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...