Overview & Reviews

Something of an Italian answer to the VW Beetle, the original Fiat 500 was produced from 1957 through 1975 and featured a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine of just 500cc (a half-liter) in size. Among the 500's (or Cinquecento's) lovable traits were its diminutive yet space-efficient body that made maneuvering in crowded European cities a snap, an available large fold-back canvas sunroof and a small appetite for fuel.

Arriving some  50 years after the introduction of the original, today's Fiat 500 boasts many of the traits that made its forebear so beloved. The contemporary Fiat 500 has cute retro styling along with a surprisingly roomy cabin for its small footprint. Marking Fiat's return to the United States after a 27-year hiatus, the 500 is something of a United Nations approach to car building, as this Italian car is built at a Fiat-owned Chrysler plant located in Mexico. Though that may put long-term reliability into question, what we do know is that this little car's personality fits its cheeky looks.

Current Fiat 500
The Fiat 500 is available in both coupe and convertible body styles. The convertible, though, is actually more like a coupe, with a huge, roll-back cloth sunroof.

The standard 500 comes with a 1.4-liter 101-horsepower four-cylinder matched to either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic. As the Fiat 500 weighs just 2,350 pounds -- a few hundred less than a base Mini Cooper -- performance is actually fairly peppy.

The Fiat 500 Turbo and GQ Edition gain a turbocharged version of the 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 135 hp and 150 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual is the only transmission available. Those looking for the spiciest meatball should consider the 500 Abarth. With 160 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque, its turbocharged 1.4-liter four sends the Abarth to 60 mph in a quick 7.1 seconds. The five-speed manual is the sole transmission offering here.

The standard Fiat 500 coupe comes in Pop, Sport, Lounge, Turbo and Abarth trim levels, while the convertible comes in the Pop, Lounge and Abarth variants. Standard feature highlights for the base Pop trim include full power accessories, air-conditioning, cruise control, a tilt-only steering wheel, a height-adjustable driver seat and a six-speaker sound system. The luxury-themed Lounge adds 15-inch alloy wheels, exterior chrome accents, foglamps, a fixed glass roof (hatchback only), upgraded cloth upholstery, Bluetooth phone connectivity and an iPod/USB audio interface. The Sport, Turbo and Abarth models upgrade with features that are mainly performance-related. Two special-edition models, the GQ and the 1957, were introduced this year, offering mainly cosmetic flourishes.

In reviews, we've been impressed by the 500's smooth and willing engines and slick-shifting manual transmission. Though the steering feel is somewhat numb, the 500, especially the Sport version, provides agile handling along with a compliant ride quality, besting the Mini Cooper in the latter respect. The Abarth is a different animal entirely -- a 500 with an attitude by way of its spirited acceleration, snorting exhaust and athletic handling. This little dynamo should have strong appeal to enthusiasts, as it provides massive driving entertainment in a tiny package.

Though the 500 is 6 inches shorter in length and 2 inches narrower than its chief rival, the Mini Cooper, the Fiat 500 is substantially taller (by 4 inches). That translates into better outward visibility and respectable leg- and headroom, especially for rear seat passengers. The interior is cheerful-looking, especially when optioned with the two-tone coloring, and the controls are easy to operate. Despite the Fiat 500's small size, seating comfort is surprisingly respectable for drivers of all sizes, though tall folks should avoid the sunroof, as it significantly reduces headroom.

Used Fiat 500 Models
The current-generation Fiat 500 was introduced in 2012. Besides the Turbo and Abarth convertibles being unavailable that first year, changes since then have mostly been limited to shuffling of trim level content. The 1957 and GQ special edition models debuted in 2014.

User Reviews:

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  I love my fiat - 2013 Fiat 500
  By John Schmitt - September 30 - 1:14 pm

  I bought my Fiat in January of 2014 and have put just over 22,000 miles on it. I love the drop top which I can drop going up to 50 mph and my gas mileage is at 40.2-I drive 30% city and 70% road. I live in the upper Great Lakes and this little bulldog is surprisingly good in snow, plus witth heated seats I can drop my top and watch the snow fall inside my cabin!

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  Used Abarth is a perfect second car - 2014 Fiat 500
  By Wade Morefield - September 26 - 1:34 pm

  I love my Abarth. Its our second car, but weve already taken it on one long road trip. It is a very fun car to drive and feels much faster than it is. Im surprised how comfortable it is, given all the negative press Ive read. For 2 six foot adults, the car is perfectly comfortable. Miles per gallon are better than EPA estimates, but smiles per gallon are off the charts. The touch points in the cabin are very nice, even if there is a lot of hard plastic. No complaints at all. Comfortable, fun, economical, practical and it sounds awesome when you run it up through the gears! But a lightly used one and you wont regret it.

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  Piece of crap car! - 2013 Fiat 500
  By leah - September 14 - 11:23 pm

  Horrible car!! DO NOT BUY!! i have 22K miles on it and my turbo stopped working, in addition both my windows motors broke. Worst car ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  50,000 thats it! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By Dp - September 10 - 9:07 pm

  Warranty stops at 50k miles and thats when everything thing fails! You buy the car with a maintenance package.... They will change oil every 8,000 miles (factory recommended)... 500 miles out of warranty and engine light comes on... Now the story changes... Change oil every 5,000 miles!

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  Urban Vehicle - 2012 Fiat 500
  By Dave Condon - September 6 - 11:48 am

  I live in the Seattle area which means tight parking spaces and little maneuvering room. The Fiat 500 is an urban vehicle by definition. It is half the size and weight of a Ford F 150. The Fiat 500 works good for its design purpose. The five speed transmission (manual) is as smooth shifting as they come. I have had a speaker blow out in one of the doors. The Blue and Me full functions are a joke as the program only works for Microsoft phones. Visibility is excellent. The doors are very wide making getting in and out easy. And finally, the car always has a smile on the grill. I notice time and again people smiling back at the car and children turning around for a second look. The Fiat 500 is fun to drive.

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  2012 Fiat 500 pop - 2012 Fiat 500
  By Kellster07 - September 2 - 6:08 pm

  I love my fiat its adorable inside and out and gets me where I want to go. Due to the wide trunk we are actually able to fit a lot in the back of my fiat with the back seats down including our lawn mower. I have had to replace my windshield several times due to rocks hitting the windshield while driving in highways due to fiat being so low to ground. I also think the windshield glass is not strong as the rocks were not too big and I was far from the trucks. Another issue I had was my hubcabs continuously fall off, I paid for two and then decided to stop paying for them and have had one missing for 9 months now as I refuse to pay for another. The clock in my car is always wrong, small detail yes but annoying, as I have fixed it to the correct time a dozen times and it weirdly keeps going back to 7 minutes behind schedule. The inside of the car is very hard to clean including the steering wheel and dashboard due to the texture and different finishes. It either doesnt clean it at all or leaves streaks, I have tried a bunch of different cleaning products at this point. The ride is beyond bumpy, my friends who have ridden in the car have stated that it feels like they are on a carnival ride. The back seats are not comfortable at all and not full side seats, so if you want that dont get a fiat. The front seat surprisingly has a lot of leg room per my husband. The car is easy to drive and park and gets great gas mileage. I have people asking me about my car and peering in the window all the time. Its an adorable car and fun to drive but definitely has it drawbacks.

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  Dangerous - 2012 Fiat 500
  By Maria - August 27 - 12:26 pm

  This car has left me standed in the middle of intersections and is super dangerous. Fiat finally agreed to pay me but for the past 4 months has not returned my calls. I also noticed that all negative posts have vanished.

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  Trading in - 2012 Fiat 500
  By winthrop53@gmail.com - August 24 - 11:36 am

  I got a letter for a blow out sale so I drove my Fiat to the dealership and I was fortunately able to get a new loan for a 500L. I got a great deal on the new car but the trade in on my 2012 Fiat Pop was really low due to issues pertaining to the clutch and the engine noise. After reading some other reviews I am apparently not the only one with these issues. Someone else had to get a new clutch under 40,000 and mine has only 34,000. Also another review complained about changing spark plugs and their costs at an early mileage. I just had to replace mine. The engine noise just got so loud in the last few months - out of nowhere. Service kept telling me it is a Fiat.? Again in another review the engine noise gave them a headache. Then there is the electrical. Tire monitor light went on after 15,000, some sort of electrical problem. I had the same problem mentioned in a review. I was constantly checking my air pressure. Service couldnt help. They just would check the air pressure and say it is fine. I had to replace both headlights at 34,000, also mentioned in another review and of course replacing the hub caps two or three times a year at $55.00 a piece. Hope I have better luck with the 500L. Risky getting another Fiat but financially I was stuck due to low trade in value.

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  Should have known better than to buy a Fiat - 2012 Fiat 500
  By Maureen M - August 11 - 10:24 am

  I bought my 2012 Fiat 500 Pop used. This was 2 years ago and it had 36,000 miles on it. (Found out it had been a former rental car...in Las Vegas). The only reason I chose this one was it was the only used automatic they had (I can drive a manual but in L.A. I choose not to). Electrical problems from the start. Warning lights always coming on (Check engine). Half the time they couldnt say what was wrong. For a couple months the car went to service every other week. Finally got that to stop then one day I turn on the car and the mileage was blinking. Again to the shop for resetting. I took my car in for an oil change a couple weeks ago and was told it had a leak (somewhere where they needed to drop out the engine). $89 for parts. Over $1k for labor. (Not had it done). This past Friday I pushed the button to lower my drivers window and heard a thunk. Window dropped an inch and has stayed there. Getting it fixed today. Thankfully (without being consulted when I bought the car) I somehow ended up with the extended warranty - Maximum Care. So the window will be just $100 (deductible). Going to find out if the oil leak is covered as well. I wanted to trade in the car for a new 500L since they contacted me looking for 2012 Pops. Too much negative equity. Well no kidding. This thing had negative equity when I bought it. Kicking myself for not buying the brand new Toyota Prius C that I test drove at another dealership. As soon as I can this car is gone!

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  Cant Wait To Get Rid Of It! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By CG13 - August 4 - 4:08 pm

  Ive had this car for three years and have put 20,000 miles on it. Bought it because it was adorable, inexpensive, and great for my city-street/low-speed commute (which is now a freeway commute). Here is my take on the car: The GOOD: Cute as heck. Verde Chiaro color still turns heads. Good little car for putting around town (grocery-getter) on city streets. Brakes are responsive. Storage space in the car is about what you expect - not a lot of room but with a little bit of tetris skills you can fit a lot. Decent gas mileage (I expected better for a car so small). The BAD: I fear for my life on the freeway - no joke - and I am a very good driver who has never had an accident. Blind spots galore! Acceleration is extremely unreliable - sometimes you give it gas and it reluctantly goes slowly, other times the engine revs but it sits there... So if you need to make an evasive maneuver that requires accelerating, hit the gas and hope for the best. Engine noise gives me a headache. Interior shows scratches easily. My tire pressure monitor sensor stopped working at 15k (I havent the time during the week to have it taken care of since the dealer wont do anything other than oil changes on Saturdays). My boyfriend said its like a beer can on wheels and worries about my safety every day. Must use 91 octane or better gas for best performance. Doesnt always start on the first turn (Fiat said this is normal for this engine - ???). I foolishly accepted a lease term longer than I wanted and am almost done but am seriously considering eating the penalties for turning it in early. Especially since it looks like it is prone to having more mechanical issues that I would be responsible for.