Fiat Barchetta (95-05) - Review

Review by Parkers on
The Barchetta should be a runaway Fiat success story in the UK. It's undeniably beautiful, has Italian brio in its drive and is available new for under £12,000. But there's one big reason why buyers haven't abandoned the MX-5 and MGTF in droves - it's only available in left-hand-drive. And that's its only major problem; reliability issues seem to be sorted and it's quite well equipped, but most buyers won't even try the Barchetta because the steering wheel is on the wrong side. They should. It's rather good.
3.5 out of 5

Other Fiat reviews

3.5 out of 5

Summary

New price range:

£11,995 - £17,519

Used price range:

£795 - £2,255

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Styling, handling, value

Left-hand drive, little storage space, horrendous insurance

The Barchetta should be a runaway Fiat success story in the UK. It's undeniably beautiful, has Italian brio in its drive and is available new for under £12,000. But there's one big reason why buyers haven't abandoned the MX-5 and MGTF in droves - it's only available in left-hand-drive. And that's its only major problem; reliability issues seem to be sorted and it's quite well equipped, but most buyers won't even try the Barchetta because the steering wheel is on the wrong side. They should. It's rather good.

Driving & Performance

  • Performance

    3.5 out of 5

    "The 1.8 16v engine provides good acceleration in lower gears. It has 130bhp and low weight, making..."

  • Handling

    4.5 out of 5

    "In short, it's a hoot. The precise steering provides accurate, sharp cornering and the large..."

Comfort

  • Comfort

    3 out of 5

    "Obviously has no back seats, providing the front passenger and driver with generous amounts of..."

  • Practicality

    3 out of 5

    "The clean lines of the interior are uncluttered by cupholders. That'll appeal to some, but appall..."

  • Equipment

    3 out of 5

    "ABS, front fog lights, driver and passenger airbags, power steering, remote central locking,..."

  • Behind the wheel

    3 out of 5

    "Once you've adjusted to the left-hand-drive set-up, the biggest problem is visibility. Fine with the..."

Costs

  • Running costs

    2 out of 5

    "Some replacement parts can be expensive (especially crash replacement parts like body panels). It's..."

  • Green credentials

    2.5 out of 5

    "Barchetta is not particularly environmentally friendly. With an average of 181 g/km CO2 across the..."

Safety & Reliability

  • Safety

    2.5 out of 5

    "Not tested by Euro NCAP, however, it's based on an old design. ABS aids the good, responsive braking..."

  • Reliability

    2.5 out of 5

    "Been around for since 1995. Most problems have been minor. A few of the older models have had some..."

Buying & Selling

  • Buying new

    3.5 out of 5

    "Quite good value, although air con and 15-in alloys are an option. Only available in..."

  • Buying used

    3.5 out of 5

    "Plenty of used models on market, although both dealers and private sellers are overcharging. Some..."

  • Selling

    3 out of 5

    "It's a specialist car. A good looker, but few buyers will be prepared to live with left-hand-drive."

Gallery

  • Interior Fiat Barchetta (95-05)
  • Exterior Fiat Barchetta (95-05)
  • Exterior Fiat Barchetta (95-05)
  • Exterior Fiat Barchetta (95-05)

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Owners' reviews