Abarth 595 vs Toyota Corolla
What's the difference?

Abarth 595

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2018 price

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Toyota Corolla

$29,990 - $46,990

2025 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Summary

2018 Abarth 595

2025 Toyota Corolla

By Tim Robson

By Tim Nicholson

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 1.4L

Inline 4, 1.8L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

5.8L/100km (combined)

4.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Good engine/chassis combo
Surprising grip levels
Unusual

Fuel efficient
Fun to drive
Cheap to run

Dislikes

Terrible driving position
Ride not great around town
No reversing camera

Cabin not as practical as rivals
Tiny boot volume
Ageing interior

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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2025 Toyota Corolla Summary

Up until 2024 when its title was nabbed by the Tesla Model Y, the humble Toyota Corolla has been the world’s best-selling car for quite some time.

A reputation for reliability, affordability, efficiency and in its current guise, being fun to drive, the Corolla has seen off all comers to retain the title of the most popular small car on Earth.

The current twelfth-generation Corolla is now seven years into its life cycle having landed in mid-2018. In that time scores of buyers have moved across into small SUVs, and the Corolla’s competitor set has shrunk dramatically as car brands pull out of the small passenger car segment.

But as we gear up for the next-gen Corolla, is the existing one still worth considering against some newer rivals? And should you look at this instead of a small SUV?

I lived with the mid-range Corolla SX hatchback for a week to find out.

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Deep dive comparison

2018 Abarth 595 2025 Toyota Corolla

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 final score for this review makes it look as though the Corolla is a middling effort. The scores for each individual section of the review are well considered and fair. The Corolla does lack the practicality of some of its rivals. A lack of an ANCAP rating isn’t great and the powertrain is just okay. But it remains one of the most fun-to-drive hatchbacks on the market today, even seven years into its life, and I would wholeheartedly recommend the Corolla to anyone looking for a small car. If you can forgive some of the quirks, it is a reliable, adorable, fun and efficient small car favourite.

Abarth 595 vs Toyota Corolla What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Abarth 595 vs Toyota Corolla
What's the difference?