Ey! Pisan!

Every car has its own soundtrack. The perfect song that sums up everything you need to know about the car's personality and performance.

I drove this today.


And I haven't been able to get Mambo Italiano out of my head since. (Full disclosure, this article is meant to be read while listening to this song.)

First, the highlights. This little Italian runabout has a lot of personality. From it's puppy dog cute styling to it's engine note (GRRRRRRR! I MAY BE THE SIZE OF YOUR BREADBOX BUT I'M A LOT OF FUN!), this little car is 10 lbs of charisma in a 5 lb bag.
The handling is bang on to for a small, fun car. It tracks well in the turns, and in Sport mode the throttle responses become more aggressive (in my opinion, Sport mode should be the default mode, but that's just me). There are some odd quirks, mostly due to the car's short wheel-base, tall center of gravity. You do feel a little top-heavy, but not dangerously so.

Inside, the interior is a pleasant place to be, but pick your interior color with care. Most of the dash is dominated by a plastic fascia that, in some colors, can be off putting. The version I drove was colored dark blue, with a blue and black interior, which came across rather well. The dashboard was nicely laid out too. One feature I liked about it was that the Spedometer and Tachometer are coincentrically mounted, with the Tach mounted inside the Spedo. This means that when you're accelerating, the speed needle keeps trying to chase your revs. This car is very active in encouraging you to go faster.

The space isn't bad either. I'm 6'1" and I fit in the front and back comfortably.

It's not all cannolis and pizza though. There are some faults, mostly with the cockpit ergonomics. For instance, the radio's volume and station are controlled by buttons, which isn't a problem unless you're driving aggressively. And you will drive this car aggressively. It compels you.
Plus, the window controls are in the center console in front of the shifter, which just throws me the hell off.

Bottom line, this car is a little terrier. Eager, full of energy, a little neurotic, and ready to run circles around bigger dogs. If you are in the market for a small, fun little car, take one for a spin. You won't regret it.