The Fiat Multipla has long been a favourite target in debates about the world’s ugliest cars. Now, the new Fiat Multiplay concept gives that reputation a futuristic twist. Unveiled at the 2026 Paris Motor Show, it combines a family SUV, a configurable MPV and a pickup in one vehicle. Its unusual proportions and watermelon-inspired cabin will certainly get people talking, but the more interesting idea is a modular body that changes to accommodate passengers or bulky cargo.
In its family configuration, the Multiplay measures 4.45 metres long and offers an unusual 6+1 seating arrangement across three rows. That makes it shorter than a Jeep Compass or Dacia Bigster, while still aiming to accommodate seven occupants. A tall cabin provides headroom, while raised ground clearance and substantial plastic wheel-arch cladding give it a crossover stance. The images show a green body, contrasting pale roof pillars and a broad band of pixel-style lighting that makes the front particularly hard to overlook.
The transformation happens at the rear, where a sliding, retractable body section allows the enclosed passenger area to become an open load bed. In pickup mode, the cabin partially retracts and the second and third seating rows slide inward, leaving room for four occupants. The exposed bed can then carry sports equipment, bicycles or other bulky items. One of the cleverest touches is the rear spoiler, which rotates to become an integrated bicycle support. The concept therefore explores how one compact vehicle could serve different transport needs.
Inside, the watermelon theme is unmistakable: red seating and lower surfaces sit alongside green trim, with a wide dashboard display and an unusually shaped steering wheel. It is a bold combination, and anyone hoping for a restrained reinterpretation of the Multipla will have to look elsewhere. Whether the Multiplay looks better or worse than its predecessor is a matter of taste, but its transforming body gives the discussion something more substantial than styling alone. The appearance may divide opinion; the flexible use of space is the part worth watching.