Vehicle Tested
2012 Fiat 500 Abarth 2dr Hatchback (1.4L 4-cyl. Turbo 5-speed Manual)
Driven On
3/6/2012
Ratings Summary
This rating has been carried forward from a prior year because the newer model has no substantial differences.
When all is said and done the Fiat 500 Abarth is a fun car to drive. It lacks the fundamentally solid underpinnings of its biggest competitor and therefore lacks that car's refinement, feedback and speed, but it's still a kick.
B
Comfort
The Abarth's ride comfort is better than a Mini Cooper S with the Sport package, but because there's little else to compare it to, it's difficult to quantify. Overall, considering its abilities, comfort is good.
| Seating Comfort |
B
|
Comfort is good, lateral support is lacking for a car with high cornering limits. |
| Ride Comfort |
B
|
Dual-rate front dampers provide a reasonably comfortable ride. Spring rates aren't off-the-charts stiff, either. |
| Quietness |
C
|
The Abarth's exhaust is quite loud, but it adds character and it doesn't drone miserably on the freeway. |
B
Interior
Interior details are a bit flashy, but add a level of detail and character only found in -- you guessed it -- a Mini Cooper.
| Ergonomics |
C
|
Getting automatic climate control means there's not a single knob on the Abarth's dash -- a big mistake. |
| Ingress/Egress |
B
|
Wide-opening doors are a good thing. As are tall, upright seats. |
| Space/Room |
C
|
Sunroof-equipped cars compromise headroom. Rear seat space is limited. |
| Visibility |
B
|
Being tall and having upright seats gives the Abarth good visibility. |
| Cargo/Storage |
C
|
There's room for soft bags behind the rear seats without folding. Carrying anything larger will mean folding the rear seats flat. |
B
Performance
Abarth model is far quicker than the base 500. Engaging to drive quickly and reasonably well behaved. Still, shows its B-segment roots when driven to its limits.
| Acceleration |
B
|
Brisk out of the hole with ample tire-roasting torque. |
| Braking |
B
|
Squirms around more than we'd prefer during full-ABS stops, but remains stable. |
| Steering |
B
|
Steering effort changes for the better with use of "sport" mode. |
| Handling |
B
|
Good enough to hang with its primarly competition in our instrumented tests. |
| Driveability |
B
|
Not refined, but still quite fun. |
C
Value
Value is the Abarth's shortcoming. For this much money you can get either more performance or a nicer -- if more subdued -- car.
| Build Quality (vs. $) |
C
|
The Abarth doesn't feel or look like a premium car inside like the Mini Cooper. |
| Features(vs. $) |
C
|
You'll pay more if you want the most desirable features like 17-inch wheels, navigation and Abarth badging. |
| Cost |
D
|
Fully optioned the 500 Abarth hits almost $27,000, which is too much for this car. |
| MPG |
B
|
Good EPA ratings of 28 city/34 highway are encouraging. A 22 mpg combined average in our (admittedly heavy footed) testing is only OK. |
| Warranty |
B
|
The 4-year/50,000 mile warranty is decent, and includes roadside assistance for that time period. |
| Ownership |
B
|
A big unknown. There's no North American track record to work from. On the other hand, oil changes and wear items like brake pads are covered for the first 3 years/36,000 miles |
B
Fun To Drive
Being fun to drive is the Abarth's biggest selling point. It makes good sounds, squirts effortlessly between corners and manhandles traffic. Yes, it's fun.
| Driving Experience |
B
|
Plan on being looked at in the Abarth. If that's your thing, this car will achieve it. If not, look elsewhere. |
| Personality |
A
|
There's planty of personality here. It's quirky, unusual, fun and loud in every way. |
