Abarth 500 (2009 - 2015) 1.4 16V T-Jet (09) 3d (2011/11) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

Individual, fun, stylish, performance orientated, doesn't follow the crowd.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Everyone I know loves it to look at, and everyone who has driven it loves it even more! I recently leant my car to my mother who has owned various RenaultSport's in recent history, and she didn't even want to give it back. Its surprising as well to see how many male family members and friends love the car having seen it and driven it, and I would say (from seeing who else is driving one in the rare occasions I pass another Abarth) it bucks the trend of the standard Fiat 500 by appealing to more men than women.

Would you buy this car again and why?

In a hear beat because, quite simply, you cannot buy such a fun yet sensible package at such a good price elsewhere. It has Italian heart, soul and style, and given Abarth's are still pretty rare on UK roads, you still feel you are driving something pretty special.

What are you likely to buy next?

Not sure, but another Abarth 500 is definitely on the list.

Type of dealer you bought from?

Franchised

Did you buy this car new?

Yes

What price did you pay?

£14,000

When did you buy the car?

April 2011

Did you get a good deal and why?

Got a good deal considering Abarth do not really discount on the basis of rarity, so to gain £500 off list and a small contribution towards deposit was considered a good deal at the time.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

What was the dealer like?

Fantastic. A small Abarth franchise dealer who also specialised in Lotus and Lexus vehicles, they obviously take customer service learnings seriously; very personalised, unpressured and happy to go the extra mile. The small shame is that Abarth dealers do not seem to have a strong enough presence, particularly a shame given there are so little across the UK. Even MINI, when it first launched and had to used space inside of BMW dealerships, had a strong brand presence and modern interior dealerships.

What's it like to drive?

Fantastic. Whilst the steering is a little short on feedback, it turns in well, is responsive, easy to judge without being overly light and provides enough confidence at speed to tackle corners. Performance is strong for a 1.4 turbo and it certainly doesn't feel you've been short-changed by opting for the base model - its hardly worth spending the extra for others as this engine is most definitely the best part of the whole car. At the same time, it proves economical enough, although the criticism would be it needs a 6th gear. Ride wise, very firm, although probably on par with my previous Cooper S with Sport suspension. As such, long journeys are probably not the most refined! What it does mean, however, is great handling in town and country.

What's it like to park?

A doddle. Small dimensions, clear forward view, and city parking steering options make it simple. The standard fit hill-holder also proves most useful when parallel parking on inclines. Rear vision could be better, thanks to a fairly small rear screen and very small rear windows, but this criticism counts for most small city cars.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Nothing has gone wrong whatsoever. Concerns over Fiat Group reliability have been proved wrong. The car may not be made of the most exquisite materials, but feels solidly put together. The only issue is the old Fiat squeaky rear brakes when reversing, but this is well known!

What's most practical about your car?

The boot is surprisingly large for such a small city car, and certainly beats my previous second-generation MINI Cooper S, easily swallowing up a weekly shop. Don't expect much in the way of rear seat space though, adults will only appreciate short journeys!

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Car is mostly standard spec, but the red Abarth stickers against the white body paint do make the car stand out but still look premium and slightly reserved in all the right ways. Would definitely recommend the upgrade to 17 inch Sport alloys which, because of the slimmer spokes, really work well and much better than the smaller standard options.