For Mini hot hatches don't come any more stylish than the 500 Abarth. It's fun to drive, too, and you get lots of luxury kit as standard
Against It's pricier than some rivals, and while it's fun to drive, it's not exactly polished. The ride is firm and the driving position feels awkward
If you like a fun drive and retro styling, you'll love the 500 Abarth. If you're after a more polished and honed driving experience, though, the Renaultsport Twingo is better
You have the choice of five different engines in the 500, including the one in the hot Abarth version that sits at the top of the range. Although it’s brisk rather than stupidly fast, this is the most exciting car in the range to drive, thanks to its lower, stiffer suspension and weightier steering.
That’s in direct contrast to the cheaper versions, which are not so great on the road, thanks to their jittery ride and disappointing handling. Given that, we think the best versions are the cheaper ones, and the pick of the range is the cheapest, the 1.2 Pop.
It may not come with alloys or air-conditioning, but you can add those as options without reaching the overall price of the next-cheapest model in the range. It also has the added reassurance – as does every model in the range – of a maximum five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating.
I purchased this car new, in July this year after,…
The 500 is great fun. Steering is direct, gear…
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I bought my Fiat 500 1.4 Sport in February and…