Auto gearbox ruins new Fiat 500 TwinAir

The original city car, the Fiat 500 continues to look cute and stylish as it strolls through the busy city streets of Johannesburg, South Africa.

With almost 60 years of heritage behind the 500 name, the gurus over at Fiat decided to capitalise on this rich history and embody these elements in the refreshed 500. Now on sale, Fiat’s only new car for 2016 encounters mainstream and niche competitors but only the Smart ForTwo offers a valid comparison with Honda Brio, Opel Adam and Renault Clio fairly demure in execution.

Off the bat, it’s distinctly Fiat 500. The cute exterior styling hasn’t changed much, but rather been tweaked and improved to include a hint of modern wishes like LED headlights.

The subtle changes might be difficult to pick up by the untrained eye and Fiat understands that its best hope is to tug on those familiar heart strings that may exist for the most irrational reasons. The car has always exuded the cuteness factor and thanks to its Italian roots, it knows how to be a fashion icon everywhere it goes.

Moving inside however, Fiat has made a conscious effort to make the Fiat 500 a city car with young appeal. Better quality materials result in a quieter cabin and the list of equipment is perfect for those short commutes while rear space and headroom is not to be sniffed at.

I was most impressed with our test car which arrived in the top “Lounge” trim. The Uconnect Radio with a five-inch touchscreen is a breeze to use for all media and the leather steering wheel, with multifunction control, adds a touch of luxury to the classy cabin layout. Panoramic sunroof, 15-inch alloys and chrome plated grille – in Lounge specification – join a host of other material, visual and safety updates.

Sticking with the idea of “small”, Fiat opted to downsize the 500 powertain. The result is a vibrant 0.9 TwinAir engine. This two-cylinder machine which has grabbed downsizing habits with both hands boasts 77kW of power and hums along with ease. Earmarked for its record-breaking performance from a small engine, the engineers in the whitecoats over at Fiat have done a decent job with the engine.

During our test, we were able to average around 6.3 litres/100km, respectable considering the driving conditions but perhaps not better than the common 3 or even 4-cylinder engines. However, our first choice would definitely be the manual gearbox, as the automatic transmission seems clumsy and indecisive. Cruising up a hill, you’ll suddenly be confronted by a violent down shift, sending the engine revs soaring, only for the automatic gearbox to shift up again, resulting in the revs dropping substantially and all forward momentum dissolves.

The little Italian gearbox does take some getting used to from those harsh whiplash tendencies. The best piece of advice is to leave it in manual override, offering you some chance to take the randomness out of the gear selection process.

Overall, the 2016 Fiat 500 has retained much of its charm, which captured so many of our hearts all those years ago. The dimensions remain unchanged and the exterior still has that bubble appeal. I’m a fan of what Fiat has done on the technological front. Its engine line-up is right up my alley and actually suits the car’s personality. My only gripe is the gearbox. It has no place in the year 2016 and sadly all those other improvements drown in its company.

Read more about the Fiat 500 range in South Africa here  

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