Handy Auto Guide

A review of the Fiat 500 1.4 has been posted over at The Independent. 'One of the many lovable things about the new 500 is that its outline is almost the same as the original's, albeit Xeroxed-up by about 25 per cent, whereas the Mini and Beetle are much further removed from the forms of their ancestors. To achieve this, Fiat has had to set the wheels wider apart than they are in the Panda, on whose underpinnings the 500 – and the forthcoming, Fiat-built Ford Ka – are based. The new 500 has ended up bigger than the Trepiuno and is a proper four-seater, front-wheel drive hatchback. I remember once watching the driver of a previous 500 wiping the rear window from the driving seat. He wouldn't be able to do that in the new one.'

An informative "Short Test Drive" review of the Fiat Bravo GT 1.4 T-JET hatchback has been posted over at PaulTan.org. 'The Fiat Bravo GT 1.4 T-JET definitely looks the business - a proper hot hatch look with it’s bodykit and huge 18 inch wheels. The showroom brochure had listed the wheel options ranging from 15 inchers to 17 inchers, but somehow our Malaysian cars were specced with 18 inch 10 spoke Fiat wheels which dwarfed the little brakes hiding behind them. But a combination of a minimal fender to tyre gap and the size of the wheels in relation to to the car’s rather small body made the rest of the car look very sporty. There are three colours available - 106 Maranello Red, 891 Crossover Black, and 487 Cool Jazz Blue. All three colours have matching colour coded interiors, which is a nice novelty that adds to the rather upmarket appeal of the car.'

Jalopnik have published their "First Drive" review of the 2008 Fiat 500 Cinquecento. 'Our tester was equipped with the top shelf petrol engine, a 1.4L 16-valve four pot good for a hundred horsepower and mated to a manual six speed. Even though the engine in the tester has the highest output currently available, (Abarth, you can toss us a tester any time) it's sort of a buzzy, lazy lump. Take off is peppy, but it's a flat experience after first gear. Engine braking is not a possibility as the RPMs just jump up to redline without actually providing any resistance. The car tosses into the corner happily, but the crappy tires on the test car protested loudly. We'd be interested to know how cars equipped with better shoes perform. Amusing for this segment is the "Sport" button. As far as we could tell, the purpose of the button was to light up the "Sport" indicator light, that's it.

CarAdvice have published a review of the 2008 FIAT 500 sport hatchback. ‘The Fiat 500 looks brilliant. That’s unanimous worldwide. It’s already won the 2008 Car of the Year from a jury of European journalists and anyone that doesn’t think this car will sell like hotcakes, should be immediately drip-fed. The “500” brochures look more like a prospectus for that “Accessorize” chain of shops, with loads of exterior/interior possibilities. You get to choose from up to eleven exterior paint jobs and thirteen upholstery/interior combinations, and they all look good enough to eat!’

Auto Express have published a review of the Fiat Bravo Eco 1.6 Multijet eco car. ‘Two versions of the new Eco will be available: an entry-level model based on Active spec which starts from £14,150, and a Dynamic flagship trim priced at £15,150. We drove the latter, which has air-conditioning, electric windows and remote central locking. Standard kit also includes Fiat’s Blue&Me hands-free phone and MP3 player system, plus 16-inch alloy wheels. The model is aimed at the likes of the VW Golf Bluemotion, and claims fuel economy of 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 119g/km – so buyers not only cut their fuel bills by choosing this car, but also pay £35 a year in road tax.’

Motor Trend have published their "First drive" review of the Fiat 500 Abarth hatchback. 'Inside, there are huge race-style seats and a clever instrument pod with concentric speedo and tach needles. When you're in low gear, your speed chases the revs around the dial. In the higher gears, your revs chase the speed. It goads you on. Abarth has plundered its heritage as an add-on tuner: A boost gauge sprouts mushroom-like out of the main dial binnacle, the pedals get big aluminum pads, the gearknob is stitched leather. There isn't a Fiat badge on the car, but it's peppered with big red and yellow Abarth scorpions.'

The Independent have published their review of the Fiat 500 Abarth compact. 'There's something hugely appealing about the unexpectedly fast, small car. It's the combination of cute looks and the promise of major amusement from cheeky, giant-killing performance. So, a Fiat 500 wearing big wheels, a roof-mounted wing and enough stripes to decorate a general is a pleasing eyeful. This, and the fact that the 500 is impossibly stylish to start with. You might be surprised not to find a single Fiat badge, unless you go burrowing deep in the engine bay, but it is liberally sprinkled with enamelled scorpions, some of which crop up in unexpected places – like the real thing – such as high on the rear wings.'