Review of the year - March 09
This month is all about the hot 500, plus two very different tests inspired by the credit crunch
The Geneva Motor Show means this is a traditionally barren month for testing. With makers focusing on showing off future models at one of the world’s top expos, few schedule new car launches for this busy time.
Thankfully, there was one newcomer we all wanted to get our hands on – the Abarth 500. The Fiat 500 wowed the world in 2008, and now it was time for the Italian firm’s sporting arm to shine. The hot baby arrived with a bang, but finding the right rival wasn’t easy. While the Abarth would not measure up to, say, Vauxhall’s Corsa VXR, it could shame most sporty city cars.
In the end, its first victim was Mitsubishi’s Colt Ralliart – which, despite proving that it had more than a touch of its big brother Evo’s DNA, simply couldn’t match the drama of the Abarth.
It was the immeasurable head- turning abilities of the feisty 500 that also earned it a place in a second March road test. Inspired by “get the look for less” features found in countless fashion mags, we applied the principle to cars. Could you really achieve the feel of the hottest models around at a fraction of the price? The answer for a nation in bargain-hunting mood was a resounding yes.
Used - available now
2025 SEAT
Ateca
18,231 milesManualPetrol1.5L
Cash £16,985
2015 Dacia
Sandero
53,000 milesManualDiesel1.5L
Cash £4,290
2022 Renault
Arkana
22,105 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L
Cash £16,799
2021 Kia
Sportage
28,115 milesAutomaticPetrol1.6L
Cash £19,299In a similar vein, we brought together four pairs of new cars at four different price points. At each budget we found one option to appeal to the heart and one to the head: Which you chose depended on how adventurous you were feeling in March!
Click any of the links below to catch up with all the rest of the year's most exciting stories.
December
Verdict
Tester's notes
I’m often asked how many miles I rack up every year, and the simple answer is I don’t know. With so many cars passing through the office, it’s hard to keep track of how far you’ve driven in a week, never mind a year.
One test this month had us travelling further than usual – and at a sedate pace too. In our rundown of the supermini sector’s economy heroes, we headed to Exmoor in Somerset to see just how frugal the latest crop of small cars really can be.
And that wasn’t the endof the cold weather for me, as I also headed off to the Geneva Motor Show to present some of the Auto Express video coverage. In a frenetic few hours, I got up close to a number of models in time for the films to be edited by the end of the day.
I was back just in time for our ‘how to look good for less’ test… after another lengthy drive, of course!
Ross Pinnock
Road test editor
