Fiat 124 First Impressions Review

Alright, ran through my first tank of gas in the 124 Abarth, figured that's a good a place as any to stop and write a first impressions style review. I know most of you couldn't give a flying fuck, but hey I don't have a youtube channel and this is my chance to play auto journalist for a little bit, so what the hell

First off, full disclosure, I have had a boner for this car since its announcement, and it puts together a lot things that I already liked, so I'm sure a bit of personal bias is going to creep through. Just a heads up for anyone who might actually base a purchase off of my rambling.

So let me start by saying, it's an extremely nice car to be in. The recaro leather/alcantara seats are fantastic. Comfortable, snug, and supportive. I'm 6'4 and I actually fit without any issues. I don't feel claustrophobic, and I have more headroom than a few CUV's I've sat in recently-(looking at you Mercedes GLA). Even with two people the interior doesn't feel overstuffed.

Interior build quality is also fantastic for a ~30K vehicle. The 'soft touch' plastic on the dash and doors actually feels and looks almost identically to the interior trim in my old SLK. It feels much more expensive than it actually is, I don't get the "oh god this will look terrible in a couple years" feeling that other FCA products (looking at you Dart/200/Avenger) have given me.

Steering wheel has a very nice feel, and to me, is just the right thickness. My one gripe would be that the wheel only tilt up and down, no telescoping in and out, and for me personally, I wish I could pull the steering wheel out about 2-3 inches. It's just a minor annoyance, and I already seem to be adjusting to it

The instrument cluster is also taking some getting used to. The tach sits right in the center, and speedo off on the right is extremely compressed, and small in comparison. It only gives numbers in increments of 20, so I find myself having to do a double take to check my speed.

To be continued...

Other urls found in this thread:

tomtom.com/en_us/sports/accessories/chargers-cables/dual-car-charger/
twitter.com/SFWRedditImages

>FCA
>soft touch plastic
You're in for quite the surprise in about 3-5 years

Spider is a nice car. In the end it's a MX5 and that's the most selling roadster. Performane wise it's a little too slow for me.

>My one gripe would be that the wheel only tilt up and down, no telescoping in and out, and for me personally, I wish I could pull the steering wheel out about 2-3 inches
I had the same feeling in my 500 Abarth, but like you said it didn't take long to get used to. How does the shifter feel in the hand?

Time will only tell how annoying the tiny speedo proves to be, but I would rank it as one of my top 3 gripes with the car right now.

The infotainment center/dash tablet is actually pretty nice. I've found it easy to navigate through and use while driving. I don't have any complaints with it so far, other than it locks you out of certain features when you are in motion (you can't manually enter an address into the GPS for instances). For any prospective buyer though, be warned that Fiat really tried to jew you on factory navigation. You either have to opt for the 3-4K super options package OR for cough up 400 bucks for the fucking SD card to plug in for cars that are "Navigation ready" but don't have the feature enabled. I was able to negotiate the dealer throwing this in for free, but you aren't going to be able to count on that if you actually go out to buy one yourself

Along with the infotainment, I should say the steering wheel controls are also nice. It's good placement, large buttons, and everything is where you think it ought to be (at least for me). Didn't have any trouble cycling through radio stations or my Pandora

While overall the interior is very nice, I would point out a few other gripes.

1.)No glove box. You get a little storage cubby between the two seats on the back wall. Its very awkward to get to, especially while driving.

2.)Cupholders. I have a history of owning cars with shitty/no cup holders (SLK 350, NA Miata, SL380, ML430) and the 124 continues this fantastic tradition. I wouldn't trust them with anything other than a soda can, and they are pain in the ass to get to in any situation

3.)The USB ports in the center console are not fast charge (My Samsung S8+ gave a 6 hour estimate to charge to full from about 30%) So, if you have a newer smartphone with fast charge abilities, you're still gonna have to slap a car charger in the power port, which Mazda/Fiat stuck waayyyyy at the back of the passenger footwell.

double wishbone front and rear is a welcome improvement. I dont like the inline 4 1.4 turbo engine tho.

Since i find you on this place again, when are you gonna post that ultimate story from your car dealing crap that you said you would post christmas 2016?

Again though, on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of the severity of these complaints, I wouldn't put any above a 2-3.

I know a lot of people have complained about the shape/feel of the shifter, but I like it. It feels beefy and substantial. And given the fact that it's a NC Miata transmission, the travel and action is fantastic. One of the best manual experiences I've had in any car, ever, regardless of price point

Visibility is good, but not great. You do have some blind spots with the top up. I'm glad my 124 has the blind spot/cross path system. I've been pleasantly surprised with how well it works (especially at picking up vehicles crossing behind you when backing out of a parking space). It's not intrusive, and easy to turn off if you end up hating it.

As far as other features go, the heated seats work great (granted it's the south in the summer time, but I see no reason they won't be able to toast my buns just fine come winter time). I also really enjoy the push button start (which I know Veeky Forums hates, but fuck it, it's nice not to have to get your keys out of your pocket to get in your car or start it)

I would say the popular equipment package is definitely worth it. Throws in auto dimming interior and exterior mirrors, heated exterior mirrors, the blind spot/cross path system, alarm and the homelink garage door opener, all things I couldn't see passing up for the price. The only other two options I added were the recaro seats (mentioned above) and the Brembo brake package (which I will talk about later)

I listed the acura today. We abarth senpai soon.

Don't do it

it's happening. a 2014 fiat 500 abarth. for 11k, I can't complain.

Oh, you can, and you will

if the fiata is like the ND, you should be able to relocate a cupholder to the passenger footwell, by the shifter. Then it becomes well-placed.

The bullshit situation with the factory nav is the same on the Mazda side of things, too. And the nav is shit compared to using a phone+gmaps or a Garmin, but there's not really enough room on the dash for another 5" screen.

Does it use Uconnect? FCA jews originally said they would give people with the 2016 Uconnect a free update to android auto/apple carplay for free. But of course, because they are jews, changed their minds.

why then? I haven't been able to find any widespread issues yet.

Now, interior shit out of the way, I'll move on to the driving

The first thing I noticed, and the thing that came as the biggest surprise: It's comfortable. I've taken it on two 2 hour trips up and down I-40 already, and it was actually comfortable. It's not E Class level comfortable, but it's wayyyy more comfortable than I thought it would be, and noticably more comfortable than a ND Miata on the same roads.

The second thing: It's fun. It's crazzzzzzzzy fun.

The steering is light, sharp, extremely responsive, and the while being comfortable, you still feel very connected to the car through the steering wheel. The 124 is one of the few cars I've ever driven that successful toes that line.

To me, the 1.4 turbo is a perfect fit to this type of car. If you buy this to DD (like I am) it's punchy at all the right times, and in all the right places. You will shift down to pass a car on the highway and be right at the top of the power. You will find yourself redlining it away from every red light when you're in town. It captures the exact same magic the 500 Abarth/FiST/FoST have also done before it, it feels fast even when you are going slow.

I definitely see others complaints about the bottom of the rev range being a little dead. Below 2000 RPM the engine is sleepy, but honestly, unless you go looking for that dead spot, you don't really notice it in everyday driving. I've seen others complain about the power drop off at the top of the rev range as well, but shit I wish the damn thing revved a little more. I still find myself bouncing off the rev limiter in 1st and 2nd, trying to will the redline up 7K RPM.

In the corners it's exactly what you would expect an Italian Miata to be. Fucking fantastic. I've driven only a handful of cars that I've had more fun in on North Carolina back roads. It's extremely predictable, feels just as balanced as you expect it to, and easy to recover if you overcook it in a corner.

Where's your christmas promixe, LGP?

It uses Mazda Connect. Mazda says they're working on AA/Carplay, but they've been saying that for years with nothing to show for it. Rumor has it that current units will not get Carplay because they're underspecced and because licensing issues, and may get AA.

But I will acknowledge that Fiat/Abarth could have done a better job from the factory sorting out the power from the 1.4L. Driving the car, you can feel it has more to offer, and for people who don't ever want to get into aftermarket mods with a car, I can see that 'possibly' becoming an extremely frustrating point with long term ownership.

As it stands right now from my own research, a simple ECU flash will unlock roughly 50 more horsepower and torks, and smooth out the power curve. I'm sure Fiat has reasons behind why they set the car up the way they did, and my gripe here mirrors many of the same complaints people had with the GT86 twins.However I do see a TON of potentially hidden away in these cars as the aftermarket gets flushed out.

I will say though, speaking of the Twins, I've never felt disappointed with the 124 (which is something I DID feel when driving the GT86 twins). While the BRZ/FR-S left me with a "This was just a few feet away from being really good, but it turned out 'meh'..." the 124 made me think "this was just a few feet away from being amazing, but it's still really, really good".

If you go back to comparing this car to the ND, to me, the deciding factor is the "personality" (And I know this gets into very subjective territory). If the ND Miata is the back to basics traditionalist, sitting in his room with his math books obsessed over weight distribution and curb weight, the 124 Abarth is the flamboyant Italian brother with a scarf and driving gloves, standing in the doorway trying to get the ND to put down his books and come out for a beer.

And I never pass up the chance to grab a good beer

And a few final thoughts:

The Brembo brake package is absolutely worth it. They feel amazing compared to the stock brakes, and inspire a high degree of confidence if you really want to push the car

If you want an eye to economy, I did 38.8 MPG's on my first tank of gas, on a 30/70 city/highway split of driving, with lots of "spirited" driving. And it does take premium gas.

I'll be glad to answer anyones questions or expand on anything I talked about above

Do itttttt, you won't regret it

Would have been this weekend if I hadn't bought a car. I'll try and make time for it this coming saturday or sunday, since I've been so lazy about it

heartbreaker is a lube tech with strong feelings and you should respect those because he's a literal bottom of the salary sheet hourly slave.

Fiat 500 abarth is a great deal rn and a lot of fun. They have a lot of little issues and have the reliability of any euro car and the interior falls apart a little quick. if youre an Veeky Forumstist though you'll see past this since they're genuinely a blast.

Godspeed to you you magnificient IT bastard. Hope you are doing allright dealing with less niggers.

The cupholders are the major complaint as well as the speakers. Watch out for 3rd gear in the cold.

Nobody gives a shit what you think about this car.

You lost all relevance when you stopped dealership stories. Now your just another trip faggot.

Leave, go away.

>made in japan
What did they mean by this

Fuck off.

>And it does take premium gas.
gay

also why is everything you write so long winded? it's almost as if you have a vagina.

>why does the guy known for long-ass dealership stories playing auto journalist for the day who calls himself fucking long post guy write long posts
>long posts are somehow effeminate

>3.)The USB ports in the center console are not fast charge (My Samsung S8+ gave a 6 hour estimate to charge to full from about 30%) So, if you have a newer smartphone with fast charge abilities, you're still gonna have to slap a car charger in the power port, which Mazda/Fiat stuck waayyyyy at the back of the passenger footwell.
I've been researching and trying several USB chargers for 12V cigarette lighter ports and found this one to be excellent:
tomtom.com/en_us/sports/accessories/chargers-cables/dual-car-charger/

1.5A + 2.4A simultaneously
Solid build quality, doesn't lose contact

Holy fucking shit this board is full of jelly cancerous trip faggots.

If it's a Fiat/Abarth thread we have that gay crusty ass dog fucker that nearly died spinning @ 20 mph.

If it's an Alfa Romeo thread then it's time for ballsbreaker that we can see here in transfer from his usual threads.

Both claiming to be (((mechanics))) and shiiiet just to spread shit and lies about cars they don't have and don't give a fuck about, trying to convince other people about their delusional opinions, but only if the thread is about an Italian car (which in this case is not even true since that car was born from a joint venture).

Just fuck off from this board and let people spend their money as they like.

>And I never pass up the chance to grab a good beer

Nice trips. Preyer, Gibbs, or Red Oak?

You can throw Foothills or Natty's in there as well, I suppose.

>9.8:1 compression ratio
>turbo charged

mongoloid.

Shiner if you're in an area that sells it. Always a thirst quencher on a hot day.

I like Shiner when I'm in Texas but otherwise drink the other local stuff.

What do you think is the max height for a driver of this car?

What's everyone think of fat tire?
>this is now a beer and Italian/japtalian car thread

holy shit look at this fucking meltdown, hell of a thing

Natty is pretty much my go-to cheap party beer.
Haven't tried any of those but Gibbs sounds pretty good. Any Weizen is usually good stuff too.

good to see you back, LPG. will this replace your miata? any thoughts on the rally version?

Red Oak for sure

I fucking hate those tablet head units

Why?

Looks tacky. Everyone knows it's not a tablet.

They look stupid, at the very least it should mechanically fold down and go inside a cabinet

Good to have you back, LPG.

Nobody was ever supposed to think it was.

Mercedes did this in their pre-2012 C63. It aged like shit and was just another stupid thing to break.

I mean I get it. You don't like how it looks. But it turns out nobody gives a fat shit about your subjective stoplikingwhatidontlike opinions.

That is was a part Mazda did

Man, I'm sure your friends love you.

Fat Tire is good m8, New Belgium makes great beers.

Natty Greene's! Not Natural Light m8.

The patrician's choice, of course. Nothing like a Red Oak or Hummin' Bird on a hot summer day in NC.

Ahhh that makes more sense. Natty light is still good cheap shit beer if you need a lot of it though. Never tried Natty Greene's, I'll have to start looking for it. Any particular brew you recommend?

Buckshot is their easiest drinking, Southern Sesssion IPA and Wildflower are quite popular as well. Red Nose is good in the winter.

Heard good things about their Sours too but haven't tried any yet.

Italian car --> Italian beer

Pic related is my suggestion: Birrificio Italiano Amber Shock

>is red and red equals Italian car
>red is the color of passion & soul
>7% alcohol ayy spicy
>warm and intense

Nice to see Italy has some actual breweries other than just Peroni.

Not a big fan of IPAs but I do love a good wheat beer, thanks for the suggestions, I might go for a drive and have a look for Natty Greene's today. If you're ever in Oklahoma for some god-forsaken reason stop by the Moore/Norman area and check out Royal Bavaria brewery in Moore or its subsidiary, Das Boot Camp in Norman. I recommend their Dunkelweizen, but it's all pretty good.
Sounds tasty

I love Prairie Artisan Ales, out of Krebs, OK.

I spent some time in OKC and they seemed to have a decent selection of local beers at one of the shops I popped into there. You're not likely to find much North Carolina beer outside of NC, most of it's around the east coast if it's left the state at all.

I guess it's in Tulsa, but google came up with a Krebs address.

No idea, but they have great beers!

Oh yeah I love Prairie Bomb, but you're right about local stuff staying local. theres a Texas beer called Ziegenbock that I think gives Shiner a run for its money, and I have a hard time finding it even as close to Texas as I am.

It's just a less reliable Miata.

U N D E R P O W E R E D

We actually have hundreds of breweries producing high level beers, but for some reason we're still famous only for wines.

That's pretty neat, sounds like it hasn't quite caught on the way it has in the States but probably because we're just so much larger.

There are well over 100 breweries in my state alone, and new ones are always opening.

Post more pictures faggot


please

> I'm sure Fiat has reasons behind why they set the car up the way they did
they fell for their own unreliable meme and don't want to strain the engine when 500 abarth owners have been running around on tunes for years

they do that so at the factory it's easy to swap out for the larger screen if you ordered it
also takes up less visual space, which a screen integrated into the binnacle would

i don't think they're trying to pretend it's a tablet

Couldn't find any Natty Greene's at my local place and the only Italian beer they had was Peroni, so I decided on a Prairie Artisan sour ale for you guys

Cheers m8, great choice (beer and the abarth).

Hey LPG, long time no see. How have you been since you got your master's?

Longpostguy is potentially the only non cancerous tripfag left. And I thought we was gone for over a year now. Newfags gtfo or get educated.

Every manufacturer is really conservative with ECU especially for tarboed cars. Reports of engine trouble can completely fuck a car's reputation up, so they go for a tune that will never ever cause their engine to pop or fail emissions, regardless of the quality of fuel, the weather, how fucking retarded the driver is about maintenance, etc.

Alright will start posting all the ones I have so far

Pretty good. Job is mostly awesome, although trying to get a work force millennials and boomers to interact without fucking up everything has it's challenges

Thank you user

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It's still better than the current mazda gauges. The speedo is unreadable.

You need glasses

Eh, the Tach on the Abarth is nice, but the speedo on the Miata is easier to read (at least to me)

The clustering is too tight so all your odd numbers disappear even further and it's reflective during the day. But that was on a 3.

That's good to hear, I think I remember you wanting the 124 for some time so I'm glad you finally added it to the collection. It really is very nice. Pic unrelated

>1.4L

are you fucking serious right now

Yes

Upload some Drift ,burn out, touge and high speed runs videos for the real review you don't see manabu orido reviewing the plastic and shit when reviewing cars

Yeah, gonna have to break out the gopro again

1.4 turbo out of the 500 abarth. Actually s really nice engine.

I Would pay it off asap trade it in with your daily get a alfa romeo giulia quadrifoglio

This x1000.

No redeeming qualities about this. Literally just fags wanting to be "unique".

>literally a factory turbo miata
>engine has been proven to respond very well to mods and tunes AND keep running
>no redeeming qualities

>>engine has been proven to respond very well to mods and tunes AND keep running

>proven

No it hasn't. It's unreliable Italian trash mixed with pathetic Chrysler dogshit. Garbage car for garbage.

It's the 500 Abarth engine, fucking read about instead of just spouting memes.

>spouting memes

>500 ABARTH

literally spouting the biggest fucking meme

name one thing worthwhile that FIAT has done in the last 20 years, that ISN'T the fucking 500 Abarth

and do keep in mind that the 500 Abarth is just a FWD underpowered shitbox cuck car for Italian homos to zip around tiny faggot euro streets, it's absolute dogshit anywhere with a real road

Why do I have to name something else from them when the 500 Abarth engine is what the 124 Abarth uses? Why are you pretending to be the retarded American stereotype on purpose?

>sold the acura
>going to the credit union tomorrow
>have a decent down payment ready
>we 500 abarth soon

H Y P E
Y
P
E

>financing a shitty gutless convertible
Enjoy buyers remorse followed by massive resale loss
I thought you were a kike, get Smart

>convertible
I thought about a 500c, but I will pass. I don't really want a convertible fiat, convertibles are meant for RWD

Lmao, I didn't see 500, I thought it was the fiata

What a dumb decision to finance a Abarth
Literally why

The SCCA has "outlawed" the Fiat 500 for autox competition due to risk of roll-over.

Don't flip it

What do you drive?

RX7