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:
Showing 111 through 120 of 263.00-
Great Vehicle for What it Is - 2012 Fiat 500
By Troy - May 13 - 3:02 pmIf you are looking at a vehicle large enough to haul the family or a trendy sports car with lots of power then the FIAT 500 Pop is not your vehicle. But if you are looking for a small, comfortable, affordable ride for you and your significant other then the 500 Pop is a perfect purchase. The 500 Pop is surprisingly powerful off the line, shifts smoothly, rides quietly even at 85-90 MPH, and gets great MPG. It is more roomy and comfortable up front than expected. It is, obviously, a little cramped in the back. While the hatch allows you to fit most anything you need, keep in mind that it is not the perfect vehicle for packing all of your worldly possessions. Just know understand what you are buying and you will not be disappointed.
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Keeping it much longer - 2014 Fiat 500L
By karaleigh - June 26 - 5:23 amThis 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 pmI (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.
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A Great Car, ignore the ratings and reviews !!!! - 2016 Fiat 500L
By Richard - July 25 - 1:38 pmThis car has true Italian Styling. It is very comfortable with plenty of room. Although a little sluggish with the automatic, you have the option of changing gears yourself that gives your 500L a lot of kick. Handling should get great ratings from anyone. I have had mine for over a year and trouble-free. I also love the room in the back. If you are looking for a great car that is roomy, versatile and looks great....the 500L is it.
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What a Gem! - 2012 Fiat 500
By Kathy Upton - February 19 - 6:32 amI bought my 2012 Fiat with a standard transmission to make a 120 mile round trip daily. The ONLY complaint I have, is the comfort of the seat after extended driving. Of course this could be due to my age, but Im going to blame it on the length of the seat. The only work I have had to do on the car is the standard oil changes (get ramps, youll need them to get under this car), new tires and the license plate light went out. That was fairly costly, as you cant just replace the bulb. The entire handle had to be replaced. I was averaging 41 MPG but since I have just been using it to dart around town, the mileage has dropped to 38.2 MPG. I love, love, love this little car!
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CPop popped!!!!! - 2012 Fiat 500
By Gayle Gavin - January 12 - 2:00 pmIt was a fun car that was a joy to drive. It doesnt pretend to be a Corvette. Its a Fiat and proud of it.
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Little Red Cherry Pepper - 2012 Fiat 500
By D Cozz - October 6 - 2:37 amCars great to me. Single guy, and tall, and car is fun, dependable and has just enough bells and whistles for me: bucket seats, great stereo, good heat/ac... I get more compliments on this car than I did on my mini-cooper. Maybe its the rosso brilliant paint... Going on fourth year and hope to have for many yrs more... 21k so far, and always excited to get bend the wheel and go for a ride... For the price paid, Im happy...
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Sporty little car with a big personality! - 2012 Fiat 500
By Brad Johnson - June 12 - 11:53 pmI was in the market to buy a car for my son, a high school senior who will be college-bound next year and in need of good, reliable, safe wheels under him. The Fiat 500c seemed the perfect fit, literally - my son is 6 5" and he slipped right in to the drivers seat with ease. There was plenty of head and leg room, once the tilt wheel and seat were adjusted. This car handles extremely well and is very tight on turns. What surprised me was the amount of interior space - the outside appearance is deceiving, as once you get inside, it is a well distributed area for 4 people. Equally so is the trunk space, which provides a deep, larger-than-expected compartment for all kinds of storage. Even better is the feature of the split rear seat, which folds down and allows for larger items to fit from the folded down seat to the trunk space. Very smooth ride - takes those bumps in the road really well which reflects a good suspension system. Plus, its a convertible !! Whats better than that? Although I have firmly told my son that he is not to put the top down and stand up while driving, with his feet on the wheel....! Also comes with some nice options like a 7-speaker Bose sound system, fog lights, hands-free Blue-tooth phone system, heated seats and special chrome trim that comes with the "Lounge" (high end) model. It is a great little car that is super on gas and a blast to drive - my son loves it. Life is too short, and for a car in this price range, loosen up and go grab some fun. You wont be sorry!
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Love my Fiat! - 2014 Fiat 500L
By J Junior - December 6 - 10:21 amWe have a 500 and 500L. Love them both. The 500 is SO MUCH FUN to drive & handles better than any car i have owned, especially on highway. The 500L is slso fun and more practical when carpooling.
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Great Electric Car. Fun to drive. - 2015 Fiat 500e
By Joseph - January 9 - 2:33 pmI recommend this car to anyone that is looking for a car that feels like it came from the distant future of the automotive industry. We purchased a used Fiat 500e and we are very happy with it. We test drove about 8 Fiat 500e at different dealerships until we found one that we liked. We studied the car and read many reviews before making the choice to buy the car. The battery is the most expensive part of the car and Fiat provides an 8 year or 100,000 mile warranty on the battery.
