leisure vehicle for young folks at affordable prices, many of them would probably refuse to buy it if it did not offer a diesel option. Apart from using a fuel that is frequently less expensive than gasoline, these engines are also very frugal, which explains why they are still so popular – particularly in the used car market. That would still be a plus in Africa, but the Middle East may not care much about that. So far, the Fiat pickup does not have that option.
Photo: Latin NCAP
Another concern for the unibody pickup truck in Europe would be safety. In a recent evaluation by Latin NCAP, the Strada obtained only one of the five stars it could attain. The independent organization said it did that poorly because of "among other things, an unstable structure, low-performance side airbags, different seats in the extended cab and double cab derivatives in rear crashes, and a lack of safety assistance systems." That is not surprising at all.
In 2017, I wrote about how different the Ford Ka made in Europe and the one manufactured in Brazil were. Although it was designed and conceived in that South American country, the Brazilian unit lacked side-impact door beams, which its European sibling had. To make cars cheaper for emerging markets, automakers frequently removed safety elements from their projects. That was so recurrent it led me to write about how that created second-class lives. Depending on where you bought your car, you would have a higher chance of escaping a crash alive – even if it was the same model. With the Fiat Strada, it was designed, produced, and sold only in Brazil and a few other emerging markets.
If it were to be sold in Europe or the US, it would probably need to receive body reinforcements, better airbags, and several other things to stand a chance. The required investment to make it a suitable vehicle for developed markets would probably not pay off. At the same time, if the Strada were conceived from the get-go to fulfill more demanding safety requirements, it would be more expensive and less competitive than it is. Stellantis is proud of its commercial success in Brazil, where it is the best-selling model since 2021.
Photo: Richard Magno de Paula
It is not unlikely that this subcompact unibody pickup truck will also succeed in these new international markets. Its relatively comfortable cabin and the capable bed make it a good partner for people who need an automobile for work that can also carry their families. Before the Strada, the only vehicles that offered that possibility were the much more expensive body-on-frame pickup trucks. Even the Fiat Toro is out of reach for most Brazilian customers.
While it could introduce a new trend for international markets, I would not bet on that. Affordable cars are losing space because of the shift toward electric mobility. To develop these electrified vehicles, automakers have to sell more profitable models. Occupying all market segments is no longer a priority, especially if some of these segments demand high sales volumes to make any financial sense. On the other hand, it can be quite an opportunity for Stellantis, which already has an appealing product to sell.
Africa, Asia, and the Middle East may soon become more relevant car markets. They already have massive population numbers – India in particular – but these folks lack the purchasing power that drives automakers to develop the vehicles they want to buy. While that does not happen, ensuring presence in the hearts and minds of these customers can prove to be very effective. The Strada may pave Stellantis's road to future success in these countries.
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