The Best, Worst Car
This sounds familiar doesn’t it? Last week, I wrote about the worst, best car. This week I’m flipping that around. The difference is this: The worst, best car would be car number 50 on a top 50 list, while the best, worst car would be at the top of its class on a worst 50 list. In my opinion, this list is harder to put together simply because, even though there are cars that I absolutely don’t like, I do appreciate most cars, and I understand that each has something to bring to the table. That being said, I will have to find a car that is rated poorly because consumers have rated it as such, but at the same time, that has quite a few redeeming qualities.
That brings us to our culprit: the Fiat 500 Abarth. Fiat made a comeback to the American Car market with its merger with Chrysler. Since that time, the Fiat-Chrysler group has consistently ranked among the least reliable cars. Along with their reputation for using poor materials and shoddy craftsmanship, the car manufacturer just can’t seem to rise above the pack with their ratings.
The Charger and Challenger always seem to have issues, per their owners, while Jeep is the most towed vehicle on the road, according to AAA. The Fiat 500 is right there with all of them. They just aren’t the most reliable, or the most luxurious, or the most refined cars. They’re also tiny, which limits their practicality, and they just don’t have the reputation that other cars do. Even the larger 500L is often tested and rated as one of the worst tested cars by just about every source. The 500 Abarth has the unfortunate honor of being in the same family, but it also does a lot of things better than its siblings and cousins.
The major redeeming quality of the Fiat 500 is that it’s cute, playful, and engaging to drive. If that’s the case, which it is, the 500 Abarth is more so. Packing a 157 horsepower, turbocharged engine, this diminutive little creature can put a smile on even the most stoic of people. It’s zippy, it sounds terrific, and it even has some “go fast” racing stripes to give it more of a serious face. Still, you can’t help but smile as you see one whiz by.
The 500 Abarth is a true enthusiast’s car through and through. Perhaps that’s why there aren’t very many on the road. The car is affordable enough, but for two seats and not as much cargo room, why wouldn’t you get an MX-5 Miata or the 500’s new little brother, the 124 Spider. For a comparable price, you get a retractable roof and just as many smiles. At least with the MX-5, you get all the fun with all the reliability and low maintenance costs. The lack of an exhaust note can be rectified quite easily.
Ultimately, the bane of the 500 Abarth is its relatives. The family of Fiat-Chrysler lets itself down here, but if you choose the 500 Abarth as your next vehicle remember this: Despite the poor reliability, tiny amount of cargo and passenger room, and cheap materials, you will get more than your money’s worth for each second of joy that you experience as you drive down the road.
–SWF
