1996 FIAT Marea Weekend 2.0L 20V 5MT FWD (154 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Fiat decided to retire the Tempra Wagon and introduced the Marea Weekend in 1996 as the company’s mid-size station-wagon on the market.

Fiat built the Marea on the new C1 platform shared with its smaller siblings, the Bravo and the Brava. The Italians had the idea to use the same underpinnings to cut the manufacturing costs and offer the right car at a lower price than its competitors. The result was a good family vehicle, but unfortunately, its sales were down and prevented its wheels from moving into a second generation.

With a front side that resembled the Bravo/Brava lineup, the Marea showed a fresh design style with a narrow front and slim headlights. The rounded corners and curved surfaces were designed at the Fiat design center. The station wagon version featured a split-open rear end. The tailgate went up, and the lower side went down and helped obtain a flat loading area. Since its taillights were mounted high on the D-pillars, they were protected by small accidents in the parking lots, an element appreciated, especially in crowded cities.

Inside, the Marea Weekend featured numerous storage compartments in the center armrests, door panels, and the rear armrest. The split-folding seatback for the bench expanded the luggage compartment and was long enough to be used as a sleeping area. The curved lines on the dashboard resembled those on the Bravo/Brava, but with some differences.

Fiat installed a choice of gasoline and diesel engines in the Marea. The latter were very fuel-efficient and had their contribution sustaining the sales figures. But after six years on the market, the Marea was retired.