Category: Hot Hatchbacks 
Price Range: £8,700 to £13,605
Storming turbo performance, muscular looks, added traction from electronic diff.
Not cheap, flawed driving position, throttle response poor when not in 'sport' mode.
The most appealing warm hatch money can buy.
The bad news is the Fiat brand has the least satisfied buyers, ranking 28th out of 28 in the most recent JD Power survey. The good news is that the Panda, on which the 500 is based, was the most liked Fiat.
Owners praised the Panda for its robust mechanicals, but still placed it in 42nd out of 100, let down by poor dealer service and glitches with the radio. Let's hope the 500 will improve on this.
Abarth is very keen to keep the 500 as reliable as possible, which is why the aftermarket Esseesse power upgrade can only be fitted within the first year of 500 Abarth ownership.
The 500 Abarth suffers from some cheap-feeling plastics, but this is offset by the fact that the 500 still feels a special place to be. Good job, considering the price tag.
