Abarth Punto Evo review, test drive

Spend a few minutes with the Abarth Punto and you’ll find it has more scorpions than sub-Saharan Africa. The front and rear decals, the aluminum pedals, the alloys, steering wheel are all stamped with the brand’s logo. We drove a prototype but the final production versions may even have a massive scorpion sticker on the bonnet and roof! The cabin is typically Punto, which means it’s dated and not as well built as its German rivals. The awkward driving position, thanks to a steering wheel that’s too close to you and doesn’t adjust for reach, is was one of the flaws. The dashboard design, which got refreshed with the Punto Evo still looks good and the Abarth version gets a bespoke black seat trim with yellow contrast stitching. 

What is it like to drive?

These gripes become irrelevant the instant you engage the clutch to experience a different level of performance. Let’s talk numbers first. With the front wheels scrabbling to put all the power and torque down, the Abarth rockets to 100kph in 9.54 seconds making it the first mainstream hatchback to crack the 10-second barrier. With the turbo spinning strongly, there’s no let up in power especially in the short, lower gears. The 6,500rpm rev limit comes up in no time and each upshift puts you smack in the meat of the powerband. Because you don’t need to rev the guts out of this engine, the Abarth, riding on a massive wave of torque, feels deceptively quick.

Below, 1,800rpm there’s a bit of turbo lag but it’s far from sluggish. Even off-boost, the bigger capacity engine will demolish other hatchbacks and you’ll rarely find yourself starved for more power. It’s the amazing real- world performance and ease with which the Abarth Punto gathers speed that sets it a world apart from the naturally aspirated 1.2-litre hatch pack.  Put your foot down and there’s a strong surge in any gear. You don’t need to constantly shift which is just as well because the gearshift is the weak link in the powertrain. It doesn’t feel very precise and the long throw doesn’t encourage you to flick from one cog to another. Another disappointment here is the ordinary engine sound. A bit of crackle and burble or even a mildly throaty exhaust note would have been in keeping with the character of the car. A good aftermarket exhaust kit can fix this.

The Abarth’s suspension set-up is stiffer than the standard Punto’s to better cope with the increase in power and this is quite obvious in the way it rides. The reworked spring and damper ratings give it a firm edge over uneven surfaces but it doesn’t feel harsh in the least. So good is the original Punto’s long-travel suspension that even the sportier Abarth with its low-profile tyres cope well over sharp edges and potholes.