SA Road Tests

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This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Many of the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

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Growler: 2021 Fiat 500 Sport coupé

Il Passione

Pics by author

Posted: November 5, 2021


The numbers
Price: R269 900
Engine: 875 cc, SOHC 8-valve, twin-cylinder with MultiAir, turbocharged
Power: 62.5 kW at 5500 rpm
Torque: 145 Nm at 1950 rpm
0-100: 11.0 seconds
Top speed: 173 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.3 l/100 km
Tank: 35 litres
Luggage: 185 – 625 litres
Turning circle: 9.3 metres
Ground clearance: 114 mm
Towing, unbraked/braked: 400 kg/800 kg
Standard tyre size: 195/45R16
Warranty: Five years, 100 000 km
Service plan: None

Does it rasp? Does it growl? Does it bring out your inner wickedness? It will if you let it and you would be churlish not to.

Does it return, in the real world, the kind of fuel economy figures its maker (3.8 l/100 km) or Car magazine (4.8 l/100 km) claim for it? I challenge you to try but, if you have an ounce of gusto in your soul, you will fail miserably. It’s 875 cc, two-cylinder turbomotor is simply too much fun to waste.

The tiny motor not only thrives on revs but needs to be kept “boiling” in order to deliver its best - so there you go, Schumi-ing along happily, heeling and toeing, pointing and squirting, having more fun than a treeful of vervets, while doing no serious harm to any major speed limits in the process. This is what fun is made of but it’s not the formula for ultimate fuel economy, unfortunately.

Fiat’s diminutive 500, that has grown only 301 mm since the original Topolino of 1936, is still a cult machine. Over three million examples of 500 and its various siblings have been sold since 2007, while picking up a “World’s Most Beautiful Automobile” award in 2008.

The local range was facelifted and re-aligned a few months ago and now comprises six models; entry-level Cult, somewhat smarter Connect, jaunty-looking Sport and top-level Dolcevita. That’s offered in AMT (automatic) only. Cabriolet versions of Sport and Dolcevita are available at R50 000 extra.

Cult starts the ball rolling with 14-inch steel wheels, five-speed manual transmission, halogen headlights but LED DRLs, fabric upholstery, U-Connect radio with USB ports, manual air conditioning, seven airbags, central locking and ESC.

Connect, as its name suggests, upgrades to seven-inch touchscreen audio with CarPlay and Android Auto; 15-inch alloy wheels; automatic air conditioning; cruise control; stop-and-start that can, fortunately, be switched off and forgotten; rain and dusk sensors and parking monitors.

Sport looks the part with foglamps, 16” wheels, rear spoiler, panoramic glass roof, combination fabric and vinyl sports seats and a big, shiny tailpipe; to show it means business.

Dolcevita boasts a five-speed autobox at R5 000 extra.

Our Sport test machine was finished in Passione Red, one of thirteen choices although seriously, how can any hot-blooded Italian hotrod be painted in anything but one or other shade of ruby, scarlet, burgundy, cherry or crimson? Anything else just isn’t natural.

On a more practical level, the car thrums along happily at about 3100 rpm for 120 km/h in fifth and although that is past its torque peak, roll-on acceleration is still acceptable. Its 185-litre boot is able to carry a full trolley-load of groceries; albeit at a squeeze. The rear seatback splits 50:50 and folds with a step. A Spacesaver spare is stored under the baseboard.

Passenger space in the back would be problematic for a pair of rugby forwards because the car is only 3546 mm long, 1627 wide and 1488 mm tall. It takes up less than three-quarters of a standard South African parking space and almost vanishes under my home carport. Verdict: Rugger buggers in front, OK; but only two little ones in the back, please.

Fiat 500: Possibly perfect for singles or medium-sized parents with small-to-medium kids, reasonably practical, not the least thirsty of them all but arguably the world’s most fun on a budget.

Test unit from Stellantis SA press fleet

We drove a Panda with the same engine in 2017

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments or questions?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you completely disagree with what I say? If you want advice or have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.