Fiat TwinAir: better economy and emissions from two-cylinder engine, but the standard 1.2 four-cylinder engine is cheaper to buy and cheaper on company car tax

Editor’s Blog on Fiat 500 TwinAir v Fiat 500 1.2 costs

WE like the Fiat 500. It’s our current Best City Car (see our Best Business Cars supplement) – it combines the fun and retro chic of the original 500 with modern day low running costs.

My wife and co-director Alison drives a Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge. She loves it, and it suits her own growing interior design business: it’s chic, stylish, easy to park in town, and economical.

But with the new TwinAir model available – see our news story New Fiat 500 TwinAir sets new mpg standards – should you choose the newcomer (more expensive) or the standard 1.2 model (cheaper to buy)?

At face value, the cost difference between the Lounge models is