Pathological makes lots of ruckus with the Fiat 500 Abarth

The Fiat 500 Abarth maybe the cheapest way to get the Italian flare that you desire; but is it worth the consideration?

The 1.4-liter multi-air turbocharged four-cylinder pumps out 160hp (157hp with auto gearbox) and well it does the job good enough. It does make a lot of racket and is very flamboyant the way an Italian Sports car should be. We do love the boy racer exhaust note and how quick it is when you really put your foot down. Our tester car came equipped with the manual gearbox and is the only way to have this piece of kit. You’ll want to row your own gears because there are slight hints of turbo lag at lower revs and well the torque seemingly disappears higher up the rpm band. It’s not the most refined power train compared with the Mini Cooper S and Ford Fiesta ST, but it certainly can hold its own considering that the 500 is smaller than both the Cooper S and Fiesta St. You’ll either love or hate the 500 charm because it does so in a way that makes you think long and hard about the sporting credentials that it is trying to pass off with the exterior styling. Ride comfort is a little firm but it’s far from uncomfortable while steering feedback is good but could offer a little more feedback, it does handle corners and bends well. The seating position is the biggest let down here; it feels like you’re sitting on top of the car rather inside of it.

Despite the front seats being a letdown and the rear seats being completely and utterly useless, the infotainment screen in our tester car was quite fiddly to navigate through. Many of the menus are very confusing and the tiny screen made it very hard to see some commands. Fit and finish of the interior is also on the iffy side as well. Visibility is pretty good except out of the back due to the fact that our tester car was a convertible which with the top down creates a massive blind spot that makes parking more irritating than it should be. Luckily for us our tester car came equipped with parking sensors, not that you need parking sensors for such small car. But it does come in handy when you have the top down. The boot space is pretty much on par with the Smart Fortwo, it’s very small but it does have some useful space for two people. The coupe version has a nifty hatch that is more spacious but not by much.

Our tester car came equipped with U-connect 5-inch touch screen display with Alpine premium audio system. Performance tuned suspension with sport mode and dual exhaust, as well as race-inspired bucket seats and leather-wrapped steering wheel. 17-inch alloy wheels and black trimmed lights were added as optional extras.

The Fiat 500 Abarth is loud and flamboyant the way an Italian Sports car should be. The engine does a good job and the overall impression of the vehicle is mostly good. We just wish that the Abarth were more comfortable to live with like the Mini Cooper S. We also wish that reliability record were much better. It’s a great little car with so much fun to be had behind the wheel but the tradeoffs make it so hard to justify.

Likes: Punchy turbo engine that’s loud and flamboyant, it really is fun to drive. It’s cheaper than the Mini Cooper S.

Dislikes: Build quality and reliability are iffy. The boy racer exhaust can get tiresome after a while. You can hear it a block away when you starting it up – driving it casually.

Our pick: Ditch the coupe and go right for the convertible. It may not be as practical but it is just as fun to drive and is the cheapest convertible with this much speed you can buy.

We say goodbye to the best Chevy ever

The Chevy SS maybe the best that Chevy has ever released. Here’s why:

The SS came with an insane 6.2-liter eight-cylinder engine which pumped out 415hp. Some may argue that it wasn’t enough or the SS was too pricey for what it was. This engine matched with the SS chassis was the perfect blend of sporting nature and comfort. We finally were able to test drive a sports sedan with a six-speed manual gearbox and well it was probably a winning combo here. We loved how the engine revved smoothly and quickly without it feeling like it was going to get out of control. The lovely snarl from the eight-cylinder engine let everyone around us know that we weren’t just in any Chevy. We also may have frightened a few children when a group of guys asked us to rev the engine.

You’ll love the way the SS feels on the road. It doesn’t feel dull as the exterior looks. The steering feedback is precise and communicative, we felt loads of confidence when we decided it to push it hard through some corners and bends; we managed to get the tail out a little bit. The chassis handled every corner and bend like it were on rails and the fact that the ride comfort is so smooth without being overly firm won us over quickly. We love a firm suspension especially when it is associated with fantastic handling, but some cars (i.e. the Mercedes C-class) have rock hard suspension that is on the borderline of punishing; making it very hard to justify the firm ride on a daily drive.

The interior doesn’t feel all that special when it comes to the touch screen infotainment system and many controls and switches. If you covered the badge on the steering wheel, you’d think you were sitting on one the vast GM Products. We love that GM has taken a step forward with the materials used and overall interior quality, but you can pretty much sit in at least three or five GM products and immediately identify the switchgear and controls without even looking at the badge on the steering wheel. The front seats offer plenty of comfort and support, the driving positing is spot on. The rear seat is plenty roomy and the boot is massive.

There’s only one trim and it’s a well-equipped one at that. Magnetic Ride Control, premium leather-appointed seats, HID headlights, forward collision alert with lane departure warning all come fitted as standard. Side blind zone alert, rear vision camera with cross traffic alert and automatic parking assist is also fitted as standard.

The SS exterior looks don’t really go with what is underneath the hood of the car. It’s the most exciting vehicle you can drive with a price tag that’s well within reason and logic. It’s sad to see this vehicle going away because it is really one heck of a car to drive. Dare we say the best Chevy has ever made in a long time? Yes we dare say it! We loved this sedan.

Likes: The 6.2 eight-cylinder matched with a six-speed manual gearbox is a winning combo. It blends handling and ride comfort effortlessly. The best Chevy we’ve seen in a long time.

Dislikes: Production will end this year for this sedan, it looks rather dull on the outside; while the inside is typical GM.

Devon takes a convertible with JCW turbo for a drive (used)

Mini has always been known for their retro styling and absolutely fun to drive vehicles. Throw the JCW in the mix and you've got a pocket rocket that's got the looks and the go, but with a hefty price tag near $40,000 can the Cooper JCW convertible prove to be a good buy?

Performance: There's only one engine to choose from in the JCW range and that's a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder which produces 208hp. You can choose between a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic. Picking between the two is a matter of taste. The turbo engine is swift and pushes the Cooper JCW from 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds. On the highway the Cooper is a hoot to drive and never disappoints, around town the power is well controlled thanks to the readily available torque at low revs.

Ride & Handling: The Cooper JCW is a real driver's car, it will put a smile on your face. The chassis is well balanced and is greeted with nicely-weighted steering. The tradeoff however is the overly firm ride that can be unforgiving on anything but the smoothest of surfaces.

Refinement: The JCW has a well insulated roof and doesn't have much wind or road noise with the roof up. Even with the roof down, there isn't much wind buffeting as in most convertibles. The wind-blocker and dashboard mounted heaters add an extra bit of comfort to the journey, but then again this is a convertible meant to be driven fast so the wind-blocker may not be necessary.

Behind the wheel: There's a low slung feel to the cabin. You'll feel like you're sitting lower than you actually are. This isn't a bad thing due to the fact that this is a sporty car. Drivers won't have a hard time getting comfortable thanks to oodles of adjustments for the driver's seat and steering wheel. Visibility is compromised due to the ragtop, but parking sensors are standard and should take the sting out of that.

Space & Practicality: The front passengers will be able to find comfort with ease, while rear passengers will be confined for space due to the small rear seat, with the roof up it can be almost claustrophobic feeling. The boot is very small as well, but for a car this size and the amount of performance it offers. Most won't really care too much about that.

Equipment: The JCW trim comes well equipped for the money. You get 17-inch alloy wheels, JCW-logoed trims and of course the turbocharged 208hp engine. You'll have to pay extra for keyless start, rain sensing windshield wipers and a few other luxury bits that should be standard considering how much it costs.

Buying & Owning: The JCW is very expensive to buy, but is well worth every cent considering the amount of performance you get and the unique driving experience that is matched with it. Desirability will keep the resale value of the JCW high. Fuel economy is okay so running costs won't be too bad if you keep a light foot on the accelerator pedal.

Quality & Reliability: Some of the controls on the instrumental panel are rather fiddly to operate, but once you get the hang of them. They will become second nature to you. Many of the materials used feel well built and solid. Mini hasn't enjoyed the best reliability record, but in recent years Minis have been improving reliability of their mechanicals.

Safety: Even though the roof has been chopped off, the body structural rigidity has been improved. There are two pop-up hoops behind the rear seats in case of roll over. Front and side airbags are standard as well as stability control. A differential lock is also standard.

The Cooper JCW is a unique convertible. It's wicked fast with excellent grip and handling. You'll surely be greeted with a smile when you drive one. However, with all cars there are its negatives. The Cooper JCW isn't cheap to buy and ofcourse there is the utterly useless rear seats and small boot. If you can ignore these few little bits, the Cooper JCW is a great car and will hold it's value well.

Likes: Addicting turbo engine. Well balanced chassis with sharp steering. Top up or down, the JCW is a hoot to drive.

Dislikes: "Chick car" image, expensive starting price. Options can send the price soaring. Rear seats are utterly useless, some controls are fiddly to use.  

Devon M