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.

First in production in 1995, Fiat’s Ulysse minivan was designed in partnership with PSA Peugeot Citroen, with all models manufactured at the Sevel Nord factory in France.
What’s interesting is that Ulysse served as the base platform for numerous other minivans, with rebadged versions sold by both Citroen and Peugeot. For instance, the Citroen Evasion/Synergie, Peugeot 806 and Lancia Zeta provided exactly the same look and features as the first generation Ulysse while Citroen C8, Lancia Phedra and Peugeot 807 are rebadged version of the second generation.

The Ulysee was appreciated for the versatility, great handling and modularity offered.
The vehicle greatly combined the typical functionality of a wagon comfort specific to a saloon.

The Ulysee had an elegant style, with the two curved surfaces blending with the large windows. The front was harmonious, with the large wrap around windscreen, together with the radiator grille and the headlamps.

Featuring 2 sliding side doors that were perfectly hidden within the body work, the Ulysee offered easy access to the back seats.

At the back, the car had a large rear door with a reduced grown clearance to allow easy loading of heavier items.

The Ulysee was 445 cm in length, 171 cm in height and 183 cm in width.

The exceptional handling came with standard power steering.

A choice of two engines was available, both 4-cylinders mated with a 5-speed gearbox.

The braking system consisted of ventilated discs at the front and drums for the rear.

The ABS system was available on the whole range and was standard for the upper trims.

The high driving position offered great visibility for the driver.

The interior was well thought, with the center console having the shape of an island that included the heating and the ventilation controls, as well as the gearbox lever. The gear knob’s position required minimum movement of the arm for gear shifting.