At its core, the Abarth 500 is a cutesy, yet angry-looking performance version of the Fiat 500. As an Abarth owner myself, I have to admit it’s nowhere near quick enough to compete with modern-day hot hatches. On the other hand, after hearing its truly one-of-a-kind exhaust note, you’ll realize why there’s nothing wrong with being full of flair, but not much firepower.
Despite being the underdog, the Abarth 500 is a quirky, vocal, and affordable car that’ll slap you silly with a smile during every drive. Best of all, though, since the Abarth 500 has been on the market for more than a decade, these are tremendous deals, with the majority listed for less than $10,000.
What You Need To Know About The Abarth 500
The Fiat Abarth 500 comes with either a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automated manual transmission – but between you and me, avoid the automatic model like the plague. Just like the Fiat 500, the Abarth comes either as a hardtop hatchback or a convertible with a retractable canvas roof. But the true star of the show is its mighty little 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine under its tiny hood, and it’s complemented by a throaty exhaust.
To add to its little race car charm, Abarth models have a stiff suspension setup that makes for a nimble, if somewhat terrifying, charisma. Despite Europe and other countries worldwide receiving special versions of the 500, dubbed the 595 and 695, the North American Abarth 500 has up to 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. That’s more than enough grunt, considering this noisy gumdrop weighs around 2,500 lbs. I like to think of the Abarth 500 as something that has enough power to get you into trouble, but not enough to put you behind bars.
Quirky and over-the-top are words synonymous with the Abarth 500. Interior space is cramped, but enough for one or two to make a trip to a neighboring town and back. However, it’s anything but bland. Its cabin is stylish with some proper racecar gimmicks like a boost gauge, aluminum pedals, and a button labeled TTC that activates an electronic limited-slip differential. If that’s not enough to get you feeling like a professional go-kart driver, nothing will. On the outside, the Abarth acts much tougher than it is, with wide arches that accommodate oversized wheels, an aggressive retro design, and dual-exhaust tips that rumbles with the heart of a thousand lions.
Abarth 500 Reliability
But no one is perfect, not even the Abarth 500. In traditional Italian car fashion, the Abarth 500 has some reliability hiccups. For the most part, many owners claim that a well-kept Abarth 500 will be dependable, and I can attest to that with nothing more than a few wear-and-tear items taking a bite of my savings.
But just like the human body, if you neglect and abuse it, you’ll have a tough time. Abused and neglected examples may suffer from a host of issues, from turbo failure to electrical gremlins, but the Abarth 500’s Achilles heel is its automatic transmission. Fortunately, I own a stickshift Abarth, but I know of one too many automatic owners who experienced catastrophic transmission failure.
According to owner forums, some owners receive bills of up to $5,000 to repair that clunky transmission. That said, there is a wide range of aftermarket support available to help you maintain and upgrade your Abarth to chop and change it to your heart’s desire. At the moment, I only have a downpipe installed on my Abby, and that’s more than enough to turn heads, wake up neighbors, and have people ask me, “Is that stock?” On top of that, Abarth enthusiasts are abundant, meaning access to advice will always be available, too, from online forums and YouTube creators, among others.
Should You Buy One?
Finding a fun, affordable used car in the modern age is easier said than done. With heaps of depreciated European cars, bland Japanese ones, and everything in between, finding affordable fun is more difficult than ever. While you can find an old rear-wheel-drive sports car, like an abused Nissan 350Zs or a clapped-out Toyota GT86, none have the same flair as the Abarth 500. And despite being slower than other hot hatch rivals like the Mini Cooper S and Ford Fiesta ST with a 0 to 60 mph time of around 6.5 seconds, the Abarth 500 has charisma — the kind of charisma you only get with an Italian performance car.
Forget what the spec sheet says, the Abarth 500 is all about fun and being flamboyant. And for less than $10,000, there are very few four-wheeled things that give you as much joy. Sure, the Abarth 500 is flawed but zealous, and it makes up for the potential reliability hiccups with one hell of a lot of personality.
If you want a reliable, cheap form of transport, consider an old Toyota Corolla. But if you want to spice up your life with a loud exhaust, and don’t think you’ll ever get tired of being asked, “What’s an Abarth?” over and over again, think about buying a used Abarth 500 — it’s the most legal fun you can have for $10,000. Not convinced yet? Unlike any other hot hatches, the Abarth 500’s successor ditched its internal combustion engine for a big battery, meaning gas-powered examples may become future classics sooner rather than later.
