The Lancia Ypsilon has pleased us already when we drove it in the all electric version, but of course we were also curious to drive it with a trusted combustion engine combined with electric propulsion: the Ibrida.
Indeed, this version has the well known 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol unit producing 100 hp, paired with a 21 kW electric motor integrated into a six-speed dual-clutch automatic, for a combined system power of 110 hp or 81 kW and 205 Nm of torque. Technically it’s a mid-hybrid—halfway between mild and full hybrid, although the manufacturer dubs it as a mild hybrid.
The Ypsilon hybrid system runs on 48 Volts, and the battery is very small indeed, 0,43 Kwh.
It performs well, but in town it needs a very sensitive right foot and a very smooth driving style to reveal the qualities of its hybrid system and take full advantage of it. More about all this further below.
Design: Distinctive and elegant.
The new Ypsilon certainly attracts attention, and not only from connoisseurs. Of course, part of that is rarity—you don’t see many about—but credit also goes to its genuinely successful styling. The illuminated front signature is modern and distinctive, while the rear respectfully channels the brand’s historic design language: circular LED lights with a “Y” motif inside, a nod to the iconic rally and racing Lancias.
Also deserving praise are the modern wheel designs, the rear door handle, which some might find awkward to use, but we liked it.
Interior: Original and comfortable
The new Ypsilon measures 4.08 metres and seduces with an original cabin. Bronze accents, a well-drawn dashboard, and comfortable, beautifully upholstered alcantara seats create an upmarket, premium ambience. We liked the tasteful patterns on the dashboard panels, the bronze finishes of ventilation openings and the surrounds of the elegant centrally placed “tavola”.
Highlights include the digital instrument cluster and a large central display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The infotainment, is ok, with a physical “L” button, summoning a shortcut screen with all the main functions, we found a good idea.
Indeed, a central “table” separates the front seats and serves as a rest for objects, a wallet, or a phone. It is a hallmark of the car’s cabin, and we think it’s brilliant.
On the road with the Ypsilon Ibrida: full of panache, but needs a delicate experienced hand (or rather foot) in town…
The car DOES run on electric power alone, and when you drive with anticipation and a very smooth right foot, maintaining constant speeds, it is very well possible to drive your town trip for up to 79 % on electric power. When you drive/coast at small throttle openings, the transition between the engine and battery power is smooth and imperceptible. However, when you push the accelerator pedal more deeply, the 3-cylinder petrol engine makes its torque immediately felt when it sets in.
The photo below amply shows what we mean: we drove the Ypsilon for almost half an our over 6 kilometers in very congested urban traffic, which resulted in a consumption of 5,5 liter/100 km and not less than 79% of the distance being driven under silent and silky smooth E-power. It is the Lancia art of driving, we would say, and it is very refined and also quite rewarding not only for your wallet!
According to WLTP standards, the combined fuel consumption is between 4.5 – 4.6 L/100 km. Indeed, we succeeded on a smooth Sunday drive on country roads to achieve an average consumption of 4,1 liters/100 km. Our average consumption hovered between 5 and 6 litres/100 km. CO2 Emissions, according to WLTP, are between 102 – 105 g/km (varies by trim/wheels).
On the open road, the engine is virtually inaudible and silky smooth, which makes the car an excellent motorway cruiser, one of the best we found in the B segment, not in the least because or the Ypsilon’s very good sound insulation. Listening to the well performing sound system, we were able to hear every single note of Beethovens 4th piano concerto when cruising at the 120 kmh legal limit on the motorway. Overall performance leaves nothing to be desired. It will sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in merely 9,3 seconds and the top speed is a good 190 km/h. Indeed, Lancia driving remains a sporting pleasure…
The six speed auto box is alert and smooth, and in Sport mode will hold the gears much longer, so you can enjoy the pleasant throb of the 3 cylinder engine.
When you lift the throttle and you drive with anticipation, it is well possible to accurately judge the amount of regeneration you get at any given speed, and one pedal driving is easy once you get the hang of it all..
Suspension: dynamic and comfortable
The suspension is well calibrated, offers a very comfortable ride, combined with precise steering and good stability. In this respect, the Ypsilon scores very high indeed. It’s a delight to steer on windiong roads, and yes, sporting pleasure is to be had…
Space and Practicality
With a 2.54-metre wheelbase, the Ypsilon offers decent front-seat room. In the back, a taller adult has sufficient legroom, but headroom is rather tight. Two USB-C ports are a good thing, and the 352-litre boot is impressive.
State of the art driving assistance
On this front, there’s little to fault: a comprehensive, well-calibrated ADAS suite, with Lane Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Speed Limiter and an efficient parking Assist. We liked also the smoothness of the easy to use adaptive cruise control, and we used it very much indeed on our Belgian roads with draconian and often too restricted speed limits everywhere. Also the calibration of the steering assistance is just right.
Conclusion
The new Lancia Ypsilon Ibrida convinces with pleasant styling and endearing driving manners. Within the Stellantis range it offers a more personal alternative, and overall scores high in the B segment. Given a learning curve on how to understand and use the hybrid drive train, its driving smoothness and frugality is all yours to enjoy too…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Photographers’ notes: the professional quality of Fujifilm bridge cameras…
The photos shot on this test are taken by my trusted Fujifilm FinePix S100FS, a camera which I bought secondhand in 2022 for…59 Euros in totally pristine condition (!). Its design dates back to…2008, and it is a so-called bridge camera with an excellent Fujinon 28-400 mm (35 mm equivalent) lens.
The fact is, Fuji took the design of its bridge cameras totally seriously, with a decent sensor size and a superb lens, with manual zoom command.
Back in 2008, FujiFilm had put its latest, eighth-generation, Super CCD HR technology into the S100FS. This uses octagonal photo-sites that are designed to maximize light collecting efficiency. This, combined with clever noise reduction algorithms, helped to produce excellent results still according to today’s standards, as you can admire here…As said, Fujifilm’s bridge cameras were – and still are – of a totally different league…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
