Fiat introduced the second generation of the Ulysse in 2002 as part of an agreement with the PSA Group (Peugeot-Citroen).
The minivan era was still trendy in 2002 when the Italian carmaker introduced the Ulysse II. It was a minivan that could carry seven passengers in comfort and safety. Since it was a joint project, both sides agreed to build the MPV with a few differences, other than just a specific front fascia. There were different steering wheels as well.
Fiat had the honor to show the car earlier than its French partners. Strangely, it featured a less-inspired front fascia with rectangular headlights and a trapezoidal grille. The big, raked windshield followed the hood at about the same angle. On its sides, it showed regular front doors and sliding doors for the rear passengers. In the back, the two companies agreed to install a big and broad liftgate.
Inside, the carmaker installed seven individual seats on three rows. Apart from the front ones, the other could slide or be completely removed if needed to increase the cargo area. The designers chose to install the instrument cluster in the middle of the dashboard so that anyone on-board could read the speedometer.
Under the hood, the Italian carmaker installed a choice of five engines: two with gasoline and three turbodiesels. All of them were produced by PSA and mated to a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic. Two years after the launch, the U.K. customers were offered a 6-speed manual on the options list.