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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  Ask the man who has owned all three... - 2013 Fiat 500
  By sruczko - March 1 - 5:23 am

  I never thought Id be writing this review, but I am. I traded my 2012 Pop (which I loved) for a 2013 Abarth, figuring more is always better. In my case, this turned out not to be true. The Abarth is a very cool car, but in real world daily driving it was just too much for this old guy. The heavy controls, harsh ride (on the optional 17 inch wheels), and painful seats did me in and I traded it for a 2013 Sport after a brief ownership experience. The Sport works better as a real world daily driver and has more than enough upgrades to justify picking it over a Pop. Im very pleased with my decision.

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  Pop - 2013 Fiat 500
  By pdspgh - February 12 - 8:40 pm

  I was going to buy another Mazda, but my local Dealer low balled me on my trade. Went to the local Fiat dealer, I had been wanting to test drive the 500. Got a great deal on a 2012 Pop, wanted a 2012 Sport, ut they didnot have any left. I had the car for little over a month. It is fun to drive, with the 5 speed, I would not get the automatic if you are buying one with base engine. Tha gas mileage is good. I called l and got the complete Owners Manuels for the car. The car is smarter than I am... At the end of this model year I might have to buy the Turbo Model...

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  From Pop to Abarth - 2013 Fiat 500
  By sruczko - January 27 - 4:46 am

  My 2012 Pop was a wonderful car and I enjoyed getting into it every day but I knew in the back of my mind that an Abarth would eventually end up in my garage. I waited for the 2013 model to arrive and then I went for a test drive - dont do this unless you are ready to buy one. The Abarth is everything I liked about the Pop raised to the tenth power. Comparing the Abarth to the Pop is like comparing an Alpina to a base 3 series BMW - you know the cars are related, but so many components have been upgraded that it is a completely different car. If you appreciate what FIAT has accomplished with the 500 you are going to love the Abarth.

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  Fiat driver for life - 2012 Fiat 500
  By juniperarnold - January 16 - 12:25 pm

  I bought my 2012 Fiat 500 sport in May of last year. It came right off of the showroom floor. They placed my requested aftermarket rims on the car and it came with the Italian stripes down the side. Leather seats and a white and black dash. The design and colors are stunning together. The manual makes the car very quick and fun to drive. I would never buy an automatic Fiat. I drive my car through downtown Atlanta then on the interstate during my 30 mile one way commute. Never had a problem and the ride is very comfy. If you take care of your car and love it, it will do the same for you. This car is absolutely perfect.

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  NO BUENO!! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By penelope_ptstp - January 9 - 10:58 am

  Car had to have engine replaced at 10K miles and had transmission problems at 16K miles.

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  Silly, Crazy FUN!! I am sooo in love! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By flygrl - December 19 - 7:53 am

  Are you kidding me? I love this car so much. I keep my cars for years...I had an 82 Rabbit Convertible for 17yrs and a 99 Beetle for 14yrs. I obviously love fun cars. The minute i test drove this car I was hooked. I only drive manual transmissions, so I am only speaking about manual Fiat 500c. I feel like I am in a Fellini movie, everytime I get behind the wheel. People keep talking to me at every stop light. If you dont like lots of attention...dont purchase one. It is a cute little race car. There is a button for SPORT mode...this gives you an option for RPMS. I am a flight attendant, so I dont drive too much. When i do drive I want something that makes me smile. This is a GEM!

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  Fun to look and drive, but too many problems - 2012 Fiat 500
  By vince_ - December 12 - 2:13 pm

  Too many issues for a new car, even if they fix all the problems for free. I like the car, it performs as expected. It is a city car, easy to park, drives very well from 0-40, and able to handle the highway. The convertible top makes for a fun summer drive. I get great mileage, 31 in rush hour bumper to bumper traffic, if I take it easy I have no problems surpassing the est highway and getting 41. So far I have had two ignition coils go bad, one resulting in being stranded. The radio failed to work when very cold, and now 1/2 the climate controls have gone dark. They have fixed all the problems free of charge, but the longer I own it the more I fear "What next will go wrong?

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  Hardcore Hatchback! - 2013 Fiat 500
  By rreichar - December 8 - 10:04 pm

  Fiat was a sponsor of the US Grand Prix in Austin and had some Abarths on display. I really liked the look of the thing. Nice interior but not as quirky as a Mini Cooper. For such a tiny car it just looked mean. A week later I test drove one. I decided that buying the car just didnt make sense for me. A week later I bought one. Sense had nothing to do with it. This car is loud, raw and rides like an ox cart. It is also FUN! I traded in the best car I ever owned, a 2012 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI, that averaged 40 mpg. The Abarth seats look great but hurt my back. The shifter is rubbery. It could use a sixth gear. It only holds 10 gallons of gas. Go drive one. You will either get it or not....

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  CUTE! I LOVE IT! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By skuzziboi1 - December 2 - 11:57 pm

  So I was pretty stoked when I bought this car, its way cute and fun to drive! The only issue I have with it are the very cheap interior fixtures. A common breaking item is the armrest, yeah, dealer said its a common issue and is covered under warranty, havent taken it in just yet so well see for sure later. Also, the under seat drawer handel broke on me :-/ I was very dissappointed to find that the Pop Models do not come equipped with Blue&Me, even though edmunds states that its a standard feature. Also if you squeen the upper lining of the cabin, it feels literally like its made of egg cartons and cheap felt :-( needless to say, super CUTE car at a great price, sucky cheap interior.

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  GORGEOUS - 2012 Fiat 500
  By limee - November 6 - 2:51 am

  Traded my Prima for the Abarth. So glad I did. It drives and handles so much better with more than enough power and much more connected. The soundtrack from the exhaust is phenomenal, has to be the best stock soundtrack out there. Fuel mileage is consistently 33-34mpg. I use premium seeing as its turbo charged. My Prima averaged 36-38 mpg. Love driving this car. Its a blast. Looking forward to the Abarth convertible!