Fiat Marea – when finding an old budget car with an intact body is real

Hearing the name of the Fiat brand, Russian drivers will shrug their shoulders, well, if not contemptuously. Big deal, an Italian Zhiguli, an affordable car for locals. There is nothing interesting about it, especially since the used market is full of much more famous models.


But the Fiat concern is one of the richest in the world. Now it is part of Stellantis, and, in fact, controls it, if you look into the nuances. By the way, Fiat also owns the Ferrari brand. Well, is this enough to respect the Italian manufacturer?

And if we tell you that Fiat is famous in the EU for galvanized car bodies cars, maybe someone will be interested. Moreover, many Russian drivers do not have the opportunity to buy a "new" car.


Their budget is limited to 250-300 thousand rubles. And even for this amount, they want to buy something economical, repairable, and even with a rust-free body.

This is the Fiat Marea. This car was produced from 1996 to 2002. And, unlike the single-platform hatchbacks Bravo/Brava, the model was offered in a sedan body type more familiar to Russians. The station wagon had the Weekend prefix.

You can buy a Fiat Marea on the used market in Russia now from 100 thousand rubles. Of course, far from in perfect condition. But examples with a body without "bugs" are already found from 200.

Short story

It all started in 1996. By that time, Fiat already had compact hatchback models Bravo/Brava. The first three-door, and the second five-door. But the brand needed a new, modern sedan and station wagon to replace the Tempra model.


The latter, by the way, was still in full production in 1996. But demand for it was steadily falling by that time – the platform was outdated. But this did not prevent Tempra from continuing to be produced until 1999.


In 1999, the model underwent a restyling. This brought a number of changes. The following appeared:

✅ New grille
✅ Different dashboard
✅ Common rail diesels
✅ Petrol engine with Motronic fuel injection

In 2002, the Fiat Marea was discontinued. The model did not achieve particular popularity, but it was sold well. Hence the once large number of such cars on the secondary market. There are especially many of them in Belarus, even now.

Body

The Fiat Marea does not attract attention externally. It is a car with rounded shapes in the once fashionable biodesign style. The eye, as a rule, catches the good preservation of the body. The manufacturer achieved this thanks to galvanization.


Among the features of the Fiat Marea, it is worth mentioning the rubberized bumpers, which can easily withstand small impacts when parking. The doors have stiffening ribs, and the body has calculated deformation zones.

Another feature is the folding mirrors. They are not electric, they are simply placed on such a bracket. It allows you to fold the mirrors both inward and outward. Therefore, when parking, you can safely hook it - it will not break.


When inspecting, you need to pay attention to the integrity of the body. If you come across a car with "bugs" - turn around, leave. There are still examples on sale without problems with corrosion - you just need to look for them.

Salon

You shouldn't expect anything unusual from a family car, especially an old one. The interior is nice, the finishing materials are wear-resistant - that's enough. The design is without sharp lines, everything is rounded, it sets you up for a calm ride.

The plastic in the cabin is of high quality, if compared with modern budget models. Not a single decade has passed, but most of the models do not have panel creaks.


The interior needs to be looked at to make sure it is not worn out, the floor, especially in front, should be dry. All options, and this is a maximum of a full electrical package according to the canons of the 90s, must work.

Engines

Fiat Marea had many different engines. Only petrol ones started from 1,2 and ended at 2,5. But in Russia, cars with 1,6 and 1,8 liter power units with 103 and 113 hp are mainly available for sale.

Both engines are reliable and 16-valve. If you are lucky enough to find a 1,6 liter in the "arctic" version, it can even run on leaded gasoline. In any case, the 1,8 engine is more powerful, it is recommended primarily for the station wagon.

Two-liter power units are rare. Perhaps this is good - they are much more capricious than their "younger comrades". They do not like low-octane fuel, are more complex in design, and spare parts are mainly made to order. But the power is from 147 to 153 hp.


The most exotic option is a turbocharged two-liter engine with 180 hp. Finding one in Russia is something out of the realm of fantasy. But what is surprising is that the Italians have provided a similar configuration for sedans and station wagons.


Diesel Fiat Marea are extremely rare in Russia. These have engines under the hood with volumes of 1,9 or 2,4 liters. The first version comes in two power versions - 75 and 100 hp. The second produces 124 "horses".

These engines are well known in the EU countries. They are highly reliable and economical. However, their service life is often exhausted. The buyer is unlikely to be informed about the latter. Moreover, the mileage is usually carefully rolled back so as not to irritate future owners.


As for recommendations on choosing engines, firstly, avoid diesel engines with Common-rail, if you really want a heavy fuel option. Secondly, do not mess with 2,0-liter petrol engines. Unless such a power unit is in perfect condition.

Thirdly, avoid engines that spray oil into the engine compartment. And fourthly, the power unit should operate smoothly throughout the entire rev range, respond immediately to the gas pedal, and not triple or shake. The latter is acceptable within reasonable limits only for diesel engines.

Other performance characteristics

Fiat Marea gearboxes are mostly mechanical. Automatic transmission is a rarity, you shouldn't mess with it - age spares no one.


The Fiat Marea has independent suspension. Unlike the hatchback family, it is more rigid. The brakes are disc at the front and drum at the rear, except for versions with 2,0-liter petrol and 2,4-liter diesel engines.


The steering is a rack-and-pinion type, with hydraulic booster. There is basically nothing to break here. The main thing is that the unit is initially in good condition.

To sum it up, it is worth noting that the Fiat Marea is a very undervalued car on the Russian used market. Of course, its appearance is unlikely to attract attention, but it is an "honest hard worker" that will not ruin you with maintenance costs.

And most importantly – an affordable price and a rust-resistant body. This alone makes the Fiat Marea an excellent replacement car. By the way, many people buy it for this purpose – for 3-6 months. Only then they can’t bring themselves to part with it and drive it for years. Why sell it if the car doesn’t cause any trouble?