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Abarth 595 variants
Total price
Monthly payment

Finance representative example (PCP)

Total cash price £17,999. Borrowing £16,199 with a £1,800 deposit at a representative APR of 11.9%.

48 monthly payments
£338.36
Fixed interest rate
11.9%
Total amount payable
£23,074.45
Cost of credit
£5,075.45
Optional final payment
£5,033.00
Purchase fee
£10.00
Annual mileage limit
6000 miles

Abarth 595 buying guide

There are a few different engine and trim options for the Abarth 595. This guide will explain each version so you can pick the best one for you.

What Abarth 595 trim levels are there?

Entry-level Abarth models are simply named 595 and get alloy wheels, fabric front sports seats, steel pedals, air conditioning, and a touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Pista trim adds a larger alloy wheels and a more powerful engine.

Next up is Turismo, which features the more powerful engine of Pista cars along with upgraded Koni suspension, leather upholstery, auto lights and wipers, rear parking sensors, and built-in sat nav for the infotainment system.

Range-topping Competizione cars gain an even more powerful engine, a louder quad-exit sports exhaust, racier-looking alloy wheels, Alcantara suede upholstery and a steel gear knob.

Abarth has also released several special editions of the 595 including models honouring its connection with Ferrari, Maserati and even the Yamaha MotoGP team. These cars often feature upgraded kit lists and are worth keeping an eye out for.

Abarth 595 interior and technology

There’s no mistaking that the Abarth 595 is built on the bones of a fairly affordable car and that shows with some cheaper plastics used in the cabin. However, like the regular 500, the Abarth manages to lift its cabin with some funky styling details that hark back to the ‘50s Fiat 500. Neat touches include a dashboard panel reminiscent of old-fashioned fridges, an illuminated boost gauge mounted in a pod, the snappy gear lever that’s mounted right next to the steering wheel, and a single circular instrument display.

The infotainment is shared with the regular 500 and other Fiat models and is reasonably easy to use. We’d prefer it if it was a little more responsive to the touch and the graphics aren’t as appealing as some rival systems, but all versions include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, granting you access to your preferred navigation and entertainment apps.

If you regularly need to use more than two seats, the Abarth 595 might prove to be too small for you. There’s very little space for rear seat passengers, and adults will only be happy back there for very short trips. However, if you treat the back row mainly as extra storage, with more available if you fold the seats down, the Abarth isn’t too tricky to live with.

Abarth 595 engine range explained

Abarth 595 145

The entry-level 145hp engine might not sound all that powerful but it’ll still get the 595 to 62mph from rest in less than eight seconds.

Abarth 595 165

Jumping up to the 165hp version drops the 0-62mph time down to 7.3 seconds. You won’t really notice the extra power if you’re cruising around, but it becomes more obvious when accelerating hard, with the 165 easily able to put you in licence-losing territory if you’re careless.

Abarth 595 180

Top-spec Competizione and certain special edition Abarths have their engines tuned all the way up to 180hp. In a car this small, that’s an awful lot of power, with the steering wheel squirming in your hands like an excited puppy when you floor it. The 0-62mph run is dispatched in 6.7 seconds, putting it neck and neck with several much more powerful hot hatches.

Abarth 595 FAQs

There are two versions of the Abarth 595 and both are strictly four seaters only. The regular 595 is a three door with a hatchback boot lid, while the 595C is a two-door convertible with a smaller boot lid hinged below the rear window. The 595C’s fabric roof folds behind the rear headrests when open, but leaves the side roof rails in place – similar to a big sunroof – for better protection from the elements.

If you’re shopping for nearly new or used Abarth 595 cars, you might want to compare it to models such as the Suzuki Swift Sport, Ford Fiesta ST or Hyundai i20N. The Abarth is slightly smaller than those cars but, in most cases, is either cheaper or more powerful when compared like-for-like.

The Abarth 595 is less than 3.7 metres long, making it one of the smallest hot hatches you can buy, and noticeably smaller than the Fiesta ST, Swift Sport and i20N. Its short length plus rear parking sensors on mid-range Turismo cars and up means it’ll fit into most parking spaces – although the turning circle isn’t quite as tight as some rivals thanks to the Abarth’s wide alloy wheels.

Its small size means there isn’t a lot of passenger space in the Abarth. Front occupants have just about enough room to get comfortable, but the two rear seat passengers will struggle with very limited leg and elbow room. The front sports seats are really nice to sit in but also quite bulky, making access to the back harder than a standard 500. Unsurprisingly, the boot is also fairly small but, if you fold the rear seats down, there’s room for around two large suitcases and several soft bags.

All Abarth 595s use the same 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine available with either 145, 165 or 180hp. For most buyers, the least powerful car is more than quick enough, with a raucous engine sound and an aggressive edge when you floor it. However, if you stretch to the more powerful versions, the car feels even more bonkers when the turbo kicks in, making for a hilarious driving experience.

Considering Fiat hasn't always enjoyed the best reputation for reliability, there are no widespread reports of dependability issues with the Abarth 595.

Some Abarth owners use their cars for track driving and racing. If you plan on indulging in this little car's performance, be aware you'll probably wear through consumable parts such as tyres and brakes quite a lot faster than a regular road car.

As a bonus, most of the 595's parts beyond the engine and gearbox are shared with the regular Fiat 500. That means replacements are generally available and affordable, and labour shouldn't be too expensive.

You can always specify an extended warranty that kicks in once the manufacturer's coverage ends. This will protect you if your car has an unexpected mechanical or electrical failure.

That depends somewhat on your perspective. Compared to regular hatchbacks, the Abarth will feel very fast, with basic models sprinting from 0-62mph in less than eight seconds and top-end models managing it in less than seven.

If you've already driven some serious performance cars, however, the Abarth's outright acceleration isn't going to be that impressive.

From behind the wheel, however, its on-paper acceleration figures are less important. The Abarth is fun to drive at every speed with a characterful turbocharged engine that feels refreshingly 'old-school' compared to today's somewhat digital hyper hatches.