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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  Fiat 500 Lounge - 2012 Fiat 500
  By 1259alisa - February 6 - 2:40 pm

  Bought my Fiat 500 Lounge loaded -4 months ago and love it! Everything is very easy to read/use. Lots of attention to details like digital mileage read out mpg,love the heated seats, Sirrus radio free first year, nice leather, Great turn ratio, easy to park, drive. Good recovery on wet freeway roads-experienced this! No problems, 4 years maintenance of everything, 8K oil changes. Gettting 31mpg average. Smooth ride for such a small car, quiet unless you open moonroof. Downsides:need tinting (Texas!)sun shade not solid, hard to get into backseat. Need "Sport" button for quick acceleration. 23,400K Great customer service. Very happy with purchase. Blows the competition on away!

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  Superior to what I exepcted - 2012 Fiat 500
  By tedsaml - January 19 - 4:14 pm

  For sheer joy of driving, the 500 cant be beat. Pleasantly surprised by how quick it is. Lot of the reviewers must not know downshifting a manual, which a car like this demands. Ride is quite comfortable. Roomier than would have thought. Lots of the big truck/small package guys dumping on the Fiat but Ill take fun & 38 mpg anyday. 16 inch wheels look sharp and lots of ladies like to come to me to talk about my car. Reliability of the 500 tested in England for last 5-6 years (What Car, some other sites). It gets very good reviews and one site had it mid-pack in terms of long term reliabilty--ahead of BMW and Mercedes. Enjoying this car, and when is last time you said that?

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  And shell have fun, fun, fun..... - 2012 Fiat 500
  By calicurls - December 30 - 9:51 pm

  I absolutely love this car. I was looking for something small, easy on gas, budget friendly, and fun- Fiat fits the bill! I had read that the manual gets better MPG, so took the time to learn manual (automatic drive is like spellcheck, no one 27 and under has ever had to live without it). The clutch on this car is incredibly light, but once you get used to it, is a total blast. The base model comes with a lot of standard features, and the blue&me system is fantastic. The car turns on a dime, and for having such a small engine is actually really zippy. Even though its tiny, it feels spacious- my big man friends have no problem getting in and out of the car. I couldnt be happier with this!

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  Keep the small cars coming - 2012 Fiat 500
  By wmbradley - December 26 - 5:14 pm

  I spent a fair amount of time in Europe in 2008-2009 and was impressed and a little jealous of the high feature small cars available over there. I loved seeing the 500 on the roads (you still see some of the old ones as well), but thought "this will never come to the states." Enter the bankruptcy of Chrysler and here it is. I waited a few months after they came out, reading many of the new owner reviews here, as well as reliability reports on the European model (some adjustments were made for our market), and decided to trade my VW. A few months later I am amazed at what a great car this is, shockingly roomy in the front, enough for a few suitcases in the hatch, and not bad on gas..

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  Lots Of Bang For The Buck - 2012 Fiat 500
  By b52h - December 26 - 12:56 pm

  The Sport is the way to go for me. I think of it as a downsized Italian sports car. Rosso Red is awesome with those sport wheels and red brake calipers. At night the front end stands out with the bright zenon headlamps, driving lights and fog lamps all on. It says get out of my way. I love the exhaust note when in sport mode and I push down on the accelerator. Oh, due to my back problems I had to get the automatic but thats ok, because its comfortable yet still exciting. Blue and Me has a hard time with voice commands, but the heated seats, Bose sound system with Sirius satellite, Automatic temp control, Factory security alarm is all worth the price. How about no cost maintenance. Like BMW!

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  Made me smile - UNTIL… - 2012 Fiat 500
  By freefall1 - December 21 - 4:10 pm

  The Fiat made me smile too, until it began having issues. Basically cold start problems, but finally a stall in traffic. In so many ways, the Fiat is a super little car, but if it isnt reliable, it isnt in the running. Ive sold mine and have no sellers remorse except for the monitory loss.

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  Cheerful fun - 2012 Fiat 500
  By 740driver - December 8 - 4:12 pm

  For years I considered buying a Mini Cooper but every time I drove one the rough ride and heavy steering made me walk away. The Fiat is much more civilized, especially on bumpy city streets in places like Washington, DC. The steering is light, making the car feel lighter and more agile than the Mini. With the ivory colored steering wheel, seat trim and headliner the Fiat is a delightful place to be. For me, the cheerfulness of the Fiat sold me over the aggressiveness of the Mini.

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  Loving the Fiat! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By scottishere - November 6 - 11:46 pm

  I actually got a Pop with the automatic transmission. This car is fun to drive and definitely gets noticed on the freeways. It definitely does not feel like a cheap car. Its well-built and solid on the road. I traded in a mid-sized sedan for my Fiat, so I expected a big adjustment. The car doesnt feel tiny inside. I have lots of head room (I didnt get the sunroof) and Ive been able to find a comfortable driving position. You sit high in this car. Its not a road-burner, but it scoots along pretty well. The SPORT option firms up the steering and adjusts the way the 6-speed transmission shifts gears.

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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!!!