Which engine for my Fiat 500?

I hope to buy a Fiat 500C Pop to replace a Smart ForTwo, for mainly short journeys. I generally like 'less is more' in a car. Should I choose the current 1.2 four-cylinder engine, or wait for the naturally aspirated Twin Air engine (if it ever comes)?
By the way, Fiat appear to list the current Twin Air turbo cars as some 65kg heavier than the equivalent 1.2 cars - seems a bit strange.

Asked on 21 April 2013 by PA Hall

Answered by Honest John

Yes, that weight thing came up last week. Must be a mistake, because the TwinAir engine is lighter than the old 1,242. My 1.2 is still showing a lifetime average of over 51mpg. I think in real life they are more economical than TwinAirs. But TwinAir turbos are much more fun to drive.

Tags: buying small engines small cars

Dear Honest John,

Please help me choose my next car. I would like it to have:

Similar questions

Heavy breather

Could you tell me if you think the new FIAT (I think it is called a Ventiguila or something like that) coming on the market in July with a 1,400cc engine might be a good idea? Would the Toyota Prius be...

Greenhouse crass?

In their short-term efforts to stop the planet warming, more and more manufacturers are introducing small capacity pressurised petrol engines. Renault, VW Group and the new Astra all offer turbos of 1.2...

Which should I get, the Toyota Aygo or Kia Picanto?

I'm thinking of buying either a Toyota Aygo or a Kia Picanto. The Aygo is small and cheaper than the Picanto 1.2 that I fancy. Which would be best please? I only do 4500 miles a year. Am I right to go...

Related models