So as you may know I have a Fiat 500 for the week and I've driven it a few miles now so I'm able to give some initial impressions.
Distinctive Style
The test car sent to me is jet black which thankfully makes the car a bit more 'manly' and also comes with a camouflage style decal. I actually quite like it, it provides the car with more character although I'm not sure I'd want to live with it. The outside also features bright green wing mirrors so this car certainly stands out.
My wife has named the car 'Shrek' on account of the green wing mirrors that look like his ears.
The inside of the car is what you have to come to expect from a Fiat 500, it is stylish and oozes retro-chic. The seats feature a nice mix of leather and fabric with a black and green design which compliments the exterior. The seats are comfortable and so far I have found them to be very supportive on the lower back.
A closer look at that camouflage decal, it has turned quite a few heads to say the least.
The Driving Position
I am 6'2" so I can think it's safe to say I can give the tall person's perspective of getting a comfortable driving position. This is the 'Lounge' trim level which is the top of the range but even so, you will only get steering wheel with rake but not reach. I have to say this is disappointing as for me it made it harder to get a a correct driving position.
I got there in the end but I have to have to steering wheel at its highest and even so the wheel is rather close to my knees, plus it means that the bottom part of the instrument panel is cut off. I could make the seat higher but the seating position feels rather high already so I would not want to increase it. However, I have found the car comfortable and it is surprisingly capable on long motorway journeys.
The Engine and Fuel Economy
The engine in this 500 is the 0.9 litre TwinAir unit which offers the most powerful output you can get on a 500 - unless you get an Abarth - with a output 105bhp. The unit is just a two-cylinder block so it doesn't make the normal noise you'd expect. It's a noise that I still cannot work out whether I like or not, I'll post a clip of it and let you decide. It's a nippy little motor though and it can get around town quite nicely.
Fuel economy has not been as I expected though, today I drove to Silverstone from south London and I got around 55mpg on both trips, well below the extra-urban figure of 80.7MPG. I enjoyed driving it regardless and it would be interested to see what kind of MPG I'll get around town.
Full review and video to come next week.