Fiat Multipla returns as cross between pick-up and SUV
Fiat has reinvented the bold 1998 Multipla MPV as a cross between a pick-up truck and an SUV.
Called the Multiplay, the concept car is intended to show how the multi-purpose vehicle can take on new forms and serve different buyers in an era dominated by boxier 4x4s. Its name reflects its conception primarily as a leisure vehicle that can also perform daily duties in a single-car household.
Although its design is only loosely inspired by the divisive-looking six-seater, the influence is evident in the rounded, bubble-style cabin, which is set atop more aggressively sculpted flanks.
The Multiplay’s lighting, meanwhile, is inspired by the lights visible in Fiat’s historic Lingotto factory at night time. The unpainted wheel arches, sills and bumpers, as well as chunky all-terrain tyres, signal the vehicle’s off-road capability.
The car can be converted from a people carrier to a pick-up electronically. The rearmost side windows drop as the section aft of the C-pillar slides to join the main roof panel. Meanwhile, the rearmost seats slide forward to meet the second row. The parcel shelf automatically then folds into the rear window, opening the boot to the elements for easier stowage and removal of large items.
The rear spoiler also flips over to provide access to attachment points for accessories such as a bike rack or for securing unstable cargo.
The tailgate is split horizontally so as to open outwards, rather than dropping vertically, as in a conventional pick-up.
As with the 1998 Multipla and its progenitor, the 600 Multipla, the interior has space for six seats, although the concept displayed at the Paris motor show seats only four.
The Multiplay’s interior also hints at a new approach for the instrumentation of future Fiats. A large screen is mounted just below the windscreen and stretches across the full width of the dashboard. This set-up does away with a conventional, lower-set infotainment touchscreen.
Fiat has yet to confirm whether the Multiplay previews a production car, but car-based pick-ups form an important part of its global strategy: the Strada was Brazil’s best-selling car for a fifth consecutive year in 2025.
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