Abarth 595 Competizione 2018 Review

I actually laughed.

I'm a hot hatch buff through and through, and I absolutely love the Fiat Bambino and respect its heritage. But I wasn't too excited by this one. "Abarth can do better", was my initial thought after the cackling stopped.

Over the course of a week, however, the Abarth 595 Competizione grew on me like black dots of mould in a poorly-ventilated bathroom. I'm not about to say it's the best hot hatch in the world, because it's not.

But for some buyers it will feel close to it.

Despite the rock-hard suspension, the lack of cruise control or reversing camera, the pathetic turning circle and polarising design, the Abarth 595 Competizione has enough charm to keep you coming back for more.

A large dollop of the bubble car's charisma comes from its 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine, which belts out a very handy 132kW/250Nm. Motive force comes about after engine power is transferred through a five-speed manual gearbox, pumping through the front wheels.

That's enough gristle to blast the Italian wild child from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.7sec (6.9sec with the auto) then on to a top speed of 225km/h. In practice it feels faster once moving, the small engine taking time to build up steam and shift its 1045kg kerb mass – which is a fairly lardy for a car as long as a toothpick.

It lacks low-end grunt but this can be remedied somewhat with a clutch kick, the little five-speed manual revelling in shenanigans. You'll be laughing with the car, not at it, the wheels chirruping as torque overrides grip.

The Abarth 595 Competizione model get more power and torque than the regular Abarth 595 (107kW/206Nm) by way of a high performance air filter, a big Garrett turbocharger and a Monza exhaust system.

A manually-operated handbrake adds another cheeky element to the car if the driver is so inclined, but the real drawcard here is the dual Monza exhaust fitted as standard to all Competizione models. It's like hearing the unforgettable voice of Luciano Pavarotti booming from the mouth of a Chihuahua.

The engine note begins with a surprisingly gravelly idle and picks up in pitch and volume by 3000rpm. Rev it past 5000rpm and it starts to really sing and although it's not the fastest revving 16-valve hot hatch engine I've driven it's fun to blast through a few gears from low speed.

If you come off the throttle quickly, buttoning off, the Abarth exhaust note emits barks and sizzles, with the odd pop adding a touch of motorsport stimulus to the experience. Given its appearance and size, the car's voice will surprise a lot of a road users.

The five-speed manual gear shifter is well-placed, the spherical aluminium knob feels great in the hand and the clutch is light. For those who like to heel-and-toe the pedal spacing isn't too tight either. For all that, however, the gearshifts themselves are a little bit rubbery. I prefer more precision and tighter shift between gates. See the Civic Type R for how it's done.

Having five forward ratios is not enough, particularly on the freeway. Okay, so this next gripe is completely operator error, a result of habituation, but on the first few commutes I kept trying to slot it into sixth gear… It was such a grind.

Thrilling drive experience
It's a pretty retched car to drive on a daily basis, given its lack of cruise control, reversing camera, stiff suspension and pitiful turning circle of 10.7m. The tiny 187-litre boot is fairly impractical, too. But find a twisting ribbon of asphalt – preferably deserted – and the Abarth shines.

The rigid chassis allows the car to put its power to the ground very effectively in most situations, straight line or mid-corner, and it tracks surely through corners tight and open.

It's a pretty forgiving car to flog hard, defaulting to understeer when physics become overwhelming for its Michelin Pilot Sport tyres. There's no spare wheel. The light weight 17-inch alloys are shod with 205/40 aspect ratio rubber, which is adequate width for its size – but maybe not its weight.

Either way, you'll rarely have any significant moments, no matter how hard you push into and out of corners.

It's a fast and fun unit to drive at rapidly, the Brembo brakes are a good ally for the raucous engine and firm springs. There's 305mm front (ventilated and cross-drilled) and 240mm rear disc brakes, with aluminium Brembo brake calipers gnashing the discs with gusto.

The only problem with full-noise country blasts is the 35-litre fuel tank, which drains rapidly when you're making the car sing like Andrea Bocelli.

The Sabelt bucket seats are a $2000 option and although very supportive, are mounted rather high on rails. There's no height adjust so you sit up perched like a budgerigar. It almost feels like an SUV you ride so high, but that can be an advantage when eyeing off the next apex or getting a line of sight in traffic.

I'd advise trying the standard seats before dropping two large on the Sabelt pews.

Another quibble I had was the lack of reach adjust for the steering wheel but it's ameliorated somewhat by the awesome digital display integrated inside the instrument binnacle. There's also an aftermarket-inspired boost gauge which adds a dash of street wisdom.

The infotainment screen that displays maps, phone, radio and Bluetooth/USB music is small but it works. The teeny tiny screen comes with Tom-tom satellite navigation that looks outdated but is effective.

I also like the Beats stereo system, but that's a $900 option, and the interior is well finished and upholstered. Other options for this car include the red body paint ($500), black wheels ($400) and yellow-painted brake calipers ($300).

Along with the Sabelt seat, it takes the regular price of $31,990 to $36,090, which will be close to $40K when you add on-road costs. There are 10 colours to choose from along with five dual-tone choices.

The warranty is okay at three years/150,000km, while service intervals of 12 months/15,000km are better. It has two ISOFIX child seat bolts, electronic stability control and seven airbags.

But let's get something straight. If you're after a neat little city commuter car, this is not it. Get the standard Fiat 500 instead or look at the Volkswagen Polo GTI. However, if you're looking for a saucy little Italian with more ego and attitude than Kanye West, you may have found your perfect match.

2018 Abarth 595 Competizione pricing and specifications:
Price: $31,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 132kW/250Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel: 6.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 139g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: N/A