i own just the basic fiat 500 pop and it is one of the funnest cars i have ever drove. i work in a detail shop and get to drive a lot of different cars, fiats are up there with sports cars. also im 6'4'' and fit just fine, everyone should atleast test drive one of these for fun
I enjoyed watching this. Breath of fresh-air: car-show hostess who shows a genuine, and child-like, enthusiasm and joy for the cars she tests! And, the Abarth seems pretty badass too!
Great review and Emme - you are a great presenter! I've got the UK-spec 500 Sport with a 1.3 Multijet Diesel and while it's not as fast as the wonderful Abarth, the handling is amazing and the little diesel not only punts it along with gusto but with 70+ mpg regularly, it's so cheap to run. I'm 6'4" and have room to spare when driving this. Build quality really is grown up and solid. It is quite simply the best car I've owned so far.
In the 70's FIAT banged heads with Triumph, MG, Datsun, Toyota, etc ... I had serveral, also had a great mechanic (lol his name was Tony). I traded my '69 TR-6 for a '70 124 Coupe ... first day out I was tailed by a TR-6 getting on the highway through the cloverleaf he pushed ... I pulled; came out onto the runoff with at least 7 car lengths between us & still accelerating easily up to 80 mph at 4500 rpms ... Got my 500 POP in March last year. They still try to push ... but now they're SUV's
Emme: I am very difficult to impress, but lady, your enthusiasm kept me glued to the screen. Who would'nt want to test drive this car after watching this video and listening to your remarks? I look forward to more of your talent :D
Woah Emme, so much enthusiasm! Nice to see you're happy with our great little 500. I hope many more in the US will get the "practical fun" spirit of this car. Cheers from Italy :-)
I love cruising through Red Rock. You do have to pay to get in but it's well worth it. It's got some of the most beautiful scenery and rock formations around. A must see if you have some extra time while visiting Vegas.
Emme, I saw this car at the Indianapolis Auto Show around New Year's. The Abarth would be the only Fiat 500 I'd consider. The weird thing about it is the fact that there was an upshift light that is indicated when it needs it. So, those who want to learn how to drive a manual transmission vehicle -- won't be indimidated in this Fiat.
Slick car, I love Emme's energy and upbeat delivery! The only issue I have with the Fiat line is the potential resale value when it comes time to trade in.
looks like emme had a great time doing this review! insideline actually had some issues with headroom in the 500, they basically said that with the sunroof, anyone around 6' would be uncomfortable. the abarth is basically fiats best model and im glad they brought it here, it makes the standard car look incredibly weak
I just put mine through my a set of 3 dimensional twisties. Mine has the 16 wheels. Steering is vague, numb and the tires walk and then slide early. If you brake from 100 mph- not full abs, but say 70%, the car tends to go into a not-subtle-at-all high speed tail weave- on flat, level pavement. On level ground top speed is gps 130mph. Bump compliance is good, damping is very good. Trans is gappy, there is some lag in the turbo. Seats have poor bolstering but are nice in a straight line.
@limericklad2000 We had a JCW MINI Coupe a few weeks ago. The review will be posted soon. It's an awesome car but compared to the Abarth you can feel the weight of the MINI Coupe. But here's the kicker, the MINI Coupe was $38,000!!!! Ouch! -Charlie@RoadflyTV
@fatboy19831 Yes, wait for the track test. Spring Mountain was a great track for the Abarth. Charlie and I both got some seat time and we had a blast! -Emme@RoadflyTV
I have been waiting for the Abarth to come to the states for YEARS! My only complaint is the pricing, i feel they could have delivered the same for less. People are going to compare the Abarth to the Mini S, i'm not entirely sure the pricing is aggressive enough to compete. Regardless it IS worth it though!
I haven't driven the Juke...Ross got to drive it last year. But I LOVE the styling of it. I like anything that takes a risk, and the Juke is so polarizing. It's fantastic. If I ever got the chance to drive the Juke-R I would probably squeal like a little school girl! -Emme@RoadflyTV
$27,000 is such a huge premium for a car that size. The styling is fantastic; you get a sense of happiness every-time you take it for a drive. However, the competition (mini cooper) offers much more and for 27 large, the horsepower is meager. Aside from these gripes, its a good overall package. Moreover, I would much ratter drive the Fiat than the absolute waste of money called Smart-For-Two.
Test drove the Sport Trim 6-Speed auto with convenience package and the navigation and sun roof, I fell in love I'm waiting till I get mine. I love this car and it's peppy 101hp engine ( which is as fast as the 2011 Vw Jetta 2.5 170hp to 60mph ). So it isn't a slow car.
I'm glad your excited about a quick, small car. But it might be too little too late for Chrysler. The little FIAT is up against some very strong competition when you get into the price range of the Abarth. Don't worry so much how to pronounce Abarth the Italian way. Carlo Abarth was originally Karl Abarth, and he was a subject of the Hapsburgs. He was German. Anyway, I like the idea behind the FIAT 500 Abarth, but I'm not as excited as you are...it is not ground breaking.
Excellent review as usual Emme! You should get the Abarth (ah-bart) Emme, it suits you. It is fun, fresh and fast. Plus it is cute too :) . What do you think of the Nissan Juke?
Well, I like the black Abarth wheels over the white ones. Classy and sporty. Car looks fun for sure and absolute style but I also worry about quality still. I hope I am wrong. I will check with long term reviews. In the past any turbo charged car had issues. The word use to be don't buy a used TURBO have things changed?
my girlfriends been wanting a 500 for a while and i wasnt really too impressed but with the abarth it sounds like i might have to check one out personally :)
Not actually. The american Abarth 500 is the same as the european Abarth 500 Esseesse, delivering 160hp, while the european "standard" Abarth is badged as Fiat in the US, and it's the Turbo, with 135hp. The esseesse, even in Europe, is not track-focused anyway, it's just a little more powerful and stiffer. If you want a track car, Abarth sells the 500 "Assetto Corse", which is much lighter, has got sport seats, sport tuned suspensions and delivers 185hp.
I am very impressed by this car. Unlike MINI, Fiat doesn't overprice their cars. I can get a well-optioned Abarth for under 25K. A similarly-equipped Cooper S would set me back over $30K, and for that price, I would rather have a Mazda Miata or Subaru BRZ. The Abarth is the perfect hot hatch for the US market: it's cheap enough to undercut the RWD and more powerful competition, yet provides darty handling thanks to its well-sorted FWD chassis.
Can someone explain to me why the American fuel figures differ so greatly from the EU. I have a good split of motorway and some very spirited driving miles on mine, and I'm averaging 42. I honestly don't drive it like a pensioner, I do drive it like its supposed to be driven any opportunity I get.
@foca2002 You totally beat me to the punch. The power to weight ratio is much better in the Abarth. Also the gearing is better for the track w/ the 5 speed and incredibly flat torque curve that starts at 1,800 RPMs. I like the Cooper S JCW for the track but it would probably lose this fight. I'm going to work on setting up a track test. -Charlie@RoadflyTV
@greenfaction4 For $27,000 you can get a 1) fully-optioned 500 Abarth 2) fully-optioned Mini Cooper base 3) lightly-optioned Cooper S. A comparable Cooper S would be $30,000. For that price, you could have a Subaru BRZ or Mazda Miata--both of which are superior driver's cars. A carefully-optioned Abarth (>$25K) seems reasonable.
22 000 is a pretty good bargain, but with the FRS coming out for 25 000... I think thats a pretty easy choice (assuming the FRS will be good of course)
Was in England for 2 wks last September and saw a lot of newer Fiat 500. Was in Germany and Netherland and did NOT see any Fiats. Until your response, I never thought about it.. They are NOT sell very well in US. We don't have a lot of choices for a small car. I was in Slovakia for a month 3 yrs. ago and saw lots of cars not available in US. And your right absolutly no Fiats. I have a Toyota van and a 2010 Prius. For the money, a Prius could be bought.
@sikcivic80 Yes, you're right, sort of. Old technology. They have to find an attractive way to describe it to make "Abarth" sound special enough to warrant buying it instead of one of the attractive competitors.
Emme, looks like a great time. Your crew needs to visit the 29th annual FIAT FreakOut convention this year in the Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Aug 2-5. flu.org for details.
Why is this car getting so much attention? I don't associate Fiat with quality, so I don't hold out much hope for this car having a long life. That's one of the most important factors to me when buying a car. Is it reliable, with low maintenance cost?
![Why The Fiat 500 Abarth is a Performance Bargain | 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth [4K]](/img/n.gif)
i own just the basic fiat 500 pop and it is one of the funnest cars i have ever drove. i work in a detail shop and get to drive a lot of different cars, fiats are up there with sports cars. also im 6'4'' and fit just fine, everyone should atleast test drive one of these for fun
I would love a Fiat 500 Sport in blue with the Bose sound system, but the Abarth is pretty sweet and that exhaust note is fabulous!! Great video!!
I enjoyed watching this. Breath of fresh-air: car-show hostess who shows a genuine, and child-like, enthusiasm and joy for the cars she tests! And, the Abarth seems pretty badass too!
How could you not love this thing???
Great review and Emme - you are a great presenter! I've got the UK-spec 500 Sport with a 1.3 Multijet Diesel and while it's not as fast as the wonderful Abarth, the handling is amazing and the little diesel not only punts it along with gusto but with 70+ mpg regularly, it's so cheap to run. I'm 6'4" and have room to spare when driving this. Build quality really is grown up and solid. It is quite simply the best car I've owned so far.
Great job! The best first drive of fiat abarth i've seen so far...
In the 70's FIAT banged heads with Triumph, MG, Datsun, Toyota, etc ... I had serveral, also had a great mechanic (lol his name was Tony). I traded my '69 TR-6 for a '70 124 Coupe ... first day out I was tailed by a TR-6 getting on the highway through the cloverleaf he pushed ... I pulled; came out onto the runoff with at least 7 car lengths between us & still accelerating easily up to 80 mph at 4500 rpms ... Got my 500 POP in March last year. They still try to push ... but now they're SUV's
Emme: I am very difficult to impress, but lady, your enthusiasm kept me glued to the screen. Who would'nt want to test drive this car after watching this video and listening to your remarks? I look forward to more of your talent :D
@siroos7 We use both GoPros and ContourCams. They both have their pluses and minuses.
-Charlie@RoadflyTV
Woah Emme, so much enthusiasm! Nice to see you're happy with our great little 500. I hope many more in the US will get the "practical fun" spirit of this car. Cheers from Italy :-)
I hope you're still doing car tests
Great job Emmy! That looked like a lot of fun!
@twyztted will be ~21k with the sxt manual. pricing is still being adjusted and tested though
Videography has definitely improved !!! Good job guys
Bought my brand new 2013 Abarth for less than $18.8K. I adore it.
Where?
Tulsa, OK. They were having an end-of-year sale that slashed all new prices by $4K.
Has it been reliable?
This girl is enjoying her job so much that makes it really fun to watch!
Great video, thanks! I'd love to drive the Abarth, it looks great and must be really fun to drive.
Emme :D where can we get the 2013 full review? this car looks like it's a blast to drive and has a lot of style and personality
agree
Emme you give the BEST reviews! LOVE THE FIAT ABARTH
I love cruising through Red Rock. You do have to pay to get in but it's well worth it. It's got some of the most beautiful scenery and rock formations around. A must see if you have some extra time while visiting Vegas.
@katanamast279 FR-S will be at around 22-23k and have around 35 mpg.
Emme, I saw this car at the Indianapolis Auto Show around New Year's. The Abarth would be the only Fiat 500 I'd consider. The weird thing about it is the fact that there was an upshift light that is indicated when it needs it. So, those who want to learn how to drive a manual transmission vehicle -- won't be indimidated in this Fiat.
Slick car, I love Emme's energy and upbeat delivery! The only issue I have with the Fiat line is the potential resale value when it comes time to trade in.
looks like emme had a great time doing this review! insideline actually had some issues with headroom in the 500, they basically said that with the sunroof, anyone around 6' would be uncomfortable. the abarth is basically fiats best model and im glad they brought it here, it makes the standard car look incredibly weak
@rickyguti really thats cool about how much will the dart be with this engine do you know?
it made my day to see that you did this review yeaaaa emme
i love the view ... the mountains ... bet the abarth would be nice to have
I just put mine through my a set of 3 dimensional twisties. Mine has the 16 wheels. Steering is vague, numb and the tires walk and then slide early. If you brake from 100 mph- not full abs, but say 70%, the car tends to go into a not-subtle-at-all high speed tail weave- on flat, level pavement. On level ground top speed is gps 130mph. Bump compliance is good, damping is very good. Trans is gappy, there is some lag in the turbo. Seats have poor bolstering but are nice in a straight line.
Is the 2012 a new version or is this just an adapted US version?
Will there be a new european one too?
what kinda litres do you use for a amount of gallon by the way ??
3.4 litre = 1 gallon ?
Luv Emme! Ya gotta luv her enthusiasm! You rock, 'Em!!
@roadflytv how would the drivability of this car compare the vw gti?
Thanks, amigo!
-Emme@RoadflyTV
when's the review?
Great job Emme!
Where is the full review......
@limericklad2000 We had a JCW MINI Coupe a few weeks ago. The review will be posted soon. It's an awesome car but compared to the Abarth you can feel the weight of the MINI Coupe. But here's the kicker, the MINI Coupe was $38,000!!!! Ouch!
-Charlie@RoadflyTV
@fatboy19831
Yes, wait for the track test. Spring Mountain was a great track for the Abarth. Charlie and I both got some seat time and we had a blast!
-Emme@RoadflyTV
This works for cell phones ..?
I wanna show my friends on FB and twitter ...
Finally I saw two so far a white one and black one, I fell in love with it I am getting one now.
is multi air kinda like vtech? kinda similar i think
Great review! Love Fiats and glad they are back. Not sure which is hotter the Abarth or Emme.
Check out if you can the Abarth punto super sport !
Thanks Emme , great review
BTW, I've been driving my 500 Sport for one year this month and I'm having a blast!
I LOVE THIS REVIEW... KEEP THEM COMING GIRL
Not sure where they get those MPG figures. I'm getting over 50 on the motorway, and even with a heavy foot on B roads, I'm still getting in the 30's.
I have been waiting for the Abarth to come to the states for YEARS! My only complaint is the pricing, i feel they could have delivered the same for less. People are going to compare the Abarth to the Mini S, i'm not entirely sure the pricing is aggressive enough to compete. Regardless it IS worth it though!
@bottomlayer In europe is already available...
@MaksimSF She said she's 5'9" in the video.
Great review! I especially like the part talking to the engineer.
I need room. Probably can be a good secondary vehicle. I'm glad your back Emme you should've done the BMW 328i review
I wanted to see you push it. I will have to wait for the road test.
I WISH I HAVE ONE!!!! I WANT IT SO BADDD!!!!
my dad has one you should get it. so much fun and not that expensive
I haven't driven the Juke...Ross got to drive it last year. But I LOVE the styling of it. I like anything that takes a risk, and the Juke is so polarizing. It's fantastic. If I ever got the chance to drive the Juke-R I would probably squeal like a little school girl!
-Emme@RoadflyTV
Miss Emme reviews
Hmm,I'm 6'4", my knees were up under the steering wheel, getting out was like an acrobatic act.Too bad.The Abarth looks like it would be fun.
supercheese365 You first ; )
$27,000 is such a huge premium for a car that size. The styling is fantastic; you get a sense of happiness every-time you take it for a drive. However, the competition (mini cooper) offers much more and for 27 large, the horsepower is meager. Aside from these gripes, its a good overall package. Moreover, I would much ratter drive the Fiat than the absolute waste of money called Smart-For-Two.
Test drove the Sport Trim 6-Speed auto with convenience package and the navigation and sun roof, I fell in love I'm waiting till I get mine. I love this car and it's peppy 101hp engine ( which is as fast as the 2011 Vw Jetta 2.5 170hp to 60mph ). So it isn't a slow car.
I'm glad your excited about a quick, small car. But it might be too little too late for Chrysler. The little FIAT is up against some very strong competition when you get into the price range of the Abarth. Don't worry so much how to pronounce Abarth the Italian way. Carlo Abarth was originally Karl Abarth, and he was a subject of the Hapsburgs. He was German. Anyway, I like the idea behind the FIAT 500 Abarth, but I'm not as excited as you are...it is not ground breaking.
Great review and I want this car so badly!!!!!!!
Excellent review as usual Emme! You should get the Abarth (ah-bart) Emme, it suits you. It is fun, fresh and fast. Plus it is cute too :) . What do you think of the Nissan Juke?
@DraGunred Not sure a 250hp Focus ST owner will have much to worry about from a 180hp Fiat.
Well, I like the black Abarth wheels over the white ones. Classy and sporty. Car looks fun for sure and absolute style but I also worry about quality still. I hope I am wrong. I will check with long term reviews. In the past any turbo charged car had issues. The word use to be don't buy a used TURBO have things changed?
my girlfriends been wanting a 500 for a while and i wasnt really too impressed but with the abarth it sounds like i might have to check one out personally :)
example plz? no offense, im just asking, id love to have a golf gti though
Interesting car. I have always liked it. I just don't think there is enough power. Maybe a tune would help that out.
Not actually. The american Abarth 500 is the same as the european Abarth 500 Esseesse, delivering 160hp, while the european "standard" Abarth is badged as Fiat in the US, and it's the Turbo, with 135hp. The esseesse, even in Europe, is not track-focused anyway, it's just a little more powerful and stiffer. If you want a track car, Abarth sells the 500 "Assetto Corse", which is much lighter, has got sport seats, sport tuned suspensions and delivers 185hp.
Andrea_927 no the euro version has t-jet with DOHC. North america version has Multiair with SOHC.
Emme, Awesome presentation! Fiat & SRT guys, Nice Abarth. You've got to drive one! I'm cutting the muffler off my MINI after driving one.
New model:P it's out here in Europe since 2007, it's a shame you can enjoy this car just right now!
@catheterhero Definitely a great comparo video.
-Charlie@RoadflyTV
I am very impressed by this car. Unlike MINI, Fiat doesn't overprice their cars. I can get a well-optioned Abarth for under 25K. A similarly-equipped Cooper S would set me back over $30K, and for that price, I would rather have a Mazda Miata or Subaru BRZ. The Abarth is the perfect hot hatch for the US market: it's cheap enough to undercut the RWD and more powerful competition, yet provides darty handling thanks to its well-sorted FWD chassis.
Nice review!
Can someone explain to me why the American fuel figures differ so greatly from the EU.
I have a good split of motorway and some very spirited driving miles on mine, and I'm averaging 42. I honestly don't drive it like a pensioner, I do drive it like its supposed to be driven any opportunity I get.
SLAY EMME SLAY!
@foca2002 You totally beat me to the punch. The power to weight ratio is much better in the Abarth. Also the gearing is better for the track w/ the 5 speed and incredibly flat torque curve that starts at 1,800 RPMs. I like the Cooper S JCW for the track but it would probably lose this fight. I'm going to work on setting up a track test.
-Charlie@RoadflyTV
this car would make a great commuter car for me...however i think that we need a timeframe/[price for Venom version
great job emme!! keep it up
is this the first sports car she has driven?
I'll just leave this here: Emme, I love you.
The white Abarth at the end actually looks pretty sick.
For clarity, this North American Abarth is 160hp with different turbo motor than the European Abarth. SRT guys designed this one.
Emme Hall for President 2012
Very cool review, I very enjoy it.
I drove a 2012 mustang through red rock. It is a great stretch of road but I wish I drove the 500 instead!
@greenfaction4 For $27,000 you can get a 1) fully-optioned 500 Abarth 2) fully-optioned Mini Cooper base 3) lightly-optioned Cooper S. A comparable Cooper S would be $30,000. For that price, you could have a Subaru BRZ or Mazda Miata--both of which are superior driver's cars. A carefully-optioned Abarth (>$25K) seems reasonable.
22 000 is a pretty good bargain, but with the FRS coming out for 25 000... I think thats a pretty easy choice (assuming the FRS will be good of course)
@123gwf Did you see our video of Catrinel?
ua-cam.com/video/B67gSelnGgw/v-deo.html
-Charlie@RoadflyTV
Was in England for 2 wks last September and saw a lot of newer Fiat 500. Was in Germany and Netherland and did NOT see any Fiats. Until your response, I never thought about it.. They are NOT sell very well in US. We don't have a lot of choices for a small car. I was in Slovakia for a month 3 yrs. ago and saw lots of cars not available in US. And your right absolutly no Fiats. I have a Toyota van and a 2010 Prius. For the money, a Prius could be bought.
small sporty car...good exhaust sound. I would like to do drive and give reviews for cars for a living.
Review the supermodel in detail instead!
@sikcivic80 Yes, you're right, sort of. Old technology. They have to find an attractive way to describe it to make "Abarth" sound special enough to warrant buying it instead of one of the attractive competitors.
Cant wait for the 500L
im 6'9 and own a fiat 500 and fit fine so much room in this car
0 -60 ?
Emme, looks like a great time. Your crew needs to visit the 29th annual FIAT FreakOut convention this year in the Blue Ridge Mountains of VA Aug 2-5. flu.org for details.
emme should get this it seems like her car
Why is this car getting so much attention? I don't associate Fiat with quality, so I don't hold out much hope for this car having a long life. That's one of the most important factors to me when buying a car. Is it reliable, with low maintenance cost?
weird reply not to but in sorry; would you rather we were like China and didnt sell anyone else cars but are own?