I also currently have an 500
C Abarth in the stable. Being a "C" it's a convertible so i feel like I can speak directly to your ( @
EZBRZY ) question.
PROS
Like many have noted, Abarth's are
incredibly fun cars. The convertible model even more so. So much character, from the gutsy little engine, to the extremely well conceived design, to that incredible Abarth exhaust note. It pops and cracks and barks like a car 3 classes up. The low weight combined with gobs of torque make it dart through holes in traffic and up hills in a way that it feels like it shouldn't be able to. It has intangibles just as my FR-S does. It feels
right.
The steering is good. In sport mode, the steering weight is actually heavier than the FR-S. The steering wheel is slightly thicker than the FR-S'. It delivers less feedback than the FR-S though, but then again few modern cars under $60k manage what the FR-S does in that department.
The 500C Abarth has a lot of body roll, but plenty of grip. Drive it smooth and after the roll, the tires hook up and stick. At the limit, it understeers like all FWD cars do. We haven't changed the shocks, springs, or sways to mitigate this. The car was never intended to be that serious.
The car has been
very reliable.
Fix It Again Tony never showed up with this car. Only issues were a creaking sound in the passenger door and the convertible top doesn't seal perfectly when put through an automated touch car wash (which we shouldn't be doing anyhow). The paint is harder than the paint on my FR-S so it has fewer chips and took to polishing well.
Long highway drives are more comfortable than a person might think. We regularly take this car from O.C. to San Francisco (about 500 miles each way). The softer springs on the "C" model make touring a comfortable non-fatiguing event. It soaks bumps like a larger car and maneuvers around debris like a go-kart. It's especially good for highway trips given that the little Abarth can keep up with nearly everything on the road with just a downshift.
The mileage is very good. We've been able to regularly manage 40 MPG on the highway if the speed is kept 55-65 mph. Grand touring at 70-90 mph drops the mileage to about 30ish. In the city about 26 is normal in So Cal's congested streets.
The convertible top is made of decent fabric that hasn't stained or faded. The power mechanism still feels as good as it did 3 years ago. Dropping the top is a treat, especially cruising on PCH or driving through the mountains.
Stock the 1.4L Turbo motor is a great deal of fun on regular grade gas. It needs nothing. Still if you'd like to mod, it safely outputs 190- 200 WHP /200-220 TQ with just an ECU tune. There are many plug and play tuning options for the car. At 2500 lbs, this is massive amounts of fun.
CONS specific to the convertible.
When the top is all the way down you lose rear-view mirror visibility
completely. As in, all you see in the rear view mirror is the folded down top. This is mitigated by the car being so dang short that the side view convex mirror nearly shows the driver what's behind the car. Seriously it's that short.
The 500C has a trunk instead of a hatchback like standard 500 models. This reduces the cargo space considerably over standard 500s. This can only be your only car if you have a lifestyle that supports not carrying much more than 5 bags of groceries or a couple of carry-on bags (one in the trunk, one in the back seat).
General Cons
The shifter throws are long as shit on all models. Get a short shifter kit if this bugs you.
Nothing else. Fuck it's a little fun car.
In the end
We'll be regrettably returning the Abarth after it's 3 year lease is up this weekend. For what? A 500X CUV (Pop/Base trim) with MT and the same 1.4L Turbo engine that we will turn into a quasi 500X Abarth or Mini-Macan. That's how good this little car has been. Loved it. Might even make a build thread for the 500X on some Fiat board. The actual 500X Abarth will be out next year sometime, but who knows at what powertrain and price. Too late for us. In the end, the 500C Abarth has been an absolute blast, and if you're in a place to fit one in your life it's highly recommended.
I wont speak to the Porsche cause I haven't owned one.
p.s. residual value on our 500C Abarth is $16,600, purchase price was $26.5k). If you can find one for anywhere near $16k. You've found a deal. Best of luck.