I think this thread has had lots of useful information too
You should by now have a pretty clear idea of which Stilo model to pick...!
As standard, the Abarth does have more power than the diesel - end of story, 'underpowered' or not. It's the fastest. I don't see where the complaints about the engine being 'underpowered' come from - it has more than twice the power of the Stilo 1.2!When comparing against other manufacturer's products, you have to consider the torque and power delivery. And the sound of the five-cylinder is great.
At the same time, other Stilo models have advantages that the Abarth does not; the 1.6 handles best, the JTD models have the best economy AND nearly the best performance, and the 5-door versions are less embarrassing if you ever want to carry more than one passenger.
I sold my Stilo Abarth because I felt it was losing too much value, using too much fuel, and it was surplus to requirements. In other ways, it was a great car.
Probably a main reason why I 'chose' the Abarth was that there isn't much choice on our market - the JTD was never sold here (because Kiwis don't like diesels) and so the only other model available was the five-door 1.6. And I prefer three doors (except, as I mentioned, the occasion where friends had to clamber over the seats to get in the back).
We could carry on addressing other inferiorities of the Stilo Abarth, but I suggest that you take a few different Stilo models out for a drive and make up your own mind
Let us know which you decide?
Cheers!
-Alex