Fiat 500 Review

Performance3/5

The Fiat 500 is designed to be fun around town, and none of the engines are going to detract from that sense, they are just not the most exciting of engines. There are 3 petrol options and a diesel available with the standard 500, and the common complaint with all of them is that they need a lot of revs to get the best out of them. Either the 1.2 or 1.4 petrol offer good round-town performance while being strong enough to deal with motorway driving, but the 1.3 multijet diesel is the best for long distance driving offering a bit more punch, and doing a very respectable 67mpg.

Handling3.5/5

Well there is no shock here but the Fiat 500 is designed for nipping round city streets, the steering is light, which makes it very nimble, and the 1.4 can be made even lighter with Fiat’s Dualdrive system which lightens the steering under 44mph. Despite this lightness the 500 feels firmly attached to the road making it feel like a substantial car. Out of the city the Fiat feels fully under control although it isn’t particularly fun to drive at high speeds.

Exterior5/5

Following on the heels of the MINI and the VW Beetle’s revival the Fiat 500 is a homage to the 1957 classic. For me though the 500 captures the essence of the classic better than any of its rivals. It looks fun, cool and stylish which it is why it has become such a desirable car in the UK. Not only that but you can customise the car to your own taste with a whole heap of design options.

Interior4/5

The retro feel is continued inside the car, with the interior of the Fiat 500 having some really nice design features, the dash is colour coded and the cool Fiat badge at the centre of the steering wheel adds to the charm. There is enough space for 2 in the front, and as long as you’re not planning on transporting any particularly long legged friends the back seats are adequately spacious. A slight disappointment is the lack of back support which can make the car uncomfortable on long trips. The Fiat 500 is designed as a small city car, and as such the boot space isn’t huge but it isn’t bad for its class, offering 185 litres which is bigger than a MINI hatchback. The 500 also offers split folding rear seats which adds to its versatility.

Equipment3.5/5

The Fiat 500 is not a gadget lovers dream; it keeps the trims pretty simple, which somehow feels in keeping with the 1957 classic. The most basic level is the Pop, which gets you a MP3 adaptable CD player, electric windows and door mirrors and body coloured bumpers. The next level is the Sport which gives you tinted windows, 15 inch alloys, sports trim and seats, air conditioning and the rather nice Blue&Me bluetooth system. The Lounge is the top spec model, which gets you ivory trim a fixed glass roof and split/folding rear seats.

Safety4.5/5

The Fiat 500 scored 5 stars in the Euro NCAP crash test, the only slight disappointment is its poor 2 star rating for pedestrians. If you are inside the car though you are well protected, with 7 air bags distributed throughout the car. Other safety features include ABS and electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) as well as traction and stability control.

Buying & Owning4/5

The Fiat 500 is pretty competitively priced, though its desirability means you are unlikely to get much of a discount. This desirability means that it holds it price well. You are not going to spend a fortune at the pumps either with the engines not being remotely thirsty. Fiat have tried hard to make this car reliable, and on the whole they have succeeded, but there are few little niggles that might have you popping back to the garage more than you’d like.

Reviewed by cars2buy