johnleigh said:
"
Where it disappoints is in character. This is almost certainly a better car than a Fiat 500 ""“ more technically advanced, loads more roomy, it makes more sense ""“ and yet I'd rather have the Fiat, because it's more desirable. A little town car should be cute, cheeky, sexy, whichthe Fiat is and the up! isn't. It's actually rather dull in appearance, hasn't moved on massively in looks from the Lupo or the Fox, doesn't stand out from a Renault Twingo."
So the Up is better than a Fiat and has more space but this guyprefersthe Fiat because he thinks it should be "cute, cheeky, sexy"?
Crazy, crazy man.
I can understand where he is coming from. The Fiat 500 is very cute, and
if you are using it as a shopping trolley, for city journeys, and you
have no friends, then it's great. If you want a more practical car, that
is quieter on motorways, has more space in the back, more boot space,
better mpg, and costs less, then the Up is the choice.
I think
the review is fair, because he actually says the Up is a much better
car, but he prefers the Fiat for its looks, and we know the bearded,
besandled, feminist women who read the Guardian are superficial and
judge by looks. (I actually think the Up is cute too, but less so than
the Fiat 500.)
The one point I think is unfair is the Green
Rating. How can it do better? 8 out of 10, what? I suppose it would have
to burn the driver's lentil induced farts to score more. Or maybe if it
was powered by hot air i.e. the sanctimonious preaching of Guardian
readers.
Of course I adopt a completely unbiased opinion. Fine paper the Guardian.
As
an aside, I think Jeremy Clarkson (a motoring journalist) basically
said the same thing when he described the Up as the best car you will
never buy.