Finally looking for another car to replace my runaround/shed I have looked at most options I already own a 55 mondeo 2.2st tdi that the wife uses plus my spec-c ra which I admit I dont use all that much and will probubly sell at the end of the year to fund a purpose built track impreza now the new runaround Im thinking off is the fiat arbarth 500 my local dealer has just informed me that fiat and fiat arbarth are going to be 2 seperate type companies and that they do not have one for me to test drive but the regional sales rep has one and will contact me when he is in the area so i can have a test drive per chance has anybody on here driven one and what were your opinions.

 

I test drove a 500 Abarth. I thought it was ok but there were a couple of niggles that would stop me having one. Unless you have it in the sport mode you get this change up light constantly flashing at you which is really annoying. It also felt really gutless when not in the sport mode. This is not a major problem obviously as you can just press the sport button everytime you start the car up - shame its not on sport as standard though. The deal breaker for me though was the ride - the suspension doesn't seem to have enough compliance so on a bumpy road you were just bounced round all the time - I had previously been driving a lowered Suzuki Swift Sport which had a far better ride and the Scirocco I drive now feels like a limo in comparison to the 500 Abarth. I realised this wasn't something I could live with on a day to day basis so the 500 was a no for me.

Deacon

 

I haven't driven one, but I like them a lot!