Test drive the Lancia Ypsilon 100 hp hybrid: but it's a real...

After two missed opportunities to try the Lancia Ypsilon, a new one presented itself to me during a trip to Italy to visit the Cassina showroom in Milan and the Stellantis Heritage Hub in Turin. So I was finally able to try out the Lancia Ypsilon in a variety of conditions: urban Milan and Turin, day and night, on freeways and winding roads leading to the Superga Basilica (magnificent view)

Of course, I'd already seen the Lancia Ypsilon when I discovered the HF version, but I'd never seen it before. I'd never tried either the electric or the combustion-hybrid version. And as there are always firsts, even at my age, this will be the first car I'll be testing with the 1.2 L thermal hybrid, the name of which must remain a secret. I'm taking you with me on the roads of Italy, in a Lancia Ypsilon.

Inside and out: the new Lancia style

While Alfa Romeo claims to be sporty, Lancia wants to be Italian elegance. At the front, a new Y-shaped light signature may recall the Lancia Delta grille, but is even more inspired by the Lancia Sport Prototipo Zagato. The rear end is obviously reminiscent of the Lancia Stratos, but also evokes a more contemporary model: the Alfa Romeo MiTo.

I've already written an article dedicated to origins of the Lancia Ypsilon design for those interested. Is it beautiful, is it ugly? All these years of writing for italpassion and reading people's opinions show that it's rare to find a model that everyone agrees on. Some like the front and not the back, others the opposite, others like everything, and others nothing at all.

And if you want my opinion, for what it's worth, without being a favorite, I do like the design of this Ypsilon, and it's fair to say that apart from its Peugeot 208-like proportions, it doesn't look like any other car. It's a car I could configure in black or yellow. On the configurator, you can choose between full paintwork or two-tone paint for the black roof.

On the inside, I have to be honest: the perceived finish is better in real life than in the photos. I wasn't really convinced by the official photos (and even less by mine), but in reality, the atmosphere on board this Ypsilon in LX trim is "cosy", with good quality materials.

The Lancia Ypsilon Gris Granito in LX trim also featured ruggine velour seats, to great effect. As for the famous shelf, which was the subject of much joking at the presentation (I was the first to compare it to a pizza tray), it turned out to be very practical for putting everything I had in my pockets. It also acts as a wireless charger for my phone. I have a better understanding of the "home feeling" sold by Lancia, and I'm now convinced that you have to get behind the wheel to fully grasp it.

If I had to point out a flaw, and it's no scoop at Stellantis, would be the rear door trim, which isn't as high quality as the front. This is really not acceptable for a car that claims to be premium. I hope that this weak point, a recurring feature of Stellantis' B-segment models, will be corrected in the future Lancia Gamma.

At the wheel: from surprise to surprise

I settle in and press the start button. The engine makes a rather unremarkable noise, unobtrusive and quiet. It's not like the 1.4 L Multiair I have at home in the MiTo, nor like the 2.0 L GME I had for 3 years in the Giulia. This 1.2L EB2 doesn't really have any character. But in itself, nothing shocking for a city car that isn't intended to be sporty.

Here I am, racing through the streets of Milan to get to the freeway. First positive point: the 6-speed eDCT gearbox is a pleasure to use. No jerks, either when shifting or downshifting. In my opinion, it's smoother than the Tonale MHEV's TCT gearbox. The car is responsive enough and weaves easily through traffic, without making passengers sick. I tried the steering wheel paddles but, given that the engine doesn't really have any character, they're useless and it's better to stay on automatic.

Once on the freeway, it's time to see what the 1.2L 100hp engine has to offer. While it will suffice for most drivers with a "dynamic" driving style, I wouldn't have been against a 136hp. When it comes to overtaking at speeds over 100 km/h, the 100 hp shows its limits. But that's just a personal opinion, based on my driving style. I think the 1.4L atmospheric 105hp I have at home is just as lazy at these speeds.

A point I appreciated with this Ypsilon on the freeway, is precisely its handling. You feel as confident as in a sedan. It's very stable and reassuring at 130 km/h and over (when authorized... in Germany, of course), just like a sedan. In terms of soundproofing, a good job has also been done on the Ypsilon, as there's no problem chatting with my passenger at this speed. During my test drive of the Fiat Grande Panda, I was surprised in the opposite direction on this point, and this at much lower speeds.

Here I am in Turin, back on urban roads. An interesting point to compare with Milan: the roads in Turin are more damaged than those in Milan. And here, once again, there's a nice surprise: while the Ypsilon is firm and stable on the freeway, it manages to absorb some of Turin's poorly maintained streets.

Conclusion: but it's a real... good car!

This Lancia Ypsilon hasn't had an easy start to its career. When it was launched, its design was directly compared to that of the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa, with which it shares many elements. Then it was mocked for its French rather than Italian 1.2 L engine (and it's true that, technically, there's not much Italian about it). And finally, it seems to be shunned, as the dealer network outside Italy remains very small.

It is also wrongly compared to the old Lancia Ypsilon, which is not the same size, doesn't have the same power and doesn't offer the same performance. In fact, it's a Grande Ypsilon if Fiat's Grande Panda communication is anything to go by.

Still, it's a good car, this new Lancia Ypsilon. Its design, initiated by Frenchman Jean-Pierre Ploué, is atypical and now executed by an Italian team at the Centro Stile in Turin. Its CMP platform is of the highest quality and reacts well in all conditions, whether urban or extra-urban. It is both agile and comfortable. The engine, whose name we must not mention, although lacking in character and horsepower for my taste, remains discreet and works very well with the particularly smooth 6-speed eDCT gearbox. It allows me to see the automotive evolution between my 2011 MiTo and this 2024 Ypsilon.

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In fact, this Lancia is, in my opinion, a good city car, comfortable, with an atypical look, provided you can get past the unfortunate liabilities of the 1.2 L engine and the "Battle of the Alps". If you're looking for a city car that ticks these boxes, more exotic than a Peugeot 208, a Renault Clio, a Volkswagen Polo (not available as a hybrid) or an Audi A1 (not available as a hybrid), this Lancia Ypsilon sincerely deserves its chance.

Car	Price from
Lancia Ypsilon Ibrida 100 hp	24 500 €
Peugeot 208 Hybrid 110 hp	21 600 €
Renault Clio hybrid E-Tech 145 hp	24 200 €
Audi A1 Design 25 95 hp	29 130 €
Volkswagen Polo Life 95 hp	27 320 €
Toyota Yaris Dynamic Hybrid 116 hp	24 450 €

Personally, I have high expectations for the Lancia Ypsilon HF, because if it combines the qualities of the Ypsilon with the dynamism of the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce and its 280 hp engine, it could be the electric heir to the Alfa Romeo 147 GTA or the Giulietta Quadrifoglio, and that could be a real coup de coeur.