We are disappointed that Abarth has chosen to pitch the 500 above the larger, more powerful Grande Punto in terms of list price – it smacks of blatantly exploiting the current appetite for the 500. However, it should hold its value a little better than the Grande Punto and probably as well as a MINI Cooper S. Fuel economy of 40mpg plus should be easily attainable in gentle driving.

A relatively small turbocharged engine in a small car bodes well for its environmental performance, despite its racy attitude. Emissions of 155g/km of CO2 for both standard and Esseesse versions is good considering the performance.

Although some people have had problems with reliability on small Fiats in the recent past, reliability is generally good and Fiat (which owns the Abarth brand) has begun to take quality and customer service far more seriously. The specialist Abarth dealers should offer good service.