There is a Suzuki Swift 4x4 out too now IIRC.

I bet that's a nicer drive.

I quite like the Swift Sport anyway, seriously under rated fun little car.

There is now a 1.2 petrol 4x4 Swift. I was going to put a link to Autocars first drive in it, but their site has gone down.

 

F  fix

I   it

A  again

T  tomorrow    

 

Jeez, that joke must be older than me. I certainly remember it from school 30 odd years ago.

 

We only kept our 500 for just under 2 years, but it was a solid lovely little car.

There is a Suzuki Swift 4x4 out too now IIRC.

I bet that's a nicer drive.

I quite like the Swift Sport anyway, seriously under rated fun little car.

 

Not sure how underrated the Swift Sport is - often appears in hot hatch best-of lists, including coming 5th in Evo's recent hot hatch top 10.

My Son had a 1.4 100BHP Panda, now that was Fun

 

Seriously great car - Clarkson raved over them. I love the chunky styling of it too. Sadly they don't make it anymore though.

 

I'd always assumed this was the same engine we had in our 100bhp 1.4 500 sport, a great revvy little thing that was. We bought our 500 just before the twinair came out and I was wondering if I'd missed out - until I started reading the reviews! The multiair is a fantastic engine, and I couldn't believe Fiat could u-turn so badly.

There is a Suzuki Swift 4x4 out too now IIRC.

I bet that's a nicer drive.

I quite like the Swift Sport anyway, seriously under rated fun little car.

I have a new shape Swift at the moment. Completely agree that it is an underrated little car (even the non-sport version that I am running). The ride is not a patch on the Citigo or Panda 4x4/Trekking, but the handling, yes, that is very good.

Here's the Swift 4x4 linky I was looking for earlier

 

It seems to compare well with the Panda

I have had 2 Fiats.A Cinq Sporting which i kept for 8 years and was 100% reliable,and a Panda 100 HP which i kept for 2 years.Again 100% reliable and quick. Great car except for 2 things. The ride was terrible.Rock hard.If you went over a cig end in the road you got thrown out of your seat. Also the foot rest was too high in line with the clutch which gave you a bent leg instead of being able to streach out.

 

        If i bought a Fiat again it would be the 500,but infact it would be the Abarth 500 automatic.Great looking car and very quick,and as an automatic would not be a problem to streach my left leg out.  Only downsides are high road tax and only 30 MPG. Also for the price i would be looking at the BMW Mini and Mazda MX5.  Mind you they make the Citigo look like a bargain.

...Mind you they make the Citigo look like a bargain.

OK thanks all for the fair and balanced comments. In the end we went for the Citigo Elegance over the Panda. The extra space inside, the probably better mpg, the lower depreciation, the zero cost finance, free servicing for 3 years etc were all hard to argue with.

And, result, my wife is now happy too and like me looking forward to eventual delivery in December.

We just ordered the extra speakers and the spare wheel and went for white, which I like anyway.

Now just gotta wait...

Thanks again all for the thoughts and experiences

Cheers,

Nick

Yay!

 

Good choice 

 

Guess your gonna be hanging around on here a bit more often then

I'd have gone for the Panda

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only kiddin', good choice  

Guess your gonna be hanging around on here a bit more often then

Haha thanks Damo - you're not wrong there

Dammit Auric - that was a gotcha

Notice your SW London, my son lives in Brockley, near you?

Another vote for the Fiat 1.2 unit here.

We get great MPG from ours, we run it on super unleaded as well.

slightly OT but has anyone else seen the new 500 er, whatever FIAT call it? The estate 500. Fugly or what and IMO is nothing like what the retro 500 should be. It's like every bit of design was an afterthought. I'd even go so far to say that it looks 'Chinese'

 

slightly OT but has anyone else seen the new 500 er, whatever FIAT call it? The estate 500. Fugly or what and IMO is nothing like what the retro 500 should be. It's like every bit of design was an afterthought. I'd even go so far to say that it looks 'Chinese'

Fiat-500L-MPW_2594426b.jpg

Not in the metal, but off to Frankfurt in under 2 week's so will see it there I can get some pics if you like?

Not in the metal, but off to Frankfurt in under 2 week's so will see it there I can get some pics if you like?

no, please don't

Thought you'd say that

slightly OT but has anyone else seen the new 500 er, whatever FIAT call it? The estate 500. Fugly or what and IMO is nothing like what the retro 500 should be. It's like every bit of design was an afterthought. I'd even go so far to say that it looks 'Chinese'

 

Fiat-500L-MPW_2594426b.jpg

The standard 500L is very likeable in the metal. Not convinced about that though.

There's a 500X coming too.

Notice your SW London, my son lives in Brockley, near you?

Nah - not really. Brockley is in Lewisham which is South London. We're more out to the West. In Putney, Wandsworth.

That big 500 is just another example of creating and milking a successful brand. Not my cup of tea all that marketing stuff, but I guess it must work.

slightly OT but has anyone else seen the new 500 er, whatever FIAT call it? The estate 500. Fugly or what and IMO is nothing like what the retro 500 should be. It's like every bit of design was an afterthought. I'd even go so far to say that it looks 'Chinese'

 

Fiat-500L-MPW_2594426b.jpg

OMG It's a real pig, and massive too.

They have some at the main dealer we bought ours from

up the road, haven't seen one out and about though.

Reminds me of George the hippo from Rainbow.

I agree with the negative comments about the 500L and XL or whatever they are called. Clearly a box with some 500 'details' grafted on - it just doesn't work.

They all want to milk the brand, as staib said, but surely this was a mistake. The Panda is the practical one, not the 500, and a Giant Panda would probably have been a better idea!

PS Elegance 75 - you knew we would say 'no pics' of that poor ugly duckling but do have a great time at Frankfurt and if you get chance to take any good shots and detail close-ups of the new Rapid Spaceback or VW up! GT (if it does debut there), I would be very grateful!!! Andy.

500L/XL/TooBig reminds me of the Mini Countryman....someone hit the +25% button on a photocopier, then hit the ugly filter in Photoshop..

500L/XL/TooBig reminds me of the Mini Countryman....someone hit the +25% button on a photocopier, then hit the ugly filter in Photoshop..

 

The 500L and XL are much bigger than you might expect from looking at the pictures. It's a good size family car.

If you want a city car outright power is not the 1st consideration, fuel economy and ease of parking is. From what i recall on tgear the twin air was knocked back on fuel cosumption, the 1.2 was the one to go for. If you want power and small buy a 500 160bhp abarth.