Twingo 133 vs 500 1.4 16v

[TW]Fox;16295532 said:
They are apparently absolutely excellent cars.
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Aside from the atrocious ride quality (it's about on a par with the current Civic Type-R, i.e. bloody awful on UK roads), they are indeed absolutely excellent little cars.

The Twingo 133 isn't, however. Avoid. And the 500 1.4 is pointless - if you want a hot 500, buy the Abarth, if you just want a 500, by a 1.2 or a 500C in any flavour.
 
JRS said:
The Twingo 133 isn't, however. Avoid.
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Is it really that bad? Based on a mk2 Clio and generally praised by the motoring press as being a great warm hatch, which is what this chap is after.

http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/227439/renaultsport_twingo.html

http://www.topgear.com/UK/renault/twingo/road-test/renaultsport-133-cup

A good warm hatch imho, I do like those Pandas as well though.

I know someone mentioned a 197 above, but going on the original choices can't help but think that's just not what he's after, I'm thinking turn it down a notch :)
 
JRS said:
The Twingo 133 isn't, however. Avoid. And the 500 1.4 is pointless - if you want a hot 500, buy the Abarth, if you just want a 500, by a 1.2 or a 500C in any flavour.
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Thats rubbish, the Twingo sport 133 is a brilliant little warm hatch, far far far better than a 500 and i would have one over an arbath tbh - why bother with a 500 when the panda its based on has a better version in the 100hp ?

The Arbath essee is a diff matter, prolly take that over the twingo but then you are in clio 200 territory and the 500 looks silly against that.
 
I quite fancy one of the 100hp Pandas, they just get a little expensive if you spec them up. Just over 12k when I've added a few bits.
 
Shimmyhill said:
Thats rubbish, the Twingo sport 133 is a brilliant little warm hatch
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Well, the one I test drove must have been broken then. Quite why it should be broken with only 50 miles on the clock I couldn't even begin to speculate about, but hypothetically I could start with Renault build quality control and go from there - and while I realise Fiat are hardly immune to the odd Friday car, this one probably has their worst efforts beaten. Not fast, not musical, not even slightly comfortable to drive and blessed with the structural rigidity of hairgel. There was so much lash in the drivetrain it just felt like it was going to come apart at the seams. Oh, and is the steering supposed to feel like it was designed for Americans? Way too light, zero feedback. Just. Plain. Nasty.

If you're going to buy a Renault, just buy a used hot Clio and get a car that is orders of magnitude better in all departments.

As for your point about the Abarth versus the Panda 100hp. I must be missing something there - 135hp turbocharged car versus ~100hp N/A car. The 'standard' (Pop, Lounge, Sport) 500 1.4 has the Panda 100hp motor, and I believe I stated that I thought that model was pointless.
 
The twingo i tested was awesome and very much in the hot clio vein, given as its based on a clio it wasnt that surprising. The 500 was dull and uninvolved, perfect for the wife to trundle around in but not fun in the same way the twingo was.

The 100hp is just more fun to chuck around than the arbath and if you want dead steering then try an arbath. Less weight, better sprung, revvier engine just make the 100hp a brilliant car over the arbath IMO
 
The Panda 100HP is a very fun little warm hatch. Great around corners and not too bad cruising (apart from the already mentioned ride quality) with a 6th gear. It feels surprisingly torquey too which helps with giving a good sense of progress :)

Another choice could be a Suzuki Swift Sport? Not the greatest interior, but by no means rubbish or bad looking, great handling, stylish looks and the cost of ownership is low. Certainly have a look at one.
 
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