2018 Fiat Cronos revealed

Argo-based sedan to rival upcoming VW Virtus in South America; gets 1.3L petrol and 1.8L flex-fuel engine options; no news yet on India launch.

Published On Nov 28, 2017 06:53:00 AM

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After a series of spy shots and official teasers, Fiat has finally taken the wraps off its all-new Cronos small sedan. Set to launch in South American markets like Brazil before the end of the year, the Cronos will compete with the likes of the Honda City, the Hyundai Verna and the yet-to-be-launched Polo-based VW Virtus.

Although based on the stylish Argo, the Cronos sedan has a host of minor styling differences that set it apart from the hatchback. Up front, the sedan shares only the headlight and the hood with the hatchback. The grille is completely different with a smaller mesh design and thicker surrounds. Also, the front bumper is unique to the sedan with a wider air intake design and high-set fog lamp housings.

At the back, the three-box sedan gets long wraparound tail-lamps with LED inserts. The trunk has a stylish design touch, which looks like an integrated rear spoiler. The rear bumper is large and comes with a black plastic insert. Fiat says the Cronos sedan will have more boot space than one of its direct rivals, the recently revealed Volkswagen Virtus sedan.

In terms of engine options for the Brazilian market, the Cronos comes with a 109hp, 1.3-litre petrol and a 139hp, 1.8-litre flex-fuel engine, with the former being mated to a five-speed manual and the latter also getting the option of a six-speed automatic transmission.

There is no news on whether Fiat will bring the Cronos sedan to India to replace the long-in-tooth Linea, which rivals the likes of the Volkswagen Vento, Maruti Ciaz, Hyundai Verna and Honda City.