One look at the Fiat Abarth 595 Competizione and you know that there is something fishy about this car. It looks like the 500, Fiat’s classic car known for its nimble looks and tonnes of cuteness.
But under its hood, the Abarth 595 is a monster, unlike the 500.
To be sure, Fiat will roll out the Punto Abarth and Avventura Abarth, both performance cars, but it’s really the 595 which is the cream of sports performance cars in India.
At Rs 29.85 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) the Fiat Abarth 595 comes at a high price, but it brings in all the fun it promises on paper.
It’s a small-yet-powerful 3-door hatchback with 160PS @ 4400rpm of power. It’s a two-person car because really the baby seats at the back are just there for the aesthetics.
65 years after its origin, based on Carlo Abarth’s vision to take modest everyday cars and achieve levels of performance that simply defied belief through the application of design and engineering, the 595 Abarth is more alive than ever.
The Abarth 595 gets loads of Scorpion badging on it. It just cannot held but remind you, no matter the angle from which you look at it, that it means business.
The 3-door hatchback is powered with a 1.4 L T-Jet engine that’s capable of taking the car from 0-100 in just 7.6 seconds.
The maximum torque generated is 230 nm@2750 – 3000 RPM in sports mode with the top speed estimated to be around 210 kmph.
But what’s impressive here is the TTC (Torque Transfer Control). It’s like an electronic stability program on a car. It helps distribute the torque on the wheels so uniformly that the car can handle 140 km/h turns with ease.
We do not suggest that you take this car to its limits on regular roads, but hit your local track and it won’t disappoint you at all.
The best thing on the Abarth 595 is that it can also function as your daily hatchback for work. Come nightfall, and all you will need to do is move to sports mode and let the car sing.
When you do that, the car adapts to the change, the steering becomes heavier and it offers you more grip. It’s a cute-looking car that has the ability to scare you if you are bold enough to drive it in the sports mode all the time.
The 5-speed automatic transmission is not as lightning fast as we expected but it still is quicker than your average road car with a sports mode. The gear ratios are also well balanced by Fiat and Abarth on this car. You also get flappy pedals if you want greater control on the Abarth 595.
Though it has a small engine, the fuel economy on the Abarth 595 is not amazing. It could give us about 8.9 km/l with mixed city and highway driving while switching between sports mode and normal mode.
Watch: First Drive of Fiat Abarth 595
The 595 Competizione has large 17-inch alloy wheels that ensure it remains gripped to the road and corners with ease, but there is also a bit of body roll.
The braking is exceptional despite it being a forward wheel drive car thanks to the perforated and ventilated brake discs. And the Torque Transfer Control will always ensure that you don’t flip this car.
It’s not just a performance car. It’s feature loaded as well, you get an infotainment system, Xenon headlamps, rear parking sensors and a Monza exhaust system. You also get an electric Sunroof, a TFT instrument cluster, a Blue & Me handsfree system with a USB port.
And of course you get Airbags for safety on the Abarth 595.
So what is the Fiat 595 Abarth?
We think it’s a cute little monster that every performance car enthusiast would love to have. If you are looking for comfort, it’s not the car for you. However, if it’s a touch of luxury with performance, the 595 Abarth is the one to go for.
There’s MINI Cooper as well that’s similarly priced. But the Brit car lacks the kind of fun that the Fiat 595 Abarth can provide you everyday. We would pick this one up any-day over the MINI Cooper for sheer power and performance.
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