Fiat’s most spacious 500L hits the showrooms

Fiat’s 500L MPW is the latest variant of the firm’s family sized hatchback to be launched in the UK.

It is the most capacious of the 500L range and comes with the option to have seven seats.

In five-seat guise, the MPW (Multi Purpose Wagon) has 638 litres of load-swallowing capacity in a car that is shorter than a C-segment estate such as a VW Golf, which has just 505 litres of boot space.

The seven-seat option’s rearmost seats fold away to give luggage space that is comparable to the five-seater car. It should be noted that they are only suitable for people under 5 feet 5″ tall, though.

The MPW will be available in two trim levels: Pop Star and Lounge.

Opt for Pop Star specification and you’ll get air conditioning, 16″ alloys, a 5″ touchscreen infotainment system with Uconnect (for wireless phone connectivity), cruise control, six airbags, stability and traction control, plus rear parking sensors.

Lounge adds to that list with rear electric windows, front fog lights, dual-zone automatic climate control, auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers, tables on the front seat backs, storage nets, a glare-cutting electro-chromatic rear-view mirror, rear privacy glass, floor mats and an electric glass sunroof.

The MPW will launch with four engine options: the 95bhp 1.4-litre petrol (five-seat only), 105bhp 0.9-litre TwinAir petrol, 85bhp 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel (which can be specced with a Dualogic automatic transmission) and the 105bhp 1.6-litre MultiJet diesel.

Nine different exterior paint choices are available. Add to those a variety of contrasting roof and mirror colour combinations, plus a range of alloys wheels, and there’s a wealth of customization options on tap.

Prices start at £15,795 for the 5-seat, 1.4 Pop Star, while the cheapest seven-seater is the £17,990 Pop Star TwinAir. The range-topping Lounge 1.6 MultiJet will set you back £20,490.