Car Review | Fiat 500 Abarth

Photos courtesy of Fiat USA

After 27 years, Fiat has finally re-entered the US market and I for one am stoked. Fiat has a rich history and has been a manufacturer of quintessentially Italian cars for decades. It will be a refreshing sight to see more stylish Italian cars on the road rather than a sea of bland econoboxes. Fiat has already begun it’s entrance into the US Market with the hugely popular Fiat 500. The 500 comes in a variety of trim levels (Pop, Sport & Lounge) as well as special editions (Gucci & Abarth).

Recently, I was fortunate enough to have a whole day at the track with the new 500 Abarth so keep reading to learn all about the car.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, “Abarth” isn’t just a tuning division of Fiat, such as SVT for Ford or M for BMW. Abarth is actually its own separate company which manufactured some of its own cars, being known best for its hugely successful racing history. I won’t go through the nitty gritty but just as a little background; Abarth was founded by Karl Abarth in 1949, he began by making his own vehicles and Abarth did not begin its well know association with Fiat until 1952.

One of the first things Karl Abarth did with a Fiat was modify its exhaust system, this not only provided added performance but it also gave the vehicles life through a symphony of exhaust notes. This mantra holds true to this day, the new 500 Abarth sounds A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. It has a fantastic deep, throaty, snarlling sound and good amount of popping sounds from the backfire. It makes sounds that you don’t expect to come from a stock car, at least not in this price range.

Speaking of price, the Abarth starts at just $22,000 MSRP. So what do you get for 22 large? Well performance wise you get a peppy 1.4-liter MultiAir® Turbo 4 banger, that pumps out a respectable 160 hp and 170 lb/ft of torque.

The engine is mated to a 5-speed manual with Fiat’s Torque Transfer Control (TTC) system. The transmission has a 3.35 final-drive ratio, which allows for quick acceleration and a faster top speed all while maintaining fuel efficiency. While we’re on the topic, the 500 Abarth squeezes out a remarkable 28 city 34 highway!  I bet that you wont be getting those numbers thoughbecause you will always be driving this car to its 6500rpm redline since it is just so much fun.

And “Fun” is one of the best words I can use to describe the car. It is an absolute BLAST to drive! The Abarth is one of those cars that can just put a smile on your face and inspire confidence. It has a special “Abarth tuned” ESC that does a good job at not being too invasive while still keeping you on the track. Additionally, the hot hatch also has some heroic brakes, after an entire day of hard driving on the track they didn’t show any signs of fade.


The inside of the car was a serendipity for me, I really liked it. Since the 500 is such a small car, I was expecting the interior to be very cramped, but I found it to be far from it (at least up front). There is plenty of head room for the driver, so if you’re a 6 footer, you’re in luck! This high roof is also ideal for when you wear a helmet at the track, and trust me, the Abarth is at home on any autocross course.

The shifter is conveniently placed, it is close to the race inspired and ergonomically pleasing steering wheel superb for quick shifts. In addition to the 5-speed’s position, the shift light and centrally located tachometer also help the driver make perfect gear changes every time.

The central console is very simple, with easy read to controls it is a breeze to operate but the best buttons to be the “sport” button, when pushed it adds an addition 20lb/ft of torque. Even with that sport button I find that the coolest part of the interior have to be the piece of dash which is color matched to the exterior of the car. It really sets apart from other cars, simple aesthetic addition is a real enhancement and adds a stylish element to the interior that many cars these days lack.

The seats were also a high point of the interior. They not only looked great but were also supportive and bolstering. I’m not sure how they would be on long trips, but as for short times they worked great.

On the outside, the Abarth is a stark contrast to its normal 500 counterpart. The 500 Abarth features an array of functional aerodynamic pieces as well as red calipers and special Abarth wheels, but probably the most noticeable feature are its barrage of Abarth badges and livery. These elements give the Italian hatch a very sporty look, and a uniqueness factor.

Final Thoughts:

Although I only had a day with the Fiat 500 Abarth, I was able to push it to its limits (or at least what I thought were its limits until I rode shotgun in it with Dominik Farnbacher). The hot hatch is a great car for people seeking a daily driver they want to drive to the track, or a performance enthusiast who wants a solid platform to build on. Conversely, the car is not for people who need to haul around a lot of stuff/people or for someone who is looking for a quiet car. With looks to kill, a sky high fun factor and an exhaust note that sings to the choir of the car gods the 500 Abarth gives its competitors in the below 25k price range a real run for their money.

Full spec sheet  HERE

 

One more thing. Fiat USA’s facebook page recently reached 500,000 fans, and to show their appreciation they are having a celebration, the 500,000 celebration! The celebration rewards Fiat fans by giving them a chance to win 1 of 10 FIAT 500 Sports also the first 500,000 fans receive a $500 loyalty offer towards the purchase of a new FIAT. Check it out HERE

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