General I tried a 500C and I liked it (mostly)

[rmjbn1]

Greetings from a Panda owner lovely 500 people! We had a wedding in Spain recently so thought we should do it in style

My Panda is the first car I've ever had that doesn't have some sort of sunroof, and I do miss it. Great to let the sunshine in again.
The other half would prefer a 500, so I was keen to see if a 500C could have Post-Panda-Potential.
Now, I'll readily admit this was my fault. It was after 10pm and we still had some way to go so I didn't check anything beyond bodywork and tyres...
...just set off expecting it to feel very similar to the Panda...
...nothing like it!

Clutch extremely light and sharp, needs a boot-full of revs to set off and make any progress...
...also the steering felt unnervingly light. No idea why it should, but I even checked the City mode wasn't on a couple of times during our time with it. Strange. Did they add more assistance for its 185 section tyres over the 155 on the 169 Panda?
Anyone with eagle eyes has probably noticed the 'Hybrid' badge on its bum. I'd seen it but didn't know what I had...no technical specs in the car of course...didn't recognise the engine...I had to check on Fiat Forum to find out what I was driving! It is cute though

 

[rmjbn1]

It is of course the 1.0 FireFly three-cylinder with mild *ahem* 'Hybrid' and 6-speed manual transmission (although top giving an indicated 38kph/23.5mph @1000rpm is about the same as my 5-speed Panda at 35kph/22mph).

Personally, I think those recommended gear indicators are a nonsense (on small cars anyway, telling me to change up to 4th when the thing is already struggling to drag itself uphill in 3rd...) so I was correctly ignoring it, until I read in the handbook that it tells you to select neutral whilst still moving (below 30kph) so the engine can turn itself off! And all these years I'd been told coasting is dangerous!
It then tells you which gear it thinks you should be in depending on how quickly you're coasting...
...and also tells you to change down through the gears when off-throttle to deploy engine braking to recharge the battery.
All of which I found quite distracting at first (especially in a strange Spanish town where they drive on the wrong side of the road, the rotters), but after a few days I'd got used to it.
The engine braking effect is really quite strong when it's engaging the Belt Starter Generator (BSG), but I found it quite hard to predict as it would cut in and out.
So I'd be going downhill in 4th, the car would slow down as the BSG does its thing, then speed up as it disengages.

No complaints with a BSG though, it replaces both alternator and starter, so probably doesn't add much weight.
I do wonder though, how much its tiny '12V' (really 3x3.6V=10.8V) lithium battery can provide in additional 'hybrid' power though. Imperceptible might be the word.
Amusingly, the auxiliary battery sits under the LHD driver's seat, with a warning not to step on it. So that rear passenger can put their feet somewhere else
I didn't really mind the complete lack of torque (but it did make me think what a great engine the 1.2 FIRE is), just need keep the motor spinning and anticipate when it's going to run out of puff. But the whole driving experience did take a bit of getting used to.

I'm aware the 'mild hybrid' is a stop-gap, a cheap easy way to add some regenerative electrical assistance to an existing model.
I'm also in the camp that thinks calling these things 'Hybrid' is disingenious. It can't move under electric power alone, and any electrical assistance is tiny. I feel I'm being treated like an idiot and only certain people are allowed to do that
For what it's worth (it's a hire car, who knows how it's driven) the computer was showing an average consumption of 6l/100km, which I make 47mpg.
It feels like the claimed improvement in consumption and emissions is theoretical, relying on owners who spend a lot of time in traffic to select neutral to turn the engine off.
Maybe if I spent more time in traffic the mild hybrid would make sense, but I suspect the old 1.2 would be more efficient for rural use.

 

[porta]

I’m with you on the ‘mild hybrid’ or even full hybrids…either go electric or don’t…the only drivers I’ve witnessed that use hybrid to lower fuel consumption is taxi drivers. My neighbour uses his Volvo hybrid to get better off line times and to get to top speed as fast as he can. One of the boat owners on our moorings has a Jeep hybrid, if you drive it like he does, ‘Miss Daisy’, I reckon you’ll save about 50p as it’s a big lump.
If you want more of a ‘panda feel’ then the ordinary 500’s are much closer, maybe a bit more ‘jiggly’ back ends. If you want sunlight, get the faux convertible…the Abarth is a runaway laff, but it’s much harder suspension!

 

[rmjbn1]

Heh - I have wondered if I could treat myself to a 595C and convince the other half it really is the FIAT 500 that she wanted. Could break with convention and put FIAT badges on an Abarth
I was hoping I'd get the TwinAir as our hire car - an engine I'd like to try, but not necessarily own.
I agree, can only wonder how many owners will change driving habits and use hybrids as manufacturers intend.
For me, it was fun to try for a week, if a little odd to be coasting towards stopped traffic with the engine off. Would it become habit, or would I get bored of doing it when the novelty's worn off?
After the initial shock at how gutless the 1.0 FireFly is compared to the 1.2 FIRE, I really didn't mind it, but I don't think it's meant for rural drivers like me.

 

[porta]

I have a twinair cross, I’m very rural…it’s a hoot to drive, but if you do drive it like that, then the true mpg figure is way lower…I’ve not had any of the issues some have had

 

[DaveMcT]

The whole industry messed up by not going to series hybrid = in effect an electric gearbox. The engine could run at whatever speed gives enough power with the battery as a booster for acceleration. No fancy gearbox and 4x4 would be almost as easy as 2WD. No differentials just control any wheel-spin from the ABS. But no. That's far too hard so we got these horrible bodged add-on motor generators that add weight and don't do anything much for fuel consumption.

Now we have battery prices falling rapidly, but the industry has zero expertise with electric power transmission not to mention batteries.