Review written on 8/1964.
We've had access to the Calboni Gryffon for a while now. This Subcompact surprised us more than the Chimaera or the U4645. Is it worth the price? Or should you buy a different Subcompact? Read ahead to find out!

I was giddy when I heard we were testing Calboni Gryffon. On the track this thing is fast. How fast? Notice there are no pictures on this page? That fast! This is one of the fastest Subcompact I've ever been in. As impressive as that sounds, the 46 hp @ 3252RPMs 905 cc Radial5 engine is even more impressive. Peddle to the metal, this baby will do 88 mph easily. And in a straight line we hit a 31.573s 0 to 60 mph! Hooked up to our test trailer, the 60 lb-ft of torque were able to tow 22 lbs. The handling characteristics of the Calboni Gryffon is borderline acceptable for a Subcompact. We wouldn't buy it for a tracking or narrow city streets. But for most people, who care little for driving, it is fine. Mommy can I keep it? Please?!

The Calboni Gryffon reminds me of jail. The longer you're inside of it the less you want to be there. The interior is drab and non-existent. Devoid of form or functionality. There is nothing there. Nothing to write about. Just horrible, cold, nothingness. And that is how you can best describe the Gryffon's insides.

13 cu-ft is all the space you get in the Calboni Gryffon. So you should forget about how practical this vehicle is. You're not going to run to the grocery store in it.

Build quality of the Gryffon is about what you would expect from Calboni. We only noticed a few minor flaws in paneling gaps. There was also one or two vibration sounds in the interior. None of these flaws would be a deal breaker

Engineers at Calboni managed to make the perfect vehicle. It has absolutely not issues until hours after the warranty expires. We tested this phenomena 5 times on the Calboni Gryffon and every time they had a major breakdown within a week after the warranty expired. While great for Calboni this is probably not a vehicle you should buy if you plan on keeping it. The dependability of the Calboni Gryffon leaves a lot to be desired.

When it came to fuel economy testing we tried to see how far we could go in the Calboni Gryffon. Our goal was to run it out of fuel. We tried and we failed. Even when the Gryffon fuel gauge was below E, it kept going! Befuddled at this we asked Calboni engineers how this is possible. They showed us their Motor Bunny fuel system, which just keeps going and going and going and going for an impressive 44.5 mpg. In one word, amazing.

The extra effort from Calboni to make the Gryffon feel safer pays off. The reinforced frame makes the vehicle much more impact resistant. Don't go driving into walls your self, just take our word for it.

All in all, the Calboni Gryffon is a good choice among its peers. It checks just enough boxes in our Subcompact tests for us to give it our recommendation. There are a few other Subcompact that are better than the Gryffon. But for some buyers, the Gryffon is still a good choice.