The Fiat is back in North America!
Its the little car that could, but sort of doesn't.
The Italian car is back in North America after quite a long period. The Fiat 500 is a very small 2 door car that is meant for city life and as a fashion symbol. It is relatively inexpensive and is seen by many as a cheaper alternative to the Mini Cooper due to its small size, cool looks and driving dynamics. The original car had an engine power of about 500CC which gave it its name, however this modern generation has more than double that.
Lets take a look:
Different Styles:
The Fiat 500 only comes as a 2 door 4 seat car. But it does come in a number of different models and trim levels. There is the standard 3 door hatchback, a 2 door soft top "convertible" (only the roof is retracted, the sides and back windows stay in place), and more sporty versions. I will only talk about the 3 door hatchback and the convertible as the others don't fall in the budget class. It comes standard with a 1.4L 4 cylinder engine and either a 5 speed manual or 6 speed auto transmission. You can also get the engine with a turbo.
Styling and Comfort Impressions:
Its pretty obvious that this is a cool looking car, as long as you like the look of small hatchbacks. If you don't, then you wont like this car at all. From some angles it sort of looks like the previous generation Hyundai Accent 3 door hatchback ( I'm sure Fiat would kill me if they actually read that...). Of course the wheels in every corner give it a sporty looking stance and I like how they didn't give it ridiculously huge wheels. The theme of the Fiats are "round", everything on the 500 is very round. The lights, the bumpers the overall car and that theme continues inside as well.
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Depending on what trim level you choose you either get dials (round) or a more automated system with (round) buttons. The radio and air systems are easy to use which is nice in a sporty car like this. One odd thing is that there is no option for a built in navigation option, you can only get a TomTom device to literally stick on the dash. The front seats are quite comfortable and all the materials look really nice when put together. Sitting in the front seat you quickly realize that this is a very small car and it seems to have been made for smaller people. While I could easily find a comfortable driving position, it also meant my visibility was greatly reduced due to having the chair all the way back and lowered. The roof-line seems to go too far forward and when at a stoplight, you cant see the lights at all. The support pillars are very thick and combined with small rear windows means that rear and side visibility are bad. Its nice that Fiat tried to be smart with their rear seats and having the headrests lay almost flush with the seat back, but the small windows just don't help. Visibility in the convertible is even worse due to the rear window being smaller and the soft top doesn't fold down flat but rather bunches up and sticks out higher than the rear seat backs, meaning the rear view mirror is only useful for checking to make sure your uncomfortable rear passengers are still there.
Speaking of rear passengers, you shouldn't have any, ever. Unless the two front people are tiny and the two rear people are children with single digit ages, no one should sit back there, there is no legroom and headroom isn't great either. The sound system is very nice though...
Finally the trunk, or lack there of. In the 3 door hatchback the trunk can fit about 2 small suitcases with a bit of extra space. Obviously with the seats down flat (not flush with trunk floor) the cargo space is significantly more. The convertible maybe has enough room for 1 small suitcase.
Driving Impressions:
Where the Fiat 500 loses in terms of interior space and visibility, it surely makes up for with its driving dynamics. The base engine is very smooth and relatively quiet. It has plenty of power for this small car. The turbo gets a bit noisy under acceleration and has a bit of turbo lag. I actually prefer the non-turbo for the regular 500. The overall ride is sporty feeling. Since it has a very short wheelbase bumps are noticed but it also means that it feels more solid and composed on the road more than other small cars, better than the Toyota Yaris which does a surprisingly good job as well. The convertible allows some wind noise into the cabin but otherwise there is little road and wind noise for the regular 3 door hatchback. Due to its tiny dimensions the turning radius is very good, allowing you to turn around in small streets without 3 points. Parking is also very easy due to the front and back of the car being almost right below the windows.
Unfortunately it does not come standard with a spare tire but rather a tire repair kit. You can get the optional spare and it is held onto the rear bottom of the car.
Overall:
The Fiat 500 is a fun little car that looks cool and is fun to drive. However the bottom line is that its just too small for large people and you really cant fit any more than 2 people in it. So, if its just you and your partner and there is no need for a large car, it will work, but otherwise it would be best used as a second car for city trips and looking good in. It also works as a less expensive alternative to the Mini Cooper, though it doesn't quite have the driving dynamics ( in its base trims) to match the Mini. The Fiat 500 has surprisingly been known for pretty good fuel economy but reliability is more mixed.
Facts/ Figures:
Price ( for mid trim level): $18,000+
FWD
Max HP: 101
Max Torque lb/ft: 98
MPG (approx*): 30 city. 38 highway.
Cargo room (approx*): 9.5 / 30 CuFt
Length: 140"
Width: 64"
Tank Size (gal): 10.5
Miles on one tank (using combined MPG figures): 357
Average used price with 60,000KM or less: $12,000+
* when I say "approx" I usually am using the numbers given by the actual manufacturer or Consumer Reports, minus 1 to be a bit more realistic.
**No pictures featured are my own, they have been taken either from Google images or the manufacturer's website and their rightful owners should get any credit for them. This review featured all pictures from the manufacturer's websites.
Enjoy!
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J.K.
