Fiat 500 TwinAir Pop business car road test report
Fiat 500 TwinAir Pop
What is it?
THE world’s most eco-friendly engine – so claims Fiat. Just like the original Fifties 500, the latest version of the Fiat 500 is now available with a two-cylinder unit, called TwinAir. Packing 875cc and promising 95g/km and 68.9mpg economy, is it the ideal city car for business drivers? We tested the entry-level Pop-trimmed version, which costs £10,865.
What’s hot?
- Turn the key and give it a rev and it sounds like the original 500…
- …mixed with a super-smooth motorbike!
- Thanks to clever variable valve timing and a turbo it kicks out 86PS
- And 145Nm of torque from 1,900rpm…
- …so it feels nippy in town and keeps up on the motorway
- Stop-start comes as standard; it works smoothly
- Low emissions mean TwinAir is congestion charge and road tax-free
- The benefit in kind company car tax rating is just 10%
- And the Fiat 500 Twin Air also qualifies for 100% first year WDA
- Chassis is agile
- Cheeky looks inside and out are still very appealing
What’s not?
- The gearbox has widely spaced ratios so you have to rev it a lot…
- …which impacts on real-world economy. We averaged only 40mpg
- If you want real driving fun, go for a MINI
- The driving position means tall drivers sit quite high
- The ride can be quite bouncy over rough roads
What you need to Know?
| P11D Value: | 10,810 |
| Monthly Rental*: | 156 (CH)/£187 (PCH) |
| Tax Band when posted: | 10%, 10%, 10% |
| Monthly BiK: | Click link for BIK |
| Engine: | 0.9 2cyl petrol turbo |
| CO2 Emissions: | 95g/km |
| Power/torque: | 86PS/145Nm |
| Economy: | 68.9mpg |
Business Car Manager Road Test Rating
With its cheerful motorbike-style engine note, this is a Fiat 500 that’s even easier to love than usual. However, because you have to rev the little engine a lot to keep up with traffic, there are question marks over the TwinAir’s real-world economy. That said, the tax benefits are crystal clear – both from the driver’s company car tax perspective and the business car purchase viewpoint – and along with residuals that are likely to be very strong, businesses are sure to fall for the charms of this chic city car.
