Fiat Marea

Fiat Marea: which version to buy

Pick by job, then check the arithmetic.

Pick by job, then check the arithmetic.

• Lowest measured mixed use: 1.9 MT (110 hp) — mixed 5.4, city 7, highway 4.5 l/100 km. That is 1.3 l/100 km less mixed than 1.9 MT (100 hp) at 6.7, and 1.7 less than 1.4 MT at 7.1.
• Cheapest-to-run petrol that still has a full consumption card: 1.4 MT (80 hp) — mixed 7.1, city 9.2, highway 5.4. It is also the lightest (1085 kg) but the slowest petrol: 0–100 13.7 s, top speed 170.
• Best petrol balance of mass and speed without Turbo: 1.8 MT (132 hp) — 9.05 kg/hp, 0–100 9.6 s, top speed 198. City/highway/mixed on this card are not measured.
• Fastest and densest power: 2.0 MT (182 hp, Turbo) — 91.1 hp per litre, 7.20 kg/hp, 0–100 7.4 s, top speed 227. Highway use is 12.3 l/100 km versus 7.3 on both naturally aspirated 2.0 MT cards that publish fuel figures.
• Same 265 Nm without the Turbo petrol: 2.4 MT (125 hp, Diesel) matches 2.0 MT (182 hp) on peak torque (265 Nm) but takes 10.5 s to 100 versus 7.4 s, and mixed 7.5 versus 9.8.
• Rear Disc instead of Drum: only 1.6 MT, 2.5 MT, and 1.9 MT (110 hp). Every other specified version is front Disc, rear Drum.
• Ground clearance 120 mm (not 130): 1.4 MT, 1.8 MT (132 hp), 2.5 MT. The other nine specified versions are 130 mm.

There is no second generation to “wait for.” Years, body, gearbox type, drive, and tank do not change across these cards.

Specs comparison: every named version

Exact names as in the database. Duplicate names are split by power.

Engine position: Front, transverse on 1.6 MT, both 2.0 MT naturally aspirated cards, 2.0 MT (182 hp), 1.8 MT (113 hp), and all four Diesel versions. Engine position is not measured on 1.4 MT, 1.8 MT (132 hp), and 2.5 MT.

Injection (where measured): 1.4 MT — Central injection (single-point or single- point). 1.6 MT, 1.8 MT (132 hp), all three 2.0 MT, 2.5 MT — Distributed injection (multi-point). 1.8 MT (113 hp) — Direct injection (direct). Injection system is not measured on 1.9 MT (75 hp), 1.9 MT (100 hp), 1.9 MT (110 hp), and 2.4 MT.

Compression and bore × stroke: 1.4 MT 9.9 and 82 × 64.9; 1.6 MT 10.5 and 80.5 × 78.4; 1.8 MT (132 hp) 10.3 and 82 × 82.7; 2.5 MT 9.75 and 83 × 90.4; 1.9 MT (110 hp) 18.5 and 82 × 90.4. Compression and bore × stroke are not measured on 1.8 MT (113 hp), 2.0 MT (147 hp), 2.0 MT (154 hp), 2.0 MT (182 hp), 1.9 MT (75 hp), 1.9 MT (100 hp), and 2.4 MT.

Engine: what extra displacement and extra horsepower actually buy

Power per litre (hp ÷ litres) and kg per hp (kerb ÷ hp) are ratios of the catalogue numbers.

Petrol four-cylinder line. 1.4 MT is 58.4 hp/l and 13.56 kg/hp. Stepping to 1.6 MT adds 226 cc, 23 hp, 33 Nm, and 60 kg, and lifts specific output to 64.5 hp/l and 11.12 kg/hp. 1.8 MT (113 hp) is almost the same specific output as 1.6 MT (64.7 hp/l) but 10.35 kg/hp. 1.8 MT (132 hp) is the densest four-cylinder petrol here at 75.6 hp/l and 9.05 kg/hp — 19 hp and 10 Nm above the other 1.8 MT, from the same 1747 cc, with peak power 700 rpm higher (6500 vs 5800) and peak torque 400 rpm lower (4000 vs 4400).

Petrol five-cylinder line. The three 2.0 MT cards share 1998 cc. 2.0 MT (147 hp) is 73.6 hp/l and 8.54 kg/hp. 2.0 MT (154 hp) is 77.1 hp/l and 7.99 kg/hp: +7 hp, −25 kg kerb, same 186 Nm but at 1750 rpm instead of 4500. 2.0 MT (182 hp) is the only petrol Turbo: +28 hp and +79 Nm versus the 154 hp card, 91.1 hp/l, 7.20 kg/hp, and +80 kg versus that 154 hp kerb (1310 vs 1230). 2.5 MT adds 448 cc over the 2.0s and 160 hp, but specific output falls to 65.4 hp/l — close to 1.6 MT — while kg/hp is 8.12, between the two naturally aspirated 2.0 MT cards. Peak torque 206 Nm sits 20 Nm above 2.0 MT (147/154 hp) and 59 Nm below 2.0 MT (182 hp).

Diesel line. All four Diesel versions are Turbo. 1.9 MT (75 hp) is the weakest specific output in the whole set: 39.3 hp/l and 15.47 kg/hp. 1.9 MT (100 hp) and 2.4 MT both land at 52.4 hp/l; the 100 hp car is 11.90 kg/hp, the 125 hp 2.4 MT is 10.24 kg/hp. 1.9 MT (110 hp) is 57.6 hp/l and 11.09 kg/hp — and it is the only Diesel with 2 valves per cylinder (the other Diesels are 4). Same 200 Nm as 1.9 MT (100 hp), but at 1500 rpm instead of 2250. 2.4 MT matches the Turbo petrol on peak torque (265 Nm) from 2387 cc versus 1998.

Performance and mpg

1.6 MT versus 1.4 MT: 3.0 s quicker to 100, +17 top speed, +2.0 city, +0.9 highway, +1.0 mixed. 1.8 MT (113 hp) versus 1.6 MT: 0.8 s quicker, +8 top speed, +0.3 city, +0.3 highway, +0.3 mixed. The two 1.8 MT cards are only 0.3 s and 3 km/h apart; the 132 hp card does not publish consumption, so you cannot treat it as “the same mpg.”

The two naturally aspirated 2.0 MT cards share city 14.3, highway 7.3, mixed 9.8. 2.0 MT (154 hp) is 0.1 s slower to 100 than 2.0 MT (147 hp) despite +7 hp and −25 kg; top speed is +3 (210 vs 207). 2.0 MT (182 hp) is 1.3 s faster than the 154 hp card and 17 km/h faster; mixed is still 9.8, but highway jumps +5.0 to 12.3 and city +1.3 to 15.6. 2.5 MT is 0.1 s quicker than 2.0 MT (147 hp) and matches 2.0 MT (154 hp) on top speed 210; its fuel figures are not measured, so it is not a proven economy win over the 2.0s.

Diesel spread: 1.9 MT (75 hp) is the slowest car in the set (15.4 s, 165). 1.9 MT (100 hp) cuts 4.3 s and adds 15 km/h for +0.2 city, +0.3 highway, +0.3 mixed. 1.9 MT (110 hp) then reduces fuel versus the 100 hp card: city −1.7, highway −0.9, mixed −1.3, with −0.3 s and +8 km/h. 2.4 MT is the quickest Diesel (10.5 s, 195) but mixed 7.5 is 2.1 above 1.9 MT (110 hp) and 1.1 above 1.4 MT.

2.0 MT (182 hp) versus 2.4 MT: same 265 Nm, petrol is 57 hp up, 3.1 s quicker, 32 km/h faster, mixed +2.3. 2.4 MT versus 1.8 MT (113 hp): same top speed 195, Diesel is 0.6 s slower, mixed 0.9 lower.

Dimensions and weight

Wheel size is not measured on all 12 versions. Tank is 63 l on all 12. Front and rear suspension labels are Independent, spring on all 12.

Gross mass span is 1675 (1.4 MT) to 1870 (2.4 MT), +195 kg. Payload (gross − kerb) is 590 kg on 1.4 MT, 650 on 1.6 MT, 615 on 1.8 MT (113 hp), 590 on 1.8 MT (132 hp), 575 on 2.0 MT (147 hp), 600 on 2.0 MT (154 hp), 470 on 2.0 MT (182 hp), 480 on 2.5 MT, 615 on 1.9 MT (75 hp), 590 on 1.9 MT (100 hp), 585 on 1.9 MT (110 hp), 590 on 2.4 MT. The Turbo petrol therefore has the smallest payload in this set (470 kg), 120 kg below 1.4 MT.

Kerb from lightest to heaviest: 1.4 MT 1085 → 1.6 MT 1145 → 1.9 MT (75 hp) 1160 → 1.8 MT (113 hp) 1170 → 1.9 MT (100 hp) 1190 → 1.8 MT (132 hp) 1195 → 1.9 MT (110 hp) 1220 → 2.0 MT (154 hp) 1230 → 2.0 MT (147 hp) 1255 → 2.4 MT 1280 → 2.5 MT 1300 → 2.0 MT (182 hp) 1310. The heaviest car is 225 kg above the lightest.

Clearance: three versions at 120 mm (1.4 MT, 1.8 MT 132 hp, 2.5 MT); nine at 130 mm. That 10 mm is the only ride-height split in the data.

Generations: what changed (and what did not)

1 generation is the only generation: Sedan, 1996-01-01–2002-12-31, 31 modifications catalogued, 12 spec cards above. There is no later generation in this source to compare year-on-year. Within this generation the constants are Manual, 5 gears, FWD, 63 l tank, Independent, spring at both ends, front Disc. The variables that actually decide the purchase are power (75–182 hp), fuel type (Gasoline vs Diesel), boost (No vs Turbo), cylinder count (4 vs 5), valves per cylinder (2, 3, or 4), rear brake (Drum vs Disc), clearance (120 vs 130), and whether consumption was measured.

Problems, reliability, and gaps in the card

This source does not record failure rates, service intervals, or prices. What it does record as missing should not be filled in from elsewhere:

• Fuel consumption not measured: 1.8 MT (132 hp), 2.5 MT.
• Engine position not measured: 1.4 MT, 1.8 MT (132 hp), 2.5 MT.
• Injection not measured: all four Diesel versions.
• Compression and bore × stroke not measured: 1.8 MT (113 hp), 2.0 MT (147 hp), 2.0 MT (154 hp), 2.0 MT (182 hp), 1.9 MT (75 hp), 1.9 MT (100 hp), 2.4 MT.
• Wheels, CO2, eco class not measured on all 12.

If a buying rule needs mixed mpg, drop 1.8 MT (132 hp) and 2.5 MT until a measured card exists. If it needs rear Disc, the shortlist is 1.6 MT, 2.5 MT, 1.9 MT (110 hp) only. If it needs the lowest kg/hp, the order is 2.0 MT (182 hp) 7.20, 2.0 MT (154 hp) 7.99, 2.5 MT 8.12, 2.0 MT (147 hp) 8.54, 1.8 MT (132 hp) 9.05. If it needs the lowest measured mixed figure, the order is 1.9 MT (110 hp) 5.4, 1.9 MT (75 hp) 6.4, 1.9 MT (100 hp) 6.7, 1.4 MT 7.1, 2.4 MT 7.5, then the petrol 1.6/1.8/2.0 cards.

Bottom line in one line: same generation, same gearbox and drive — buy 1.9 MT (110 hp) for measured economy, 1.4 MT for lowest mass and petrol mpg, 1.8 MT (132 hp) for the strongest four-cylinder petrol card (mpg not measured), 2.0 MT (182 hp) for the shortest 0–100 and highest top speed, 2.4 MT if you want Diesel torque equal to that Turbo petrol without its highway 12.3 l/100 km.