Fiat unveils facelifted Strada pickup

Strada Crew Cab models gain a small rear-hinged door.

Fiat has lifted the veil off of the facelifted Strada, a compact pickup based on the popular Palio hatchback.

The biggest exterior modification carried out to the Strada is the much-needed addition of a small rear-hinged door on the passenger side that facilitates access to the rear seats in Crew Cab models. All variants gain a single-slat radiator grille, a more rugged-looking front bumper with imitation brushed aluminum trim, smaller tail lamps and a new rear bumper, while the bed has been extended to provide more cargo capacity.

The Strada's cockpit stays roughly the same. It features a minimalist dashboard, a three-spoke steering wheel and a simple instrument cluster with four analog gauges. A touch screen is not available but well-equipped models come with a multi-function steering wheel and a digital inclinometer mounted on top of the dashboard.

The Strada is offered with three gasoline-burning four-cylinder engines ranging from a 1.4-liter that makes 86 horsepower to a 1.8-liter that churns out 132 ponies, and a 1.3-liter MultiJet turbodiesel four-banger. Both front- and all-wheel drive variants are available and buyers can order the pickup with either an automatic or a manual gearbox.

The facelifted Strada will go on sale throughout Europe and Latin America before the end of the year. Pricing information will be published closer to its on-sale date.

At the time of writing Fiat does not plan on selling the tiny truck in the United States.