Fiat 500C White

We were fans of the basic 1.2-litre this new hybrid model replaces and, for all the downsizing and fancy tech, the power output and performance are comparable, though there is a six-speed gearbox now to help you make the most of what power you have. For all the hybrid hype the 500 is fundamentally a regular petrol-powered city car with a few fuel-saving tricks, though the new engine is commendably smooth. You need to apply yourself if you’re to fully realise the benefits of the hybrid system, however, the ‘sailing’ function only working if you shift out of gear and coast up to the lights in neutral. If you do that it’ll cut the petrol engine below 20mph, only restarting it when you dip the clutch to select first and pull away. How many drivers will be bothered to go to the effort is open to question. You may still find versions of the 500 available with the previous model year engines, these comprising the non-hybrid 1.2-litre with 69 horsepower and the 85 horsepower version of Fiat’s neat two-cylinder turbocharged TwinAir. The latter is distinctive and pulls better the 1.2 but isn’t the smoothest or most refined engine in the world. Running costs for both are pretty similar, at least by official numbers. You can still get the 1.2 with the Dualogic automatic gearbox too, though this isn’t the slickest system of its kind and it suffers on fuel consumption and emissions.