The smallest commercial vehicles on the Polish market are directly related to the most popular passenger cars. Tico, Matiz and Seicento are also available in Van versions, prepared by domestic manufacturers for registration as heavy goods vehicles with a capacity of over 500 Kg, equipped with a legal partition. In general, a recipe for a minivan, microwave indicates: dismantling the rear seat, attachment of a partition wall with a grille between the usable area and the passenger compartment, covering the floor with a plywood board, installing securing catches in order to secure the load against uncontrolled movement, equipment limitation and possibly reinforcement of the rear suspension. This is the minimum, which allows to treat the current consumer good as a work tool. However, the first differences are already visible here. The location of the partition is a compromise between driver and passenger comfort, and the length of the hold. It is always done on a "something for something" basis.
In the case of Seicento, it was decided to move the spare wheel and fire extinguisher to the right-hand seat, losing a bit of transport values, but simplifying the procedure in the event of a wheel failure, thanks to the elimination of the need for unloading. On the other hand, the wheel arch can be used as a useful storage space for less frequently used items. They will also find a place behind the driver's seat, if he does not use the full range of the chair's adjustment. In other cars, the wheel rests under the floor of the trunk.
The grating separating the cargo space from the passenger space is usually bolted to the overhead beam, and the partition is made of steel sheet. In Suzuki, it is covered with a textile carpet, take the same, like on a wooden floor in Swift, as well as in both Daewoo. Seicento uses an easily washable PVC floor covering on a plywood board. Four hooks will allow the load to be securely and securely fastened with lines in Tico and Matiza. Swift and Seicento offer, Unfortunately, only two handles. Fiat has modified the suspension of its van, correcting the characteristics of the shock absorbers and strengthening the rear springs.
The essential features of a commercial vehicle are not only load capacity and useful space capacity, but also its regular shape, ease of access and level of finish. As long as the mass-volume parameters of the cars in question are comparable (appropriately: Ok. 500 kg and ok. 1 m3), it is different with the others. Seicento as a three-door car, inevitably, forces the user to use only the back cover. The Swift can be purchased in a three-door and a five-door version. Both Daewoo have two pairs of doors. Substantially, in view of the small size of the cargo hold, additional holes are not necessary, it turns out, however, that – especially in city traffic, in tight parking lots, etc.. – they can be very helpful. However, in the five-door Suzuki, their usefulness is somewhat limited by plywood side walls, delineating the contours of the cargo area. What's more, a very high back strap makes it very difficult to load and take out heavy objects and limits their height. If you add wheel arches and shock absorber housings taking up valuable space inside, it will come out, Swift is probably not the best material for a truck. In Seicento and Matiza, the loading edge is already slightly lower, but the old Tico looks best in this respect structurally. In Seicento, exposed metal plates are shocking, source of unpleasant noises. The consequence of the lack of a second pair of doors is unused space under the front part of the floor of the goods compartment. In Swift and Tico, you can place e.g.. warning triangle or tools. Daewoo holds have a regular shape, and the light of the door opening is slightly depleted by lamp blanks. The Fiat also has adjustable useful space and – Similarly, like Suzuki – quite wide opening of the cover.
In terms of aesthetics and quality of finish, despite the fact that it is a highly debatable and unquantifiable criterion, nor Tico, nor the Matiz leaves much to be desired. Seicento too, although the priority here was rather functionality. The equipment level of the smallest vans determines the purchase price, which should be as low as possible. So don't count on too much. The Seicento buyer gets practically only a heated rear window with a wiper. Daewoo adds an electronic digital clock to Tico, and in Matiza, there is also an immobilizer and a third brake light. Swift retains these elements, which are available in the passenger version: Immobilizer, tachometer, radio installation with antenna, heated rear window and auxiliary brake light.
The smallest vans are a good proposition for the so-called. smali business, courier companies, technical emergency, but not only. Police used the Cinquecento Van to transport service dogs. The natural environment of such vehicles are urban agglomerations, where maneuverability matters, dynamics and economy in operation. After meeting the technical and legal requirements, they are registered as heavy goods vehicles, which is beneficial for owners in financial and tax terms. Cars generally inherit the advantages and disadvantages of the base model. From a technical point of view, they constitute a more or less well-thought-out adaptation of the personal variety. The most typical representatives of this group selected by us represent a similar one, even level.