MINI One vs Fiat 500 on 5th Gear tonight

[MiniOne07]

This is interesting. I'd imagine it would be a different result if it was a base model Fiat...

YouTube - Fifth Gear - BMW Mini One vs Fiat 500...

[Paul]

Merged your post MiniOne07 with a current thread on that show.

[Scrogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniOne07 (original)

I'd imagine it would be a different result if it was a base model Fiat...

No it wouldn't. See post #55 and #56 in this thread.

[MiniOne07]

The base model Fiat 500 is a 1.2 69 bhp affair. I think the Mini One would beat that, the threads you pointed out are irrelevant to my statement and before you start...

Yes I know that's not a fair comparison by price or power, but I think it's been established that Fifth Gear's wasn't either.

[Scrogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniOne07 (original)

and before you start...

Ooh, a challenge!

Quote: Originally Posted by MiniOne07 (original)

Yes I know that's not a fair comparison by price or power, but I think it's been established that Fifth Gear's wasn't either.

Why wasn't it?

Two 1.4 16v front-wheel drive three-door cars producing similar power outputs tested against each other seems about as fair as this type of test gets!

[mister.t]

The only 500 I'd buy would be the 1.2 model - Suits the nature of the car the best. The only MINI I wouldn't buy would be is the new One!! I think the 500 & MINI are totally different cars, so I don't really see much of a comparison to be honest

It will be different when the Abarth comes out, but until then, like chalk and cheese

[Scrogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by mister.t (original)

It will be different when the Abarth comes out

Can't wait to see that one go up against a Cooper S

[mister.t]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scrogg (original)

Can't wait to see that one go up against a Cooper S

Yep no excuses after the result - Should be a good'un Look forward to the result

[Scrogg]

Quote: Originally Posted by mister.t (original)

Yep no excuses after the result

Apart from the inevitable "should have been tested against the JCW" comments!

[mister.t]

Quote: Originally Posted by Scrogg (original)

Apart from the inevitable "should have been tested against the JCW" comments!

Anyone who says that will need shooting

192bhp against, what 150 odd for the Abarth? (correct me if I'm wrong Simon!!)


Suzuki Swift Sport will be more appropriate IMO (Even though 5th gear tested it against a Cooper and lost but hey)

[Kazey]

This is a great thread... although I guess my post is about to go off it slightly!

The road test comparing the performance of the cars is pointless from my perspective. We did not buy our Mini based on performance, and were not considering the 500 on performance either (but for what it's worth, the Cooper leaves all of the 500s behind anyway!). What we were comparing on was value, quality and grin factor!!

My wife and I ended up buying a 2006 Cooper for her to use, but not before testing the Fiat 500. We loved the style of the 500 (OK it's girly as posted earlier, but my wife loved it!). We loved the modern blue tooth connectivity and USB port for direct music input, and also the multi function steering wheel, all of which leaves the Mini behind. But the 500 ride was terrible (choppy and over hard), the seating position was bad (the drivers seat tilts rather than being height adjustable, and there is the classic Italian long arms short legs positioning of the steering wheel and pedals, which given the lack of reach adjustment on the wheel makes it impossible to get properly comfortable. Then there is the rear headroom. You need to be less than 5'9"(ish) or only take kids in the back. The rear leg room is OK, but no better than the Mini in practical terms. The mini looks like it has less leg room, but it's more that the front seats slide further back and the rear seat is full sized, rather than having a narrow bench as in the 500. In comparison the Mini feels spacious due to the light interior and good headroom.

Then there is the build quality. The 500 dash and interior trim was clearly marked during the installation (a feature that showed up on all three cars we drove), the rear view mirror felt very flimsy (so I was not so surprised that an earlier post in this thread said it came off during a test drive!), and the interior plastics on the 500 are not up to Mini standards by a long way.

And the final nail in the 500 coffin for us was the 500 servicing costs. It needs servicing every year... £120 first year, £240 second year and £340 third year, then repeat the cycle until you run out of money! Compare. that to the £150 for 5 years Mini TLC pack plus £350 for the next 3 years and you will see that the 500 costs £1760 over 8 years compared to £500 for the Mini! now the Mini is cheaper than the 500 and still far higher quality! My wife kept her last car for 7 years, and really loves the Mini, so plans to keep it at least that long so these figures matter to us.

And if we needed any more convincing, every time we drove the Mini we loved it more, and every time we drove the 500 we liked it less!!

We are now several weeks into owning the Mini and LOVE it !! I still like the style of the 500, and I'm sure it will make a good city car, but in my world it is no competitor to the Mini.

[*Vikki*]

great post above thanks for sharing, interesting about the servicing.. i love the look of the fiat 500 but what you have mentioned is good points.

[ben__allen]

Quote: Originally Posted by Kazey (original)

the 500 ride was terrible (choppy and over hard)

I test drove a 1.3 Multijet diesel Lounge model, and thought the opposite - the ride was really wallowey and a bit bouncy compared to my MINI.

[Kazey]

Quote: Originally Posted by ben__allen (original)

I test drove a 1.3 Multijet diesel Lounge model, and thought the opposite - the ride was really wallowey and a bit bouncy compared to my MINI.

I should clarify By choppy I meant it pitched back and forward like a small boat on a choppy sea! this is no doubt caused by the very short wheel base and maybe by the suspension set-up. When I said it was over hard, I meant poorly damped as above. I agree that the Mini feels firm, but very well damped by comparison meaning that although we feel the bumps they're not over intrusive, and it corners very level (not wallowy at all). As an aside, I was also disappointed by the amount of road noise in the 500, whereas the Mini is much quieter.

I suppose all of these things are personal opinions and in no way scientific.

[toad]

Hi,

Today I went to the Fiat dealer. I was intending to doa test drive because I found the little thinsg so cute. I sat in the car for 5 minutes and changed my mine.Whe you are buying such a car then you should really feel contectand happy with your interior space.The dashboard itself looked cool until I touched the plastics in the cabin.They were very hard and felt very cheap. The dashboard in my mini is in a differnt league. The seats were not as comfortable and I think this was how Fiat saved money. The quality of the interior I am sorry to say was just not there. I was a bit disappoined as I was really thinking about it as a replacement for my 2006 Mini Checkmate. I left feeling that the mini cooper even if not faster than Fiat and more expensive is the better car. A car is more than the sum of its parts. Hence the mini is better for normal use.
My mini Checkmate has been a shining beacon for reliability and fun

Toad