Used Fiat Tipo review and buying guide (2016 to 2024): which one to buy and what to check

Which used Fiat Tipo should you buy?

Go for a diesel Tipo, since the diesels are the economical ones and the petrols aren't known for going far on a tank. There's only one generation, sold from 2016 to 2024, and there are no known faults on record for it, so no year stands out as better or worse on the evidence. That's a gap in the record, though, not a clean bill of health.

The thing that should shape your choice is the 2017 recall for the driver's airbag, which could fail to go off in a crash because of a faulty igniter in its inflator. Any Tipo the recall covers needs paperwork showing a replacement airbag unit went in. Beyond that, it's a roomy and solidly built car, and nothing on file makes one year a better buy than another.

Which Tipo engines and gearboxes are the safe choices?

The diesels are the safe pick, because they're the frugal engines in the Tipo range, while the petrols won't stretch a tank nearly as far. That difference in economy is the only thing on record that separates the two fuels, so it's the reason to choose a diesel rather than anything about how long the engines last.

There aren't any known faults logged for a Tipo engine or gearbox, and no service intervals are listed either, so there's nothing on file that singles out a unit to avoid. That's a hole in the evidence rather than a clean record, so don't take it as proof that any engine's trouble-free; it just means nothing specific has been flagged.

What should you check when viewing a used Tipo?

Paperwork for the airbag recall comes first: in 2017 Fiat recalled Tipos because the driver's airbag inflator could fail to ignite in a crash, and the fix was a new airbag unit. Ask the seller or a Fiat dealer to confirm it's been done on the car you're viewing, and don't buy an affected one without that proof.

Try the boot and rear seats with whatever you carry regularly. There's a tall lip at the boot opening that everything has to be lifted over, and the back seats won't lie completely level when they're folded, so load a pushchair, bike or tool bag on the viewing rather than finding out it's awkward after you've paid.

Find out which safety equipment is actually fitted. The Tipo only earned three Euro NCAP stars in standard form and four with the optional safety pack, so check for the pack if that matters to you. The advanced safety kit was only standard on one business-focused trim, so on most Tipos it depends on whether the first owner paid for it.

Paste the advert into the free check and it runs these against the listing, the MOT history and the DVLA record before you travel.

What does a used Fiat Tipo cost to run?