The latest incarnation of the Fiat 500 is more than just a motor car, it is a fashion statement. It might resemble the original, albeit in a much larger form, but the current car couldn’t be more different.

Built to address the post-war demand for economic cars the Fiat 500 was small – it is widely considered to be one of the first city cars – but practical and cheap to run. It proved to be an irresistible combination and it sold by the bucket load.

Fiat had only one thing in mind when they reintroduced the 500, and that was to repeat that sales success but this time by creating a desirable, chic little runabout for the fashion conscious. The marketing reflects their ambitions, with the focus largely steering clear of performance, price or practicality, and instead concentrating on how pretty it will look on the driveway, or how much better and brighter your life will be just because you own one.

And so the Fiat 500 fits perfectly into a modern world obsessed with image but there’s substance beneath the style and a closer look will reveal a solidly built car that also happens to be a rather good steer.

The emphasis on style is carried over into the interior of the car, with a large circular instrument binnacle, flashes of colour matched to the paintwork and headrests that are reminiscent of keys on a brass instrument.

Overall it does a good job of paying homage to the original without compromising on the quality of materials or fit and finish.

While the front seats provide plenty of support I struggled to find the ideal driving position. This was down to a combination of two factors: The steering wheel which only adjusts for rake, not reach, and the thickness of the seat cushion. Together they conspired to rob me of any space for my knees.

The front seat belt buckles couldn’t be in a more awkward position, set low and tight against the seats you need arms like a gibbon to reach them. I lost count of the number of times I thought I was good to go only to discover that I'd slid the belt between the buckle and the seat, rather than into the buckle itself.

Rear seat passengers fare surprisingly well for a car this size. There’s enough head and legroom for a couple of average adults to travel in relative comfort.

Under the bonnet is Fiat's intriguing two-cylinder 875cc TwinAir engine. Producing 105hp there’s more than enough grunt to cope with life in the city or on the motorways. The throttle is a little lazy which can leave you scrambling around for forward momentum when you're trying to get away from a junction but once you do get it going the motor provides a unique and satisfying soundtrack.

Refinement is excellent for a small car, and even more so for a small car with a fabric roof. It's considerably less so with the roof down when it's probably best suited to short trips along the Riviera.

The chassis provides a solid base for the suspension to work its magic, easily absorbing small bumps without upsetting the occupants but the small wheelbase and narrow track means you'll fid yourself approaching speed bumps with a little trepidation.

The electric power steering is light, although pressing the Sport button on the dashboard adds some much-appreciated weight, and a little numb but it's crisp and direct.

I was grateful for the light clutch and slick, positive gear change as I found myself reaching for the gear lever more often than I would have liked.

Drive carefully - and that means forgetting about maintaining your speed up an incline, for example - and the TwinAir is a viable eco alternative but, as I discovered, get caught up in city traffic and the fuel consumption suffers dramatically.

Standard equipment includes start-stop technology, climate control, electric front windows, Bluetooth with voice recognition and seven airbags which helped the 500 rack up five stars on the NCAP safety rating scale.

As it turns out, the latest incarnation of the Fiat 500 is a worthy successor to the original. It remains practical, good value and plenty of fun but is also stylish and very well bolted together. Chances are you'll buy one because of its looks. The good news is you won't be disappointed when you drive it away.

Fiat 500 0.9 TwinAir 105hp S Convertible

£16,740Price:

£17,520As tested:

875cc 2-cylinderEngine:

6-speed manualTransmission:

105hp @ 5,500rpmPower:

107lbft @ 2,000rpmTorque:

117mphMaximum speed:

10 secAcceleration (0-62mph):

51.4mpgUrban:

80.7mpgExtra urban:

67.3mpgCombined:

99g/kmEmissions (CO2):

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