The Siena Weekend suffered from poor ground clearance which is a major handicap for a fully laden estate. It&46;s a point we criticised in our earlier road test (see October 2000 issue) but thankfully, Fiat has addressed the problem and cranked up the ride height. The suspension on the Weekend is now slightly stiffer due to taller and harder springs and correspondingly matching dampers.

The Adventure&46;s suspension set-up is aimed at serious off-road application with a spring/damper combo that is even stiffer than the new Weekend. Standing on those chunky Pirellis, the Adventure is 190mm clear at its lowest point - that&46;s better ground clearance than a Sumo or a Qualis.

The Weekend and Adventure have a harder edge to them but they still remain amongst the best riding cars around. At low speeds, bumps and thumps filter through and they don&46;t feel as absorbent as the Corsa Swing. The stiffer-sprung Adventure actually rides better and highlights how good the Pirelli 175/80 R14 tyres are. Tubeless and with tall sidewalls, the rubber does a good job in cushioning occupants from road shocks.
The sense of stability you get in these cars is difficult to beat. You can blast across virtually any surface. It takes a lot to unsettle these estates which makes them so reassuring and safe to drive. This sure-footed behaviour is the Weekend and Adventure&46;s strongest asset which is why they make such good long-distance cars.

We found the Adventure&46;s tall stance to be a big advantage on narrow country roads. With such high clearance you don&46;t have to think twice before dropping two wheels into a pothole, hitting unmarked speedbreakers or moving onto the earthern shoulder every time you&46;re shoved off the road by an overtaking truck or bus from the opposite direction right in front of you.

Handling is another talent and the Weekend and Adventure are remarkably agile for their size. Terrific steering response coupled with a tauter front end allow for quick directional changes. This nimble behaviour is useful in town and somewhat compensates for the poor turning radius which makes parking and three-point turns a big chore. Fully loaded, these cars tend to get sloppy and you&46;re always aware of that mass which swings like a pendulum if you try and corner quickly with a full load.

We were thoroughly disappointed with the braking performance as well as brake feel on both cars. The brakes felt spongy, difficult to get the best out of, and often left us guessing. This is despite both estate cars having larger discs at the front to counter the extra weight. This is a problem we&46;ve seen on the Palio as well and Fiat need to look at this critical area closely.

We found the Adventure&46;s overall road behaviour better than the Weekend&46;s. It takes the larger bumps better, braked better and despite being taller, rolled less. It&46;s amazing how tyres can transform the dynamics of a car but we doubt the semi-block pattern of the Pirellis would last as long as a conventional street tyre.

Ride and handling even better.