Fiat Stilo Abarth test

Intro: A SETTLED DOWN SCORPION

Fiat is hurting. Fiat is at the precipice. The Stilo has not garnered the success Fiat was hoping for. We even have come to forget that a sport version, the Abarth, exists.

Esthetique: NOT TOO LIVELY

The Stilo resurrects the legendary scorpion emblem. On the design front it has been given new bumpers. Add to that some bodywork valences, a fairly discrete spoiler on the rear window and that’s it... nothing too wild, the Stilo remains modest about its capabilities. It runs on 17-inch alloy wheel rims, which accentuate its stocky appearance. Although the Stilo, at 1475 mm is nearer the height of a MPV than it is that of a coupé, it remains compact and massive. Its design is difficult, there’s no doubt about that. It is rugged and contemporary. On the inside virtually nothing has changed compared to the standard version. The sober dashboard has a distinctly German style to it. The materials used are of good quality although more care could have been taken over their assembly. Hiding behind the steering wheel are the controls for changing gear. Gears that can also be changed using the lever. The CD-car radio and GPS are both standard. The seats offer good support but whether or not you take the Abarth version, leather upholstery is an option.

Motorization: 5 CYLINDERS AND SOME TORQUE

Under the bonnet is the famous Fiat 5 cylinder 2.4-litre engine souped up in this case to 170 horsepower. Its sonority is lovely and melodious. Once at the wheel with the gear change controls beneath your fingertips, it doesn’t take long to get in the mood ! Every time you change gear, there is a slight response time... and should you forget to change up, well the Selespeed gearbox will take care of that all on its own.
Here’s a nice touch : when you change down it goes hand in hand with a touch on the accelerator managed according to the speed, which might make you think you’re a racing driver.

On the road: THE SOUL OF A SPORTS WOMAN

But that is where the problem lies : the Stilo Abarth has a touch of sport in its character but it doesn’t have the character of a sports car. It has no major defects but it is not worthy of the scorpion ! Fiat’s loyal Sporting or GT tag would suit it better. As proof, here are a few figures. It takes more than 30 seconds to cover 1000 metres from a standing start, which is almost a second more than its most direct competitor the Golf V5.
That said, in the extreme conditions under which we carried out our test drive, the Fiat Stilo Abarth proved to be both docile and dynamic, although you do have to pay great attention to its rather idle front axle. Its shock absorption is a bit too soft in release, which only confirms its lack of sporting character. We should also mention that on our test vehicle, the interior misted up badly. Whatever the reason, either a design fault in the Stilo or the weather conditions might have been too extreme, but the result was more than unpleasant and in fact inexcusable in a car of such recent design. The Stilo’s design can also be called into question when it comes to the visibility on board. The supports of the windscreen are too wide and mask the sight line in a corner just when you need it. Our opinion is that this Fiat Stilo is balanced and honest in its performance but that it can’t live up to the promises made by its Abarth emblem.