Abarth 595 vs Mini 5D Hatch
What's the difference?

Abarth 595

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2018 price

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Mini 5D Hatch

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2020 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Summary

2018 Abarth 595

2020 Mini 5D Hatch

By Tim Robson

By Andrew Chesterton

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 1.4L

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

5.8L/100km (combined)

6.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Good engine/chassis combo
Surprising grip levels
Unusual

Potent engine
Tons of grip
Funky cabin ambience

Dislikes

Terrible driving position
Ride not great around town
No reversing camera

Ride can be harsh
Jittery drive experience
Cabin tech overly user friendly

2018 Abarth 595 Summary

Since 1949, Abarth has been giving the venerable Italian brand, Fiat, a patina of performance, based largely on giant-killing feats in small modified cars like the Fiat 600 of the 1960s.

More recently, the brand has been revived to boost the fortunes of the smallest Fiat on sale in Australia. Known formally as the Abarth 595, the tiny hatch packs a bit of a surprise under its distinctive snout.

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2020 Mini 5D Hatch Summary

That the 2020 Mini Clubman John Cooper Works is the most powerful Mini to have landed in Australia isn’t all that surprising. After all, parent company BMW has squeezed the thumping four-cylinder engine from the M135i under its bonnet, and that thing creates a snarling beast of any vehicle it finds a home in.

What is a surprise, though, is that having now driven this angry, crackling, snarling hot hatch, what with its burbling exhaust and properly rapid acceleration, is that it took Mini this long to get around to doing it.

So does the engine upgrade now put the Clubman JCW on the same pedestal as the best European hot hatches? There's only one way to find out.

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Deep dive comparison

2018 Abarth 595 2020 Mini 5D Hatch

Verdict

It’s tough to be kind to the Abarth 595. Based on a platform that’s more than a decade old, the car has been left behind by its rivals in many ways, including basic ergonomics and its value equation.

The larger engine does work well in this smaller package, and its road-holding ability belies its size. However, only die-hard fans of the Abarth brand will be able to cope with the uncomfortable seating position and a complete lack of even the most perfunctory features that cars costing $10,000 less are able to offer.

Verdict

The Mini Clubman JCW is quirky in a lot of the right ways, and now has a hard-charging engine to up the adrenalin factor. If you were already sold on the idea of joining the Clubman club, this one will steal your heart more than any other.

Abarth 595 vs Mini 5D Hatch What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Abarth 595 vs Mini 5D Hatch
What's the difference?