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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  Really love this little car! - 2015 Fiat 500
  By jahbro - November 1 - 7:02 pm

  I really love this little car! It is super fun to drive. Not in a super-car kind of way, in a goofy, balls to the wall, dont give a damn kind of way. Its always "on" meaning its always ready to play, like a puppy dog. It is comfortable enough for long hauls and with the standard 16" wheels it tracks like a little freight train down the freeway, really! On highway trips Im getting around 33-35 mpg which is exactly the EPA rating and around town probably more like 22-26 mpg (much more dependent on how you drive it). The only thing Id change would be to redesign the center vertical tunnel stack thing because it does interfere a bit with my knees (Im a big guy, weighing in at 300 lbs and 510").

• 

  better than cooper S Ive owned. - 2012 Fiat 500
  By George - October 24 - 1:41 pm

  Look if you want a big roomy car buy somethin else! If you want a fun, decent handling & very quick car get the Abarth. Took mine from Idaho to California & back. Lots of freeway travel. It was great. If your between 5 9" & 6 and of normal weight then its quite comfortable. Had minor issue with fuel vacuum line. Check engine light comes on. Took to dealership enroute. Was diagnosed, reset. Was warned might come on again. It did. Took to home dealership. Was taken care of. You cannot compare this car to other outside its segment. So, for all the people that complain about how small it is and that its not safe onthe freeway, then why did you buy one. Means that you didnt check it out to see if it met your needs. DUH. As for me I love this little Abarth. By the way I suggest buying into MOOREs extended warrenty IS A GOOD INVESTMENT. If your concern is everything falls apart after factory warrenty expires. Most cars do have issues here or there. Why do u think the manufactured brands only go so far with their ?warranties

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  Just drive it - 2015 Fiat 500e
  By SJ Mathews - October 20 - 2:17 am

  Great commuter car, also a total blast to city drive. Regenerative brakes are sweet and seem better than conventional, great acceleration, amazing that they make vehicles like this. The only real downside I noted (aside from a limited range) is that going uphill really drains the batteries fast shortening the range. That aside, it is really roomy in the front, the back clearly not popular with most. You buy the EV that suits your needs- as we were looking at a commuter car, this was by far the best choice.

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  Sleeper of a deal... - 2015 Fiat 500L
  By Carl M. - October 14 - 9:02 pm

  WHY is this car not more popular? I mean, I know it looks "different", but thats a good thing in the endless sea of "blah" crossovers and SUVs. Had to give up my beloved VW GTI because were "of a certain age" and getting in/out of a vehicle is now a major factor for us. This thing is a hoot. I dont understand any of the reviews that state the car has a rough ride. We rented a Cadillac ATS a while back, and this cars ride is, unbelievably, just as good. We find the engine plenty peppy (remember, I traded in my GTI for this), the transmission is just fine, and the steering is nice and light for dodging other cars in parking lots. Ive got 1000 miles on it as of this review, and no problems. The interior of this car is GI-MON-GOUS. Huge headroom, legroom, and space in all directions. I wish more people would test drive these things Once you drive one, youll buy it. Very very European driving experience. Youll love it.

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  I love my fiat - 2013 Fiat 500
  By John Schmitt - September 30 - 1:14 pm

  I bought my Fiat in January of 2014 and have put just over 22,000 miles on it. I love the drop top which I can drop going up to 50 mph and my gas mileage is at 40.2-I drive 30% city and 70% road. I live in the upper Great Lakes and this little bulldog is surprisingly good in snow, plus witth heated seats I can drop my top and watch the snow fall inside my cabin!

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  Used Abarth is a perfect second car - 2014 Fiat 500
  By Wade Morefield - September 26 - 1:34 pm

  I love my Abarth. Its our second car, but weve already taken it on one long road trip. It is a very fun car to drive and feels much faster than it is. Im surprised how comfortable it is, given all the negative press Ive read. For 2 six foot adults, the car is perfectly comfortable. Miles per gallon are better than EPA estimates, but smiles per gallon are off the charts. The touch points in the cabin are very nice, even if there is a lot of hard plastic. No complaints at all. Comfortable, fun, economical, practical and it sounds awesome when you run it up through the gears! But a lightly used one and you wont regret it.

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  Urban Vehicle - 2012 Fiat 500
  By Dave Condon - September 6 - 11:48 am

  I live in the Seattle area which means tight parking spaces and little maneuvering room. The Fiat 500 is an urban vehicle by definition. It is half the size and weight of a Ford F 150. The Fiat 500 works good for its design purpose. The five speed transmission (manual) is as smooth shifting as they come. I have had a speaker blow out in one of the doors. The Blue and Me full functions are a joke as the program only works for Microsoft phones. Visibility is excellent. The doors are very wide making getting in and out easy. And finally, the car always has a smile on the grill. I notice time and again people smiling back at the car and children turning around for a second look. The Fiat 500 is fun to drive.

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  Our Italian Car - - 2015 Fiat 500L
  By Nguyen - August 31 - 4:35 pm

  Read a lot of reviews - Bad and good. Decided to visit OCFIAT, took a test drive (500L Urbana Trekking with BEATS sound) bought the car one week later. Love the car ever since. Bought mine at Orange County Fiat (Costa Mesa, CA.)

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  Terrific Car - 2013 Fiat 500
  By Scott W - August 4 - 3:21 pm

  I have held off on writing my review for a couple of years (so my car is actually a 13) in order to see how it fared over time. I dont think they have made many changes since them to the Abarth. I did not give it a poor rating on things like ride quality and storage simply because the car is great for what it is. The ride quality is very stiff due to the sport suspension, as is the steering. Its what I wanted and what I expected, so it has not disappointed me in these regards. It is also noisy due to the awesome exhaust (which one dealer told me is made by Ferrari). My only "poor" rating is on the visibility. Even looking out the front you have to be vigilant. There just isnt a lot of clarity no matter how you slice it. Two other things I do not like: no Bluetooth connect from phone to audio (unless calling someone) so if you want to listen to Pandora, you have to have cords. This is probably not the case if you get the navigation package. The other thing I do not like: terrible turning radius! Crazy. Feels like driving a boat when trying for a tight turn. These things being said, I thought that when I bought this car I would get tired of it after two months. Its loud, fun, stiff, small, fast, manual. I got it on lease for three years, so it was a gamble. Well, I have not tired of it at all. It has been great. You will get close to 40 mpg on the highway, and I average about 30 in mixed city driving. Also, I fit a Laz-y-Boy in the back! (Only because you can separate the seat from the back with a Laz-y-Boy.) This is not a super fast car, but it FEELS super fast and it is a blast to rocket around. I will say that the turbo lag is a bit much. I hear that it is not so obvious in the automatic transmission. Also, Fiat often offers some great deals. I got this as a lease so had to pay the list price. The same car was on sale for about $4,000 less when purchasing. So leasing may not be the most economical choice. I have noticed that a lot of American reviewers are pretty hard on Fiat. I dont know why. Consumer Reports rates them with awful reliability yet I have not had a single issue. I test drove the VW GTI, and that is a great car, but a whole different animal. The GTI is faster, way more refined in terms of ride quality, but the Abarth feels like it is made for rallycross and wants to chew something up. It is just bursting to go when you put it in sport mode. You can only get a sense of the Abarth by driving it and really pushing the pedal. Again, Im not sure why it doesnt get amazing reviews, but I am not a car expert. One person described the driving experience as "driving an angry hornet." That is right on. On the highway, it holds very firm. I have driven it fair distances and been very comfortable, but again, it is quite loud. I would seriously consider getting another Abarth when my lease is up in 2016, but the girlfriend is not in favor. She says it makes her dizzy and it is too loud for us to talk on a road trip. Also, the racing seats are not conducive to her reclining to take a snooze while I drive. So....a word to the wise. In a nutshell, if you test drive this car and finish by getting out and telling yourself you feel like you just got out of a cocktail shaker, this may not be the car for you. If, on the other hand, you get out and you find yourself eager for more, then you know you have found your next car. It will not disappoint.

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  Still happy, just missing hubcaps. - 2012 Fiat 500
  By Anna - August 3 - 9:25 pm

  I love my yellow FIAT. It is the perfect city car for a single person. I have probably taken 30 weekend trips of approximately 900-miles roundtrip and have never had a problem. At 65,000 miles I needed to replace the tires and battery, but I am told that is as expected for a new car. My only complaint to date has been the hubcaps... They keep falling off. I got 5 replacements (at different times) from the dealership when I was under warrantee, but since that has ended I have been driving two hubcaps short for over 15,000 miles. I hope to find some replacements soon, but since 2 of my 5 replaced FIAT hubcaps have fallen off a second time I plan to buy another brand to make it worth the money. Other than the hubcaps I am very happy with my FIAT and it has been keeping up with my long weekends very well. Besides the replacement for my tires and battery, plus regular oil and filter changes, I have not sunk any additional money into the car in almost 4 year.