The 2018 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso.

I've told the story before...how my Uncle Ron's refusal to own anything but a convertible ('53 Corvette, '55 Thunderbird, '59 Thunderbird, '63 Thunderbird Sports Roadster, '69 Cougar XR-7) made me a lifelong sucker for an open car. 

Make it a beautiful convertible and give me an El Dorado County, California backroad on a late afternoon in early spring, and I'm a goner.

2018 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso.

That pretty much sums up where I am on the 2018 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso.  Yes, it's mostly a Mazda MX-5 Miata (no bad thing) with a Fiat turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder where the Mazda's 2.0 naturally-aspirated four usually lives (a potentially worrisome thing for those of us raised during the "Fix It Again, Tony" years of Fiat's first run on these shores).

But it's five inches longer than the Mazda, giving it better proportions, and the styling is an echo of the 1970s 128 Spider and more pleasing to some eyes (including mine) than the current angry look of the Miata.

And its extra weight (193 pounds, from the added length, thicker rear glass, added sound deadening in the firewall and under the carpet plus an acoustic windshield) plus a touring suspension makes the Spider feel smoother and more refined than its Japanese cousin.

2018 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso interior.

Ours was the top-of-the-line Lusso.  Base price $27,495.  Leather-trimmed seats, a rear-view camera, keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers, electronic stability control, an enhanced accident response system, speed control, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, a four-speaker AM/FM Bluetooth radio with seven-inch display and Pandora, aha and Stitcher apps, voice control, automatic climate control, heated seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, a soft-touch upper instrument panel, piano black interior accents, a premium silver rollbar cover, a six-way driver and four-way passenger seat (both manually adjusted), convertible roof with acoustic headliner, 17-inch aluminum wheels, automatic bi-function projector headlamps, front fog lamps, power mirrors, LED taillamps, body-color side sills and skirts, dual exhausts with bright tips and a tire service kit (there is no spare) are all standard equipment.

And, of course, our tester came with extra-cost options:

• Comfort and Convenience Group (blind spot and crosspath detection, rear parking assist, heated exterior mirrors, auto-dimming exterior mirror, auto-dimming rearview mirror, universal garage door opener, security alarm): $1,495.
• Navigation and Sound Group (upgraded nine-speaker Bose audio system with subwoofer, Sirius XM Satellite radio and GPS navigation): $1,395.
• Visibility Group (Adaptive LED headlamps, automatic headlamp leveling system, headlamp washer and LED daytime running lamps): $995.
• Six-speed automatic transmission with a leather-wrapped shift knob: $1,350.

The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth.

Back in January, I wrote about the Fiat 124 Spider Lusso, saying that, as a beauty addict, I found it in many ways more desirable than the current-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata on which it is based and which ain't no slouch (the Miata ranks a solid #3 on the TireKicker's Best Cars list on the right-hand side of this page). 

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth.

Comes now the 2017  Fiat 124 Spider Abarth.  Same 1.4-liter Multi-Air Turbo engine making the same 160 horsepower it makes in the Lusso, but exhaling through a special performance-tuned exhaust system that gives the Abarth a raspy snarl you won't hear in the other Spiders. The EPA fuel economy estimate is 26 city/35 highway, which is one higher than the Lusso's city estimate and one lower than the Lusso's highway number.

Beyond that, the differences are in looks and suspension.  The Abarth gets dark gun metallic trim and 17-inch gun metallic aluminum wheels.  Were you to equip your Abarth with an automatic transmission (what's the Italian word for sacrilege?), you'd get paddle shifters.  Our tester came as God intended...with a six-speed manual.

Where the Abarth brings it is in a Bilstein performance suspension with a front strut tower brace, Bilstein shocks, stiffer front and rear springs and a rear stabilizer bar.  In an afternoon on the winding back roads from TireKicker World Headquarters in Folsom, California through the Sierra foothills and back, the car was an absolute marvel to drive. 

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth interior.

$28,195 gets you all the above, as well as a sport mode selector, cruise control, remote proximity keyless entry, a rear back-up camera, rain-sensitive windshield wipers, tire pressure monitoring, and the Abarth Track Experience, which gives you free access to a day's worth of track time.

There's also a perfectly adequate four-speaker audio system, automatic climate control, heated front seats, automatic headlamps, front fog lamps, power mirrors, LED taillamps, a quad exhaust with bright tips and a tire service kit.

Our tester came with one option package and one stand-alone option.  The package was the Luxury Collection with SiriusXM satellite radio.  It includes sport leather seats, an upgraded 9-speaker plus subwoofer Bose audio system, blind spot and cross-path detection, rear park assist, GPS navigation, LED adaptive headlamps, which are automatic-leveling units with washers, heated exterior mirrors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a universal garage door opener ($3,995).  The stand-alone was a set of four red Brembo performance brakes ($1,495). 

With $995 destination charge, the bottom line came to $34,680....a shade more than a thousand dollars higher than the Lusso we drove earlier in the year.   The choice comes down to your personality and driving style. 

The 2017 Fiat 500X Trekking.

A couple of years ago, the Phoenix Bureau reviewed the Fiat 500X, in Pop trim.  We're here to say that review pretty much nailed it.  Whatever your pre-conceptions of the Fiat 500X, if you haven't driven it, you're probably wrong.

2017 Fiat 500X Trekking.

The biggest misconception is that it's just a Fiat 500 pulled and stretched and tweaked to its absolute limits to cash in on the small crossover SUV craze.

Nope.

The Fiat 500X is actually a purpose-built small crossover SUV that has a styling resemblance to the baby 500.  In fact, the 500X is a very close cousin to the Jeep Renegade (Jeep being a product of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles).  And if it's good enough for Jeep (setting aside the unfortunate first Compass a decade ago), it's very good indeed.  The first few minutes at the wheel convey a sense of solidity and security.  It's nimble, but purposeful.  It's an Italian Jeep.

The Fiat 500X starts at $19,995 for the base Pop model with a 1.4-liter, 160 horsepower turbo four and a six-speed manual transmission.  The Lounge model is a luxury trim, starting at $25,150.  And our tester is the Trekking, which slots in between at $23,350 base.  Both the Trekking and the Lounge get a little something in the engine bay, a 2.4-liter, 180-horsepower four with a nine-speed automatic. EPA fuel economy estimate: 22 city/30 highway.

The 500X also includes 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, wheel arch moldings, satin chrome exterior accents, distinctive front and rear fascias, cornering fog lamps and lower bodyside cladding. And there's a Uconnect 5.0 system with touchscreen, deep-tinted privacy glass and a stone finish instrument panel.

2017 Fiat 500X Trekking interior.

The fact that the Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade are platform-mates shows just how far we've come from the bad old days of badge engineering (build the same machine, put different names on it).  The exterior styling is very much its own, and the interior is like nothing you'll ever see anywhere but in an Italian vehicle.  We've always been big fans of the thickly-padded seats in the Fiat 500. Glad to see they've carried them over into the 500X as well.

Our tester had options.  The leather-trimmed buckets among them ($900).  There was also Customer Preferred Package 27G, which is the cold weather package of heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a windshield wiper de-icer ($450).

The Advanced Safety Package consists of lane departure warning, full speed forward collision warning, rear parking assist, blind spot monitoring with cross-path detection, automatic high beam control and rain sensitive wipers ($1,295).

The Front Wheel Drive Trekking Premium Package adds 18-inch aluminum wheels, a Beats premium audio system, a dual-pane power sunroof and all-season tires ($1,495).  A cautionary note about that sunroof...the sunshade that comes with it is not solid, but a very fine mesh.  Great for ambient light, yes, but if you live in a hot climate (and it was 107-109 in Sacramento the week we had our tester), it cooks the interior to a point where the climate control has a tough time keeping up.

And finally, the Trekking Popular Equipment Package, with a rear-view backup camera, power 8-way driver's seat and manual passenger seat, with a four-way lumbar adjustment for the driver, dual-zone automatic climate control and ambient lighting ($995).

Add all that up with $995 destination charge and the bottom line is $29,480. That's actually $2,020 less than the loaded Jeep Renegade Limited 4X4 we reviewed earlier this year, and something of a bargain for a loaded small crossover SUV, where price stickers usually end up in the low 30s.

The 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso.

I am a beauty addict.

That's why I came thisclose to buying a 1979 Fiat Spider brand new.  And why the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider speaks so strongly to me now.

2017 Fiat 124 Spider and 1967 Fiat Spider.

What made the purchase of the Spider 38 years ago a near miss was Fiat's reputation for gross unreliability.  Being 23 years old and making enough money to buy the car, but not enough to get on a first-name basis with Italian mechanics, I balked and bought a Toyota Corolla instead.

In bringing back its 1960s and 70s halo car, Fiat wisely chose to take another company's fully-baked product, the Mazda MX-5 Miata, and make styling changes to make it resemble the original Spider.  Those of us who think the current Miata's styling a bit too blunt and cartoonish will appreciate the Fiat 124 Spider's sense of proportion (it's five and a half inches longer than the Miata) and flowing lines.

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso.

But...

While we've raved for many years about the overall goodness of the MX-5 Miata, Fiat didn't stop with the styling.  They got into the mechanicals, too.  The springs, dampers and anti-roll bars are unique to the 124 Spider.  And, perhaps more worrisome for those of us old enough to remember "Fix It Again, Tony", the engine is a Fiat powerplant...the 1.4-liter MultiAir turbo four.  Yes, it makes five more horsepower than the Miata's non-turbo 2.0-liter four, but the Spider is also 193 pounds heavier than the Miata.   Gas mileage differs a bit from the Miata (25 city/36 highway for the Fiat, 27/34 for the Mazda).

The good news is that overall build quality is excellent.  Both cars come off the same Mazda assembly line in Hiroshima, Japan.

2017 Fiat 124 Spider Lusso interior.

The extra weight comes from the added length, as well as thicker rear glass, added sound deadening in the firewall and under the carpet and an acoustic windshield.  All of which make the Fiat 124 Spider a softer, smoother machine than the Miata.  Especially in Lusso trim, the 124 Spider is more of a small-scale grand tourer.

Our tester was the Lusso.  $27,495 gets you a rear backup camera, remote keyless entry, rain-sensitive windshield wipers, enhanced accident response system, electronic stability control, speed control, the touring suspension, a four-speaker AM/FM/Bluetooth audio system with a seven-inch display, air conditioning with automatic temperature control, heated front seats, a leahter-wrapped steering wheel, soft touch upper instrument panel and wrapped lower instrument panel (in saddle color, it's gorgeous), piano black interior accents, 17-inch premium silver aluminium wheels, automatic headlamps, fog lamps, power mirrors, LED taillamps, and a dual exhaust with bright tips.

Ours had options as well...$3,795 for the Premium Collection (an upgraded nine-speaker Bose audio system with HD Radio, blind spot and cross-path detection, rear parking assist, navigation, LED adaptive and auto-leveling headlamps with washers, heated exterior mirrors which dim automatically, a universal garage door opener, and a security alarm); and $1,350 for a six-speed automatic transmission.  With $995 destination charge, the bottom line was $33,635....or, as the Phoenix bureau pointed out in a review of a different car a few days ago, roughly the cost of the average new car these days.

If it weren't the stormiest week in Northern California in a decade, I'd be writing about how delightful the Fiat is to drive on a winding two-lane road.  Smoother than the Miata.  Less edgy.  Frankly, I could be perfectly happy with a Fiat 124 Spider Lusso.  I'd be a minute later everywhere I went because I'd pause and look at it getting in and getting out, but I could live with that.  But call me supersitious---I'd breathe a lot easier if it had the Mazda engine under the hood.

The 2016 Fiat 500 Abarth.

Four years on, the Fiat 500's fifteen minutes of fame and fashionability has long been up.  But if you still like the look, want one but haven't bought one, the one to buy is the Fiat 500 Abarth.

Abarth is an Italian racing company founded in 1949 by the late Karl Abarth, who started hot-rodding Fiats in 1952.  Fiat bought the company outright in 1971.

2016 Fiat 500 Abarth.

In the case of the present-day 500, hot-rodding consists of swapping out the regular 500's 1.4-liter, 101 horsepower engine for a twin-intercooled turbocharged 1.4 that makes 160 horsepower.  The price of entry for the Fiat 500 Abarth is more than reasonable...$19,995...two grand less than it was when we last drove one four years ago and five grand more than the base Fiat 500 Pop,

In a car that weighs as little as a Fiat 500, an extra 59 horsepower makes an enormous difference.  There's easily five grand worth of fun in making the step up to the Abarth.

2016 Fiat 500 Abarth instrument cluster.

Abarths get a special performance instrument cluster, including a dedicated turbo boost gauge, as well as a performance suspension, Abarth-tuned dual exhaust (which makes the most intoxicating raspy snarling sound you'll find in a subcompact), race-inspired performance bucket seats, a flat-bottomed leather-wrapped steering wheel and a Uconnect system with a five-inch touchscreen, Alpine premium audio system, electronic stability control and rear parking assist.

Our tester had a healthy batch of options, too...including a heavy-duty six-speed automatic transmission (with only seven percent of Americans now knowing how to drive a stick, this is pretty much a survival move for Fiat) for $995, premium leather-trimmed bucket seats for $1,195, white mirror caps with a bodyside stripe for $295, the Beats audio package for $695 and the Popular Equipment Package (which includes automatic climate control, heated seats and SiriusXM Satellite Radio with a one-year subscription for $895.

With $995 destination charges, the bottom line was $25,065.   Small, loud and a bit thirsty (we didn't get near the EPA-estimated 28 city/34 highway), the 500 Abarth is not trying to be the subcompact for everyone.  But if you like your fun loud and raw, it's hard to beat.

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