Overview & Reviews

Fiat is one of the earliest and grandest names in automobiles, dating from the establishment of Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino ("FIAT") in 1899. During the early years, its racing cars were the envy of every nation. Later on, the Fiat Topolino ("Little Mouse") was as famous as the Volkswagen KDF (subsequently known as the "Beetle") in the 1930s and '40s. The 1950s saw Fiat put much of Italy on wheels with the hugely popular 500, sparking the "Italian Miracle," a renaissance of European consumer products.

Sadly, the company's fortunes in the United States were mixed. Here, the Fiat 1500 won over a fair share of enthusiasts in the mid-'60s, and the early-'70s saw the Fiat 850 (Spider and Coupe) become popular among college students. Yet the Pininfarina-designed Fiat 124 sports car did the most to keep the Fiat image alive in America, as cars like the front-wheel-drive 128 and midengine X1/9 ultimately failed. Even Lancia, Fiat's premium brand, withered quickly after an introduction in the mid-'70s. Ultimately, Fiat's poor reputation for quality and its inability to cope with ever more stringent emissions regulations led the Italian company to pull out of the U.S. market altogether in 1984.

In 2000, General Motors acquired a stake in Fiat as part of a joint venture to create a new generation of small, affordable cars for Europe. GM's financial troubles led to the unraveling of this agreement in 2005, but Fiat had invested the GM money wisely in new air emissions technology. When the bankruptcy of Chrysler took place in 2008, Fiat saw an opportunity to return to the U.S. In 2009, Fiat acquired a controlling interest in Chrysler.

The Fiat 500, debuting for 2012, was the first of Fiat's new generation of cars to come stateside. Staying true to its lineage, the new 500 is very small, nimble and stylish. In addition to the 500 coupe, there are also the 500 convertible and hot-rod 500 Abarth to further tempt those looking for a small car with plenty of personality. More recently, Fiat has expanded its lineup with the fully electric 500e and the family-friendly, four-door 500L.

User Reviews:

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  500 Pop Manual - Fast Car and Love it - 2012 Fiat 500
  By rtwolfe - October 8 - 11:55 pm

  My first car was an MGB and I loved it. I feel the exact same way about this car. I smile to and from work every day. Also, it WILL go fast but you have to drive it like an Italian. Heres what it takes. 1. Manual Transmission - Auto is not quick 2. Sport button on 3. Shift at high RPMs - 4000 to 6500 4. High Octane Premium Gas - BP 93 works 5. Mobile 1 oil-makes Multivalve engine run better 6. High Flow Drop In air filter - check 500madness Other than the transmission, this set of small changes made a huge difference in how the car responds. It flys. Also, with Sport on, the steering is crisp and the throttle is quick. Take a test drive. You will love it too.

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  Ive fallen! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By rcaplan - September 20 - 3:27 pm

  I have fallen in love with the Fiat 500! I went from a VW New Beetle to my Fiat and I couldnt be happier! I was going to get a Mini but could never pull the trigger. The moment I sat down in the Fiat it had me. The drive is wonderful, the features are amazing and all at an extremely great price! I only wish the seats sat a little lower but that could be due to being used to driving a Bug for the past 5 years. Do yourself a favor and if you are at all contemplating a Fiat, get one!!!

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  No buyers remorse! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By crushlawtx - August 15 - 5:56 pm

  I traded in my 2008 Infiniti G35 for a 2012 Fiat 500 Sport in Rame with brown leather interior, and I could not be happier with my purchase. Its comfortable, fun to drive, and beautiful. I rarely go anywhere without someone asking me to look in my car in parking lots. Im averaging over 31 mpgs with the automatic transmission on mostly city driving. Ive had the car nearly two months now, and I dont have a single gripe. Its an absolutely amazing little car!

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  2012 500 sport (manual) - 2012 Fiat 500
  By pd14_98 - August 3 - 10:03 am

  I am a new Fiat fan for life! The 500 sport is a winner for me. Very reliable, very peppy & fun to drive, very economical, and very beautiful. I get 44 mpg on highway drives with the A/C on...this car easily exceeds the EPA rating for highway milage. Driving in the city is closer to the EPA rating (30-32 mpg in true bumper to bumper city driving). Even though I did not have a big budget, I am very happy I bought the Sport with a few options (18,600) and not the Pop. The sport has exceptionally comfortable seats and adds so much extra equipment for a small premium that it was worth getting over the Pop...I strongly recommend this car to everyone who admires it.

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  Fiat sport - 2012 Fiat 500
  By perrusquiald - May 17 - 11:16 am

  I just got my car last weekend and Im happy. the car is great, fun to drive and great gas saver, I got 4 stars for the reliability because the car is new to America but I dont have any complains. You need to drive this car before you buy the mini cooper, this is better buy for the money and looks great.

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  Prima Edizione - 2012 Fiat 500
  By limee - May 4 - 5:14 pm

  I had wanted this car for years, so finally Fiat arrives back in the US. I was too late in the signing up process to get the first 500 models but managed to purchase one from a local dealer at MSRP which was good seeing as sellers are generally asking 2-3 thousand over MSRP. Now have it in my possession and it reminds me of all the other Fiats and Alfas I have owned over the years, in that it definitely has character. The styling is fantastic and very eye catching. Its a fun car to drive and a car that involves the driver more than other cars in the same class that I had test driven. Has a few niggles (Hey its Italian!) but they are niggles I can live with, because it has my soul!

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  You have to Drive this car!!! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By mikebnascar8 - April 30 - 1:25 pm

  My first impression was to laugh at this car, it was tiny and looked different. I never thought that I would Love driving it! The 6-speed Italian made tip-tronic automatic is a brilliant transmission! Shifts when you want it to & gives you a great power band. Its 101hp, so your not going to win any drag races... but you can throw this car into any corner, on ramp or off ramp almost at any speed and it will just go exactly where you point it! I was baffled by how amazing this car handled! In the sport mode, you will notice a difference in throttle response, shift points and steering feel. The Bose radio is amazing, the overall quality of the car is unparrelled in this price range!

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  try it ,youll like it - 2012 Fiat 500
  By pbuehler - April 6 - 8:51 am

  just got through driving the sport version and it was pretty good. the driving position was more comfortable for my 62" frame that either the corolla or fit and had a softer feel to the interior. the sport is , sporty ,with painted brakes,ground effect panals and bigger wheels. it handled so cal freeways, and its big trucks ,with no problem and with 4 adults aboard it got around just fine. really, go drive one.

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  Italy has returned!! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By carfreak24 - February 20 - 4:58 pm

  First off, I havent driven this car, but Ive seen it at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show. I absolutely love the styling of this car! When spending time in it at the auto show I first realized how comfortable this car was. I am looking for a car that is affordable, stylish, and good on gas mileage. I cant wait to be able to drive the car and see how it performs. When checking the car over I could just tell that it was built with fine craftmenship and the materials used are like a luxury cars materials. People should defently consider this before buying any competetive car.

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  Great little gem for the money. - 2016 Fiat 500e
  By Iwatobi - October 14 - 3:35 am

  Great little car for short distance commute and travel. Has plenty of space in the backseat even though trunk space is limited. Charging is easy but know that on standard 110V outlet it would take an entire day to charge up. 24V commercial chargers can do the same in 4 hours or you can install a 240V at home. Love the styling and its a hoot to drive. Instant torque and no shifting makes the car feel like it has way more power than it does. No problem at all passing cars with easy and it handles very well. Slightly wobbly on highway with high wind. One of the best EV out there that drives handles and performance as good with any gasoline vehicle - 500E is better than any other 500 variant including the Abarth IMO.