Abarth 595: stylish, funky hatch

this is unquestionably it.

The Abarth 595 looks great and is quick enough to entertain yet not so overblown that it brings with it massive bills. In short, it’s perfectly pitched if you can afford the premium this variant demands over the existing 135bhp Abarth 500 model.

Citroen’s DS3 comes close, but Abarth has really upped the standard and offered all of those cool design cues in an even more distilled form. Of course, there will be some who sniff at the relatively modest 160bhp power output and claim it could be faster, ignoring the fact that extra power would probably ruin this car’s delightful handling balance.

Flog it off the line and the 1.4-litre T-Jet turbocharged petrol engine will deliver 60mph to you in a mere 7.1 seconds en route to a top speed of 127mph. That should be quick enough to get your jollies, especially when peak torque is achieved at a mere 3,000rpm.

Useable power in a small package? Brilliant.

The quoted economy figure for a manual Abarth 595 Turismo is 52.3mpg on the combined cycle and even around town it’ll manage 33.2mpg.

Emissions are pegged at 155g/km.

Whether you choose the Turismo or Competizione, hard top or soft top, manual or MTA paddle shift gearbox, it’s hard not to find a place in your heart for a car this cheeky. You’ll need to keep an eye on the price you end up paying when looking at option packs, but other than that, there’s not much cause for complaint here.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Abarth 595 range

PRICES: £17,725-£20,625 - on the road

INSURANCE GROUPS: 28 [est]

CO2 EMISSIONS: 155g/km

PERFORMANCE: 0-60 7.1secs/ 127mph

FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 52.3mpg

STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, head & side airbags, ABS, stability control

WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/height mm 3657/1727/1485

WHO TO SEE: Research Abarth, Barling Way, Eliot Park, Nuneaton, CV10 7RH. Tel: 024 76 377170