General Fiat 500 compared to Merc A Class

poggy · Mar 21, 2012

I bought my wife a new Merc A Class 1.6 BlueEfficiency last month and compared to the Fiat 500 Lounge Dualogic I bought my mum it is way smoother, better suspension, better built (or better materials) and very quiet.

HOWEVER, I popped in and took the Fiat today to charge the battery up (she has done less than 4K in 2.5 years so it is often flat) and it is much much more fun to drive and to me has a better engine with more pick up and the dual logic is just great. It also has more of a design to it as well. I would much rather drive the 500 on anything other than motorways, where the A Class feels like a bigger car.

But without upsetting 500 drivers, it does feel like a girls car to me in white with the chrome bits on and the white chequered interior. I think in black with sport wheels it wouldn't feel like that.

RobinPJ · Mar 21, 2012

poggy said:
I bought my wife a new Merc A Class 1.6 BlueEfficiency last month and compared to the Fiat 500 Lounge Dualogic I bought my mum it is way smoother, better suspension, better built (or better materials) and very quiet.

HOWEVER, I popped in and took the Fiat today to charge the battery up (she has done less than 4K in 2.5 years so it is often flat) and it is much much more fun to drive and to me has a better engine with more pick up and the dual logic is just great. It also has more of a design to it as well. I would much rather drive the 500 on anything other than motorways, where the A Class feels like a bigger car.

But without upsetting 500 drivers, it does feel like a girls car to me in white with the chrome bits on and the white chequered interior. I think in black with sport wheels it wouldn't feel like that.

That's ok - we don't mind that you are narrow-minded and can only deal in stereotypes.

Oh, and since the cheapest A Class with zero options is over £16,000 it is really a valid comparison to a 500?

poggy · Mar 21, 2012

Clearly you didn't read my post, I said despite all the benefits on the Merc, I would rather drive the 500 as it is more fun, has a better engine and a nicer design regardless of the cost difference.

Stereotypes are only that if you make a judgement without trying it for yourself, so having driven the car and made a decision based on that, it is not a stereotype. So thanks for your opinion, but it not a stereotype or narrow minded, it's a comment about my experience with this particular colour combination as I posted. The same personal opinions apply to all sorts of other car colours and trim combinations, many of which are marketed to a specific target. Nothing wrong with that, but that is the way it is.

Being narrow minded is not being able to accept other people's opinions, ring any bells

stu0710 · Mar 21, 2012

RobinPJ said:
That's ok - we don't mind that you are narrow-minded and can only deal in stereotypes.

Oh, and since the cheapest A Class with zero options is over £16,000 it is really a valid comparison to a 500?

But considering you can get a £4K discount on a new A class and b*gger all on a new 500 the differential isn't that huge!

chas379 · Mar 21, 2012

poggy said:
I bought my wife a new Merc A Class 1.6 BlueEfficiency last month and compared to the Fiat 500 Lounge Dualogic I bought my mum it is way smoother, better suspension, better built (or better materials) and very quiet.

HOWEVER, I popped in and took the Fiat today to charge the battery up (she has done less than 4K in 2.5 years so it is often flat) and it is much much more fun to drive and to me has a better engine with more pick up and the dual logic is just great. It also has more of a design to it as well. I would much rather drive the 500 on anything other than motorways, where the A Class feels like a bigger car.

But without upsetting 500 drivers, it does feel like a girls car to me in white with the chrome bits on and the white chequered interior. I think in black with sport wheels it wouldn't feel like that.

Can assure you I am not a girl! my photo proves it. TA Lounge BNW

jrkitching · Mar 21, 2012

stu0710 said:
But considering you can get a £4K discount on a new A class and b*gger all on a new 500 the differential isn't that huge!

Interestingly a quick 2 minute trawl of the web suggests cash buyers can get about £900 off most new 500 models. IMO not enough to make the car properly competitive, but a step in the right direction, nonetheless.

poggy · Mar 21, 2012

I didn't get a penny off the 500, had to fight for a tank of fuel.

Good discounts on the Merc as it is a model which is being replaced.

No offence intended re the girls car comment, I still drive it regardless.

snes · Mar 21, 2012

Thanks for your interesting post Poggy.

It's nice and refreshing to get outside opinions - even if we may not like what we hear.

I had one of the original A Class and loved it. But they subsequently seemed to design all the fun out of it imo.

ahmett · Mar 21, 2012

snes said:
Thanks for your interesting post Poggy.

It's nice and refreshing to get outside opinions - even if we may not like what we hear.

I had one of the original A Class and loved it. But they subsequently seemed to design all the fun out of it imo.

Isnt that the one that flipped on the elk test?

Austin Mini · Mar 21, 2012

I am at the crossroads between cars. VW Polo and Fiat 500 dealers NO discount. Merc A class dealer, how can we help you sir? Shall we look at what we can offer you? The five door A class seems quite a good deal. Second hand they are an even better deal. Keep them hanging on a while yet you never know what will turn up.

bgunn · Mar 21, 2012

If you buy cars like that, then don't buy anything. I bought the one I liked to drive, end of. Seriously, if you can afford it, and you like it, buy it. There's always something cheaper, but that's not the point.

wigit · Mar 21, 2012

you must hate your wife to buy her an a-class, my testicles would be under threat at the mere thought

at work today a female colleague who spotted me driving the 500 said she wouldn't have put me in a 500, i smiled (she has a new 330 foldy hard toppy coupe)

you can't under estimate the fun factor of the 500 and its go kart prowess around a multi story car park

deeyup · Mar 21, 2012

Austin Mini said:
I am at the crossroads between cars. VW Polo and Fiat 500 dealers NO discount.

Perrys are quoting 8% off list on Fiat 500 at the moment

poggy · Mar 22, 2012

wigit said:
you must hate your wife to buy her an a-class, my testicles would be under threat at the mere thought

Needed 5 doors and a lot of internal room in a small package for school run. It is a good car for what we need, we have other cars for non school run, which are more fun.

Super Uwe · Mar 22, 2012

poggy said:
Needed 5 doors and a lot of internal room in a small package for school run. It is a good car for what we need, we have other cars for non school run, which are more fun.

That's fair enough - in some ways it's a pity the new shape Panda hadn't turned up a few months earlier, then it might have been on your radar perhaps?

Super Uwe · Mar 22, 2012

bgunn said:
If you buy cars like that, then don't buy anything. I bought the one I liked to drive, end of. Seriously, if you can afford it, and you like it, buy it. There's always something cheaper, but that's not the point.

Indeed. There's always a Chevrolet Matiz if you're THAT desperate...

Chrisilda · Mar 22, 2012

Super Uwe said:
That's fair enough - in some ways it's a pity the new shape Panda hadn't turned up a few months earlier, then it might have been on your radar perhaps?

We're comparing two total different cars. I don't know if they theoretically fall in the same category but practically they're not.

Super Uwe · Mar 22, 2012

Chrisilda said:
We're comparing two total different cars. I don't know if they theoretically fall in the same category but practically they're not.

I quite agree with you - however my point was that the OP wanted something with a bit more space for the school run, but also likes the 500 for the way it drives.

The new Panda is quite roomy inside with 5 seats as well, and has the same engines etc as the 500, so it could have been an option.

But it doesn't matter now as they bought the Merc of course!

poggy · Mar 22, 2012

I don't think they are massively different in what they do, size wise there is little between the A Class and Panda.

Running costs per month are probably not so different either.

loveshandbags · Mar 22, 2012

poggy said:
I didn't get a penny off the 500, had to fight for a tank of fuel.

Good discounts on the Merc as it is a model which is being replaced.

No offence intended re the girls car comment, I still drive it regardless.

My mother-in-law chose a Mercedes A class but was very inclined to get a 500 like the one I had. She opted for the Merc to carry the grandchildren.

When I was selling my Funk white (which I was very proud of) the new owner (a woman) commented that 'it's really a girl's car'. My heart sank when she said that and it took me a few minutes to recover from it. I'm not too sure where the sterotyping is coming from but no one comments on Scots wearing kilts when they're over here for a rugby international.

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