Italian hatchback majors on style, but can't quite deliver on substance

What is it?

The third generation Lancia Delta is a rare and important car. There hasn’t been an all-new Lancia since 2004, and this one will lead a renewed assault from the firm on Britain and much of the rest of Europe. It’s distinctive and interesting, with several engines unseen elsewhere in the Fiat group, and some clever technology too. But unfortunately, it's still not the car we were hoping for.

Come to this car with no thoughts of the last range of dull, disappointing Lancias that were sold in the UK and the Delta will surprise you with elegant looks and unusual proportions. It’s longer than a Ford Focus but shorter than a Mondeo.

Underneath the Delta, the Fiat Bravo floorpan has been stretched to include another 100mm between the front and rear wheels, and with another 100mm in the rear overhang. With rear seats that slide fore and aft by around 150mm, that gives the new Delta a cabin with as much rear legroom, or as much boot space, as the most accommodating cars from the class above.

What’s it like?

If you remember Lancia’s far-off history of mechanical innovation, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the new Delta. Three of the engines from this new Delta’s range of six are brand new, among them the twin-turbocharged 1.9-litre 190bhp diesel we’re testing here.

But the car disappoints in exactly the areas we’ve been lead to expect greatness by Lancia’s own pre-launch build-up. If the new Lancia is all about comfort, quality, luxury and refinement – if it is indeed ‘Italy’s answer to Lexus’ – you wouldn’t know it from the Delta’s driver’s seat.

This car’s material cabin quality is inconsistent; its rich leathers and soft touch dash materials are too often juxtaposed with shiny silver trims and hard plastics. And levels of fit and finish are equally variable, both inside the cabin and outside it.

Moreover, the Delta’s driving position is poor – and this is a fundamental flaw for what’s supposed to be an upmarket product. The position of the pedals and steering wheel were skewed to the left in the left-hooker we tested, and the squab of the front seats was too short for good leg support.

Mechanical refinement levels are only adequate; our 1.9-litre diesel was a strong performer, but no more quiet than the class average.

And perhaps most disappointing is the way this car rides; on the standard springs and dampers it affords occupants less comfort from ruts and bumps than many superminis, and while the secondary ride improves with the addition of the adaptive dampers, the Delta’s never as cosseting as it should be.

So, should I buy one?

With the Alfa Romeo brand to carry its sporting ambitions, the Fiat Group has recast Lancia in a unique mould; that of a maker of stylish, advanced, refined and spacious mainstream cars. With the Delta though, it has delivered a car with only half of those virtues, and plenty of faults besides.

We've already been waiting 14 years for Lancia to return to the UK, and we'll have to wait longer, until July 2009, for this Delta to touch down in the UK. But even then, on this evidence, the wait for a really good Lancia will go on for even longer.

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Matt Saunders

Matt Saunders Autocar
Title: Road test editor

As Autocar’s chief car tester and reviewer, it’s Matt’s job to ensure the quality, objectivity, relevance and rigour of the entirety of Autocar’s reviews output, as well contributing a great many detailed road tests, group tests and drive reviews himself.

Matt has been an Autocar staffer since the autumn of 2003, and has been lucky enough to work alongside some of the magazine’s best-known writers and contributors over that time. He served as staff writer, features editor, assistant editor and digital editor, before joining the road test desk in 2011.

Since then he’s driven, measured, lap-timed, figured, and reported on cars as varied as the Bugatti Veyron, Rolls-Royce PhantomTesla RoadsterAriel Hipercar, Tata Nano, McLaren SennaRenault Twizy and Toyota Mirai. Among his wider personal highlights of the job have been covering Sebastien Loeb’s record-breaking run at Pikes Peak in 2013; doing 190mph on derestricted German autobahn in a Brabus Rocket; and driving McLaren’s legendary ‘XP5’ F1 prototype. His own car is a trusty Mazda CX-5.

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mikegipson 21 April 2010

Re: Lancia Delta 1.9 Multijet

I would agree it's always been obvious that Autocar seems to favour the German Brands - not through them being better but them looking through rose tinted glasses thinking they are better or better built when many a reader server or JD power survey actually puts them (German Brands) bottom oh well let's just read Car.

kash4011 20 April 2010

Re: Lancia Delta 1.9 Multijet

i think it looks good,not brilliant but still distinctive and handsome....but then i absolutely detest the post bangle styling of the latest bmws and dont get me started on mercs...ive just eaten you see.

Philip_D 6 April 2010

Re: Lancia Delta 1.9 Multijet

sadly too many ignorant people comment on cars that they have never driven or even seen in the metal...the new Delta is a superb car in its segment and in my opinion beats hands down anything in its price range; I've driven the 1.8 DiTurboJet and its a beautiful car to drive and in leather or alcantara beautifully finished; it does have distinctive styling and to use a phrase used by Lancia in their UK advertising in the 70s, it stands out from the herd! It would make a great family car provided you don't need to be carrying oversized baby carriages in the boot :-) the way its equipped you can get it for thousands less than a similarly equipped and motored BMW 3 series, Audi A3 or Golf or Mercedes B Class. a left hand drive car in the UK is no big pain except when you have to pay for the odd toll or in garages... :-) they are also well built...I've been driving a lancia since 1984 and my current 2000 model Lybra bought new, still looks like new and no one believes its 10 years old with over 160,000miles on it; it uses no oil and runs like the proverbial swiss clock.