The Citymatic has the same trim level as the Seicento SX with the addition of the EPAS electric power steering system which imposes almost no energy drain and avoids the heavy and complex plumbing associated with conventional power-assist mechanisms. In effect EPAS is an on demand system and comprises only two components a control unit and the servo motor itself. It is effectively a variable-rate device which provides more effort as the road speed diminishes and is at the heart of the so-called girlie button on the new Punto.
As with the S and SX variants, the Citymatic is powered by Fiats 899 cc, 39 bhp in-line four which delivers its maximum torque at a usefully low 3,000 rpm. Low enough, in fact, to produce a level of mid-range flexibility not normally associated with such a diminutive power unit. As I have said, the fuel consumption for all three models is identical 35.8 mpg around town and up to 55.4 mpg on the open road. The average is 46.3 mpg, which is not class-leading but certainly in the right ball park.
Neither is the Seicento fastest in the pack, with a top speed of just 87 mph and 60 mph coming up in 18 seconds. However, it is interesting to note that the semi-automatic Citymatic has an identical performance to the manual S and SX models, which is further evidence that the system imposes absolutely no energy tariff.
In an urban environment, absolute speed and performance is largely irrelevant and what really counts is the cars ability to soak up the punishment and deliver a light, user-friendly drive to offset the stress of coping with urban gorillas. In this respect, the Citymatic, indeed the whole Seicento range, excels. The EPAS steering is light when it needs to be and the gearchange, with or without a third pedal, is crisp and positive with none of the balking or stirring once a feature of small Fiats.
Some commentators have complained about the small controls and there is no doubt that long, slender fingers are more of an advantage than boxing gloves, but small can be beautiful and the funky aesthetics compensate for the absence of bloke-sized buttons. Small is particularly handy when it comes to parking the Seicento turning circle is just 8.8 metres, which in Christian numbers is under 29 feet.
Those of you who have ever driven a Fiat Panda will no doubt recall the dreadful seats. If you didnt topple out of them on a fast corner, the steel bar at the base of the back rest would impress itself on any available nerve and eventually render your legs and feet insensible to all but the most urgent commands. Thankfully the Seicento is some generations removed and the seating is probably the least scaled down and amongst the most comfortable in its class. Even the rear seats are adult-friendly within reason. Leg room is not brilliant and large adults would emerge as kissing cousins after a long drive. The claim that the Seicento is a five-seater smacks of a certain degree of spin.
But even fully-laden, the suspension seems to cope surprisingly well. There is no sense of dragging your bum along the ground and the sub-frame mounted rear geometry not only leaves more room available for luggage but soaks up the bumps more effectively than direct-mounted systems. With the possible exception of the Lupo, I would rate the
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