General 500 vs Seicento

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General 500 vs Seicento

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What's the 500 like compared to the Seicento? I wanted a Panda, but after driving one (1.2 Dynamic) I hated it, it was very boring compared to my 899cc Seicento. Modern cars don't seem to be able to match the Seicento IMHO. The Panda may have been a very good car if it was a bit sportier, with more feedback.

Is the 500 like a typical modern car, big, heavy, and impractical? My Seicento may need replacing over the next few years, but there aren't any cars I like. One review said that visibility was bad, which I think is the worst thing a city car can have. The Aygo is REALLY bad, but people don't seem to complain about it, so is the visibility really that bad on the 500?

What are the specs (ie performance etc)?

Maybe I should take a test drive, I drove past a 500 a few days ago at the local dealer.
 
go to Germany, you can buy new Seicentos there, albeit in LHD:( unfortunately manufacturers cant make little fun to drive cars anymore. however, in the seicentos day it was slated by every mag going for being dull and not a worthy replacement for the cinq... I had both and they are exactly the same:)
 
the 1.2 dynamic isn't suppose to be sporty... Try the 100hp :devil:

Oh yes, I forgot about that one. The 100hp wasn't out when I had my test drive :(

Are they going to continue selling the Panda? My local dealer still has a Panda with "57 reg Panda £4995" splattered over it, in addition to a 500.

The 2 cylinder Turbo engine, for the 500, sounded interesting too, I hope they're still planning to do that one.
 
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now we're talking! im in a similar position to the original poster, being the proud owner of a schumacher seicento that will, inevitably, need replacing at some point over the next few years..so i thought id have a look around at possible alternatives and took a panda 100hp out for a test drive (thread somewhere on here!)...and even the 100hp disappointed me compared to my old faithful sei.

yes the 100hp (obviously!) is more powerful - but this did not translate to a fun drive. i felt disconnected tbh. many would call it a lack of refinement, but the sei is sooo direct, with the steering, the handling, the wonderful mechanical feel of the whole drive.

and as for handling, well tis easily as good as the 100hp - although i wasnt surprised as the sei corners and handles ludicrously well. yes the ride is hard - shockingly, even harder than the 100hp but therein lies the masochistic pleasure! it lacks any genuine pace, but give me my 6yr old schumi over a panda 100hp any old day of the week. and im deadly serious!

so...sei vs 500 - im sure it will be similar story for the regular 500's being as they are built on the panda platform...id rather keep my sei.

however, i am holding out some serious hope for the abarth ss as the car that could finally sock it to the sei - i damn well hope so anyway!
 
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however, in the seicentos day it was slated by every mag going for being dull and not a worthy replacement for the cinq... I had both and they are exactly the same:)
Gotta disagree. I had both Sportings of the Cinq and the Seic and IMHO the Cinq was much better. My Seic was a fairly early one without electric power steering. See my sig for the high esteem I held my Cinq in.

Oddly enough my (first car) Panda was a 903cc Bella with the *cough* hardcore seats. :D

Regards,
Tony.
 
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Its weird, lots of people say this... when I test drove a sei the salesman was surprised at how short a drive I wanted, he asked if I would like to go further and I said, why, its exactly the same as my old car!
The Sei I had did have power steering which was brilliant, the Cinqs was really heavy compared to other small cars like the Panda. Also, the Seis seats were more comfy and overall it was slightly quieter, but, it was as fast, handled the same etc... however, there was something missing as I never wanted to polish it as much as the Cinq, and never quite felt the same about it... weird eh?
 
I still have to say I prefer my Sei, for me the main attraction of the Cinq' was the more retro "proper car" squarer styling.

The Sei is smoother to drive & less rattly (but then being 03 plate it is far newer than the N reg Cinq was),
 
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