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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  Disenchanted - 2012 Fiat 500
  By rooster007 - October 23 - 8:30 am

  I have a 2012 Lounge that I bought brand new and I am the only driver. I put 1000 km a week on my Fiat. Average 80km/hour. I have just over 141,000 km on the car and have been told by the dealer that the CV shaft (right and/or left) are toast and that maybe the transmission will also need replacing. I have a front end wobble at 65km/hour that goes away after 75km/hour. Anyone else have this problem? Im looking at almost 6k to fix!!! This is ridiculous! I put over 480k on my toyota rav4, front wheel drive, 2 door coupe. This fiat should get at least 250k before I have problems like this.

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  Sad to have raved about it - 2012 Fiat 500
  By carreview5 - May 6 - 3:10 pm

  When I bought this car I was really excited and raved about it to all my friends. I expected nothing but great things from this little car and really started saving a lot of money in Gasoline purchases. (Was getting 42+ MPG by driving reasonably and not being aggressive with it, it’s not a racer) 27,000 miles into it, the clutch failed (in rush hour traffic no less) and Fiat claims that it was just worn out. All calls for Customer Service ended in no help what-so-ever. Fiat is not ready to return to the American car market. Do not purchase this car. The clutch replacement at the studio costs 10 percent of the price of the car.

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  Glad to be rid of it!! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By hatethefiat - April 23 - 7:08 pm

  I bought this car in august of 2012. RED, inside and out. I fell in love with the look. Bad idea. As soon as I took in on the highway the first time, the ABS sensor fell off. Then as soon as it spent one night in a snow bank), shocks were noisy. I cant remember how many garage visits, but they were never able to fix it. Then, the transmission failed, I was unable to press the clutch pedal. then again this winter, the same issue with the shocks after another night in the snowbank. Avoid this car at all costs. Dealer as well as Fiat Canada were extremely unhelpful too. Thank god another dealer was a lot more helpful. Got rid of the thing last week and bought a Toyota.

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  Not Happy - 2012 Fiat 500
  By donna1954 - March 6 - 2:53 pm

  I bought the Fiat 500 less than 6 months ago and have never been so unhappy with a vehicle. The gas mileage is not what is advertised, the interior design is horrible, no center console, the visors do not even come close to protecting your face, the heat/ac when set on your feet blows directly, about 1/2" from your driving ankle so it either burns your ankle or freezes it. And do not let the wind blow at all because you cannot hold the car on the roadway. I do not enjoy driving anymore and cant wait to trade the car in.

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  Dangerous Vehicle -- Do not consider buying - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By valibertarian - February 9 - 8:15 am

  I purchased a 500L Trekking for my wife three weeks ago. After the first week, we drove down the road and the transmission was locked in 2nd gear. It would not shift up or down -- even with auto stick. We had to pull over and shut the car off -- then it would not restart because it was locked in second gear. We were stranded on the side of the road. We eventually made it to the dealership and they gave us a 500L loaner -- the next day the same thing happened with it! Check the Fiat 500L forums and youll find that this is a known and common issue. There are also multiple complaints with the NHTSA. Two weeks into the repair, there is no word on when well get the car back.

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  NEVER BUY FIAT!! - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By mahmabear - January 23 - 4:19 pm

  I got the car, drove it home, very next day it didnt start. Took it to the shop, it said, "Its too cold for it here" (Northern Indiana)...Brought it back home, drove it for three days (300 miles) with starting issues...then it totally broke down. Wouldnt start, stereo was cutting out and blowers on the heater/air conditioner stopped working. Call for Fiat Roadside assistance, three times a day for 6!!!!! days until they finally came to get it. Towed it to the shop where it has sat for two weeks. I am getting the run around completely.

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  So many Issues Do Not Buy - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By shaynebenigno - January 6 - 9:58 pm

  I bought this car oct 30 2013. It has been in the shop 4 times for weeks at a time. The check engine lights and transmission lights go on. The whole car has lost power leaving me with no power steering brakes flying down the HWY 70 mph. The car is unsafe. Fiat acts like they never heard of this issue but I have found other people on forums that have had the same so apparently its an issue. I dont feel safe in the car and they are refusing to help me.

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  Buyer Beware: 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth first year - 2013 Fiat 500
  By furys - December 12 - 1:16 pm

  It stalls often and is disabled on the road. I called Fiat of Denver Service only to discover Fiat wont look at it for over a week, with no loaner cars. I was told only Fiat dealers will work on them now -- not other nearby Chrysler dealerships. Its not like there are any close to home. We had high hopes for Fiat but are sadly as disappointed. Too much fear, uncertainty and doubt to risk considering the brand again. So sadly we can no longer confidently refer or recommend a dangerous Fiat.

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  Broke Down Already!! - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By lisanomni - September 6 - 10:55 pm

  I bought my Fiat 500L about 3 weeks ago. I was on my way to work, when it started shaking and the transmission light came on. I had to wait for Fiat to open and the car had to be towed in. This Maxwell Supercenter has no clue how to repair the car and I have been without it for a week. The manager, Jack M., has been Very difficult and even though I got a call today, after 7 days, I do not feel comfortable and safe in My Fiat. I plan to return it. The GM (Lisa C.) here at Austin Fiat has no concern and when my attorney confronts her with the Lemon Law and demands a refund, maybe she will sing a different tune? I have been stunned at the poor service I have received!

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  This thing shifts terribly! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By patsys - August 5 - 4:29 pm

  Brand new fully loaded lounge cabrio.. This thing is the worst around town. I have an automatic - because thats your only option. When it shifts from 1st to 2nd you get a whiplash-like jerk. The gas pedal is awful too. Its always too little gas or too much. Something is wrong with the design of this car. Seriously. Oh yeah.. you cannot pull out across traffic.. there is a two second delay between slamming the gas down and the car actually moving. Its not a lemon.. it just stinks!!!