Overview & Reviews

For an automaker to sell a lot of cars in the United States, it typically needs to offer a vehicle with four doors. So the Italian automaker Fiat made sure its four-door 500L was ready for prime time as soon as Americans began to take a shine to its tiny 500 hatchback. The idea behind the Fiat 500L is simple. It's a tall hatchback/wagon that's far more suitable for family use than the regular 500, while retaining the smaller car's shapeliness and Italian charm. Of course, Fiat offers the 500L in a wide variety of flavors and color combinations, so it's easy to personalize to your liking.

No matter how much the 500L may make sense on paper, however, in practice it has disappointed our editors with its unresponsive transmission, busy ride, unrefined suspension tuning, subpar interior quality and a lack of versatility that can't be detected simply by looking at a spec sheet.

Current Fiat 500L
The Fiat 500L is a small wagon/tall hatchback that debuted for the 2014 model year. All Fiat 500L models are front-wheel drive and have a turbocharged, 1.4-liter four–cylinder engine rated at 160 horsepower and 180 pound-feet of torque. You can choose either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automated manual transmission that basically functions like an automatic transmission. All-wheel drive currently isn't available for the Fiat 500L.

The 500L is offered in four trim levels: Pop, Easy, Trekking and Lounge. Standard features on the Pop include keyless entry, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity and a six-speaker CD stereo. The Easy trim adds features like alloy wheels, upgraded seat fabric and an upgraded stereo. The Trekking gets unique front and rear body panels, two-tone interior trim and premium cloth upholstery, while the top-of-the-line Lounge gets amenities like leather upholstery, heated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control. The automated manual transmission is standard on the top-of-the-line Lounge, while the other trims are available with either transmission.

In reviews, we found the 500L to be softer and less nimble than the standard 500 on the road. Ride quality can get a bit busy on uneven road surfaces and its upright stance and large side mirrors combine to create lots of wind noise within the cabin. With the automated manual transmission, the car can be slow to respond when accelerating from a traffic light or merging onto a freeway. On the plus side, steering is precise and the 500L navigates turns with confidence.

Designed to be more family-friendly than the regular 500 two-door coupe and convertible, the L is 27 inches longer and 6 inches wider and taller than its sibling. This opens up considerably more headroom for taller drivers, while the extra hip- and shoulder room in the backseat makes it a more viable option if you've got kids. It's still a bit too compact to seat three adults in back. The 500L's maximum cargo capacity of 68 cubic feet rivals that of larger compact crossovers, and its 21.3 cubic feet with the seats raised is similarly segment-leading. However, real-world utility is hampered by a high cargo lift-over height and rear-seat backrests that don't fold totally flat.

There's plenty of style inside the Fiat 500L. It looks distinct from the regular 500 thanks to its revised dash, instrumentation and steering wheel. This wagon features the latest version of Chrysler's Uconnect technology, which provides enhanced functionality for smartphones via the car's Bluetooth connection. You can wirelessly stream music from your mobile device, and the system offers text-to-speech capability for SMS messages sent to MAP-enabled phones. A six-speaker Beats by Dr. Dre sound system is also available, as is a dual-pane sunroof (though it significantly reduces headroom). There's a large assortment of interior and exterior color combinations, too, and you can opt for cloth or leather upholstery.

User Reviews:

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  Glad I Waited for Six Months to Review - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By scrappy60 - March 28 - 8:33 pm

  I bought a Fiat 500L Trekking in September 2013. To be honest, it took me quite awhile to get used to its rather quirky transmission -- and I have a manual!! The issue was the six gears and the need for a quick shift between first and second. But now that I have gotten used to how and when to shift, I am very happy with my purchase. This vehicle has all the features of the pricier Honda CRV at about 5K less -- and it looks better and handles better on the road. Last month I took it on a 800 miles road trip and it was so enjoyable to drive. The gas mileage is also far better than I expected -- I am getting over 29 miles per gallon (combined highway/city).

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  Love Our Trekking! - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By markj5362 - February 21 - 9:09 pm

  Traded in a 500 Sport to get a bit more space. Our Sport had 8,500 miles with zero problems. We now have 2500 miles on the L. Very well built. Both cars were ordered with the manual transmission which I think is a better option. The negative reviews all seem to be on cars with the auto/dual clutch trans. Combined mileage is 27.3-mostly around town. 33 mpg on highway.

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  Fantastic value and just plain fun to drive - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By jabird101 - February 16 - 4:56 pm

  I purchased my 500L in early July 2013. When I tried to insure it, Progressive had no rate for this vehicle. This is how early I got in on the 500L. After 7 months I am more than pleased with the performance, quality, economy and just plain fun. There have been reports of transmissions issues, and while there were some that had issues, this was caused by a faulty version of the controller software, and has since been corrected. Those affected became a very vocal group of three or four people who have plastered false info every where they can. This is proven by the 25,000 plus units with the DDCT, the tens of thousands of Dodge Dart DDCT units and the 100,000+ good units world wide.

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  Very happy but disapponted - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By rafaelsfo - August 5 - 4:09 pm

  I really LOVE this car, after last year test driving several cars (soul, mazda, crv, tiguan, etc) , finally found this one to replace my old Honda crv 2000 , I quite love the space and size of the car, and its response to aceleration, my friends like the space in the back seats, is a very good looking car, the BUT is , after a week only , had an issue with the engine /oil , disapointing in a new car, things like this can happen, and will see if after the fix, car performs well and no more issues.

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  Second Fiat - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By bobfl3 - July 19 - 2:48 pm

  I loved my 2012 500c but found myself needing something a little larger. I traded in the cabrio for the new 500L and am very pleased with it so far. Ive only driven 500 miles on the new one, so time will tell if it is as reliable as the little 500 was. Im very happy with the Dual Dry Clutch Automatic. It is fuel efficient and has the pick up I need for merging into heavy traffic on the highway. Taller people fit well in the car, even with the sunroof. The car has an excellent ride quality and everything works as it should. It is comfortable, has great visibility, plus its fun to drive.

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  own 2014 fiat 500L trekking - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By boris - February 11 - 10:12 am

  my trekking is great , for now i have 51k and i have not any problem. just changing oil and regular maintanance .

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  Fun to drive - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By Firas Musleh - April 23 - 11:13 pm

  Little beast. Fast small engine. Great fuel economy. Amazing handling and traction. Fun to drive. I love it.

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  Loaded 500L White - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By bill crockett - January 7 - 10:04 am

  Very reliable- I have driven it R/T to New Orleans from Memphis numerous times with not one problem.

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  Keeping it much longer - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By karaleigh - June 26 - 5:23 am

  This car is very comfortable and especially good for taller people with all the capability for changing seats, steering wheel. I love, love the small turning radius. I can u-turn in the smallest of spaces and get in and out of tight parking areas. I also love, love what I call my deer lights which are the side driving lights. I drive on many streets with no street lights and this comes in very handy to illuminate the sides of the road making night driving a whole lot easier. Also great for watching for animals at night. I thought I was only going to keep this car for 3 years but I am now on year 4 and will likely keep it another 2 to 3 years. It has been very reliable. I also drive the manual shift - not automatic. The shifter has a real sporty feel. The interior is very comfortable and I love the material used on the seats. Rugged for someone with 4 dogs, doesnt make your clothes stick to it, non-sweaty, easy to clean, and looks great. Placement for water bottles and cups is terrific too. I think they thought of everything.

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  My first Fiat Here in the States - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By Chuck - September 13 - 12:13 pm

  I (we) love this car. it is fun to drive. rides smooth. Front seats are a little small if your a larger person. Going to take it on our first road trip tomorrow.