With my nerves kicking in, I eased out the clutch and pressed the accelerator. The car pulled away smoothly, and I breathed a sigh of relief. The road from the East Rokko Observatory down to Royu Driveway starts with a hill, so I had to make a hill start—but I managed that, too. The owner even complimented me:

That was a smooth shift from first to second. You’re good!

I was pretty pleased with that! (laughs) With a 1.4-liter engine, it’s not a particularly powerful car, but it climbed the mountain road in second gear with more strength than I expected. The steering felt natural, and just as the owner had said, the gear lever was in a great position.

Combined with the compact body, the Abarth made me feel like I could control everything right at my fingertips. Then the owner suggested:

Try accelerating hard in second gear!

On a straight stretch, I pressed the accelerator firmly and got to enjoy the engine note.

The exhaust note was refined and smooth, with a lovely rise in pitch. It wasn’t loud or aggressive; it was simply a beautiful sound—one you could call a “tone.” I’ve always preferred a factory exhaust over the sound of a modified one (When I once rode in a supercar with an aftermarket exhaust, I embarrassingly told the owner, “That engine sounds like a cow giving birth!”…).

If the factory setup sounds this good, I thought, it’s more than enough for me.

Another thing I noticed while driving the Abarth 595 was its “companion” feel. Some cars make you feel like you’re driving alongside a trusted partner, while others don’t. Even after a short test drive, I could already feel myself getting attached to this one.

I could imagine taking it out not just for everyday errands, but on longer drives to explore new places. I found myself picturing the fun of driving it along brick-paved roads through old Italian towns…

I also asked the owner how it performed on the highway:

It’s actually pretty impressive. It feels planted, too. I usually drive at around 1○0 km/h, and it’s no problem at all. Maybe it’s because I drive like that, but fuel economy is 9 km/L, which is a little poor.

After seeing the fuel economy figures for the GT3 and Panamera Turbo, my sense of what counts as good or bad mileage is so distorted that I couldn’t tell whether 9 km/L was good or bad… (laughs)

The owner also invited me to try rev-matching on a downshift. I’ve been practicing in my BMW 320i, but I’m always too timid with the throttle, and it ends with a “Screeeech!” and a massive jolt. I’ve never managed to get it right, so I decided to pass this time.

After that, I reversed in a parking area along Royu Driveway and headed back the way we’d come. Thanks to the owner, I completed the test drive without stalling once. Phew!

I Want to Drive More Cars

The test drive lasted only about ten minutes, but I could tell that the Abarth 595 manual is easy to drive and a whole lot of fun. The gear lever moved easily, and the clutch was light and engaged low down, so even a manual-transmission beginner like me could drive without feeling intimidated.

I also discovered that I find a left-hand-drive manual easier to drive than a right-hand-drive one. I’m right-handed, so shifting with my right hand feels more natural. Maybe I should look for a left-hand-drive manual next time I buy a car… (I’m getting ahead of myself! lol)

The Abarth is stylish inside and out, too, so I imagine it would go down well with my wife and other women. My review ended up being a bit more impressionistic and vague than my husband’s, though—I’m sorry about that… (-_-)

A huge thank-you to the owner for kindly letting me drive the car. I really appreciate it!

Lately, when I visit Royu Driveway, blog readers and followers have been coming up to me and offering to let me drive their cars, saying, “Please take it for a spin! And feel free to write about it on your blog!” I’m incredibly grateful.

To be honest, lately I’ve been curious about not just Porsches, but also the Mazda Roadster and Toyota Supra. I wonder if anyone at Royu would let me take one for a drive…

…Okay, maybe I’m getting a little carried away. Sorry! (laughs)