Chrysler Ypsilon Review

Rating

Quick Summary

Average The Ypsilon returns two decades after the old Y10 was axed. Our Chrysler Ypsilon review asks, can it finally succeed as a small luxury car?

Road Test

Since the original Fiat Panda-sized Y10 was dropped 20 years ago, there have been three more generations of Lancia's stylish city car. This, the fourth generation is the biggest change in its history. Apart from being badged as a Chrysler in the UK, it is also a five door. Fiat Group has clearly decided that the Fiat 500 is now the chic three-door city car, so the Ypsilon is being marketed as the bigger five-door alternative.

The resulting styling compromises are a bit of a concern, our Chrysler Ypsilon review found. The last generation Ypsilon was a genuinely modish city car, but this one looks a bit tall for its length, especially from the front. There seem to be a lot of styling cues from bigger cars that have been grafted on to the little Ypsilon in an attempt to make it look a bit more striking.

Inside, things work better, as the Ypsilon does feel more lavish than most superminis, while the unusual dashboard, with its centrally mounted instruments (designed with the return of right-hand-drive production in mind, perhaps?) works well.

In the Chrysler Ypsilon road test, the car is true to its promise of 'compact luxury'. The ride in the main is good, in return for less nimble handling than, say, a Ford Fiesta. It is very light and easy to drive, although the TwinAir engine option will take newcomers a bit of getting used to. It makes pretty much the same noise (quite an attractive thrummy sound thanks to its twin-cylinder configuration) at 5000 rpm as 2000 rpm, so it is easy to rev it like crazy and completely ruin the fuel consumption. Energetic driving can knock one-third or more off the official figure of 67 mpg.

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