The five-door Delta can be seen as Chrysler’s Golf-Focus challenger, sharing most of its mechanicals with its Fiat Bravo sibling, but repackaged into a much more up market product.
I put the 140 bhp 1.4-liter MultiAir through its paces yesterday coming away with a far more positive impression than I did from the Ypsilon.
A 126 mph top speed is more than adequate for the UK’s 70 mph highway maximum as is its 9.2 secs to 62 mph, although I doubt that customers will achieve the EU combined mpg of 49.6.
The interior is smarter, finished with a higher quality of materials and with a more cohesive fascia treatment than the Ypsilon’s. It has more character than many of its German rivals. The seats were comfortable, the combination of Alcantara and leather providing plenty of support and grip.
What sets the Delta apart from others in its sector is its class-leading interior space augmented by a rear seat that slides back and forth to either improve luggage or rear leg room.
Both the engine and gearbox are slick and refined, though if you abide by the ‘change up’ indicator, performance becomes sloth-like even if it’s more economical.
With its long wheelbase it delivers a composed, stable ride but isn’t quite on a par with the Golf’s refinement or the responsiveness delivered by the Focus.
Ultimately I see the Delta as an all around better proposition than the Ypsilon and an appealing alternative to the ubiquity of a Golf, A3, or Focus. Only time will tell if that is enough to garner sales here in the UK.
“Chrysler needs to establish itself in the UK in the vacuum of Lancia and its legacy,” Saad Chehab President and CEO of the Chrysler Brand told me, adding, when I asked if the Delta and Ypsilon had a future in the ‘States, “Currently, we’re looking at each and every business case to evaluate their potential.”
Read into that what you will.
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