GR Yaris Abarth 595 Comp. Suitable cheaper option than the GR?

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JBeach

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Hi All, love my GR Yaris but only doing around 200 miles a month (mainly weekend trips) and pottering around town. Thinking of selling up and moving to an Abarth as want to keep something small and fun, but also save some money. Anyone come from an Abarth and if so am I mad? Not driven one yet but like to get people’s thoughts. Thanks Jay
 
Saw one the other day (a pretty rare sight in Sydney where i live where I see most everything else) and thought 'that looks small and upright, but sounds good' lol.

They offered one with a sequential box here, that might be fun?

 
They are great fun but I think a little dated now - the irony of that comment is that I think there are better modern classics that I would have, if I’m just doing limited mileage, than buying a new Abarth that is going to depreciate pretty harshly over the first few years.
 
My mates and I hired some for a week in the Pyrenees last summer and we certainly pushed them! We all hated them to start with but by the end we were looking on autotrader 🤣

Nothing like a GR though. Fun in a slow, crap, predictable way. That may have just been the roads, weather and the company though - maybe it would lose the appeal on a rainy commute in Slough....

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This is what I came from a comp with the optional performance pack. (This was a dealer launch edition they weren’t necessarily called that but it’s the car all dealers recieved at launch and has red stitching instead of grey if you were to order the same spec).

I do miss the car for it’s childish exhaust and I felt the sabelts were more supportive than the Yaris seats but it’s a lot smaller than the Yaris and that’s very noticeable if you do a long journey once in a while.

Most people say they remind them of an 80’s car like a Renault 5 turbo although I couldn’t comment.

Look for the performance pack as the LSD is an improvement especially in the wet, the xenon lights are a must if you want to drive at night as the others are awful and if buying used look out for door handles coming off although 4 years and 50,000 miles and mine never did.

If your going new I don’t you’ll save that much money as a basic spec comp with diff and xenons is £27.5k and if on finance the rate will be worse than the GRY.
 
JonW said:
Saw one the other day (a pretty rare sight in Sydney where i live where I see most everything else) and thought 'that looks small and upright, but sounds good' lol.

They offered one with a sequential box here, that might be fun?

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That was a £56,000 car which is 96k Aus today.
 
I've driven a couple over the years. They're fun in short bursts, like an excitable terrier, and make a great second car, but imo the handling composure and (especially) ride is a level down from the Yaris.
 
I passed my 595 down to my son, loved the car but couldn't pass up the chance to buy my GR last year. Never had any issues with mine, relatively quick and nimble. A fun car to drive as a plus they sound good (when you change the exhaust).

If the GR hadn't come along I'd still be happy with mine.
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I briefly looked at the 695 Rivale in my grand quest to replace my RS Megane 250. It looked kinda interesting, but I never really got over the looks of it.
 
My BIL had one, build quality was awful and wasn't as quick as it looked or sounded.

Disappointing for me.
 
jsm said:
My BIL had one, build quality was awful and wasn't as quick as it looked or sounded.

Disappointing for me.
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I assume that was an older one. I’ve seen those comments a lot and thought it was a load of bull when I got my car as it was well put together then had a loan car (series 3 - pre 2016) and the quality was shocking!
 
Ecsrobin said:
I assume that was an older one. I’ve seen those comments a lot and thought it was a load of bull when I got my car as it was well put together then had a loan car (series 3 - pre 2016) and the quality was shocking!
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If my Fiat experiences are any guide, the 2016 one probably came out of the factory tight as a drum, but Italians don't wear their miles too well...
 
JBeach said:
Hi All, love my GR Yaris but only doing around 200 miles a month (mainly weekend trips) and pottering around town. Thinking of selling up and moving to an Abarth as want to keep something small and fun, but also save some money. Anyone come from an Abarth and if so am I mad? Not driven one yet but like to get people’s thoughts. Thanks Jay
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Not sure how you'll save money. You may have less initial outlay but you'll have a steeper depreciation curve from a car which isn't a whole lot cheaper in the first place.
 
Duke said:
If my Fiat experiences are any guide, the 2016 one probably came out of the factory tight as a drum, but Italians don't wear their miles too well...
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Mine certainly aged well compared to the civic before it 50k over 4 years and just your usual consumables. My FN civic before that was requiring suspension all round along with a host of other parts.

They are not perfect cars but a lot of people seem to be stuck in a rut when it comes to discussing manufacturers/models.

As I said above though if the OP is looking at new then there isn’t really any savings to be had.
 
Love the look of the abarth. If I was getting one it would be the lowest powered convertible.

I'm not sure this thing would be very enjoyable with a screaming exhaust and 180bhp.
 
Thank you all for your honest opinions 🙂 will go and have a drive of one and see what I think.
 
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