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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  You have to Drive this car!!! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By mikebnascar8 - April 30 - 1:25 pm

  My first impression was to laugh at this car, it was tiny and looked different. I never thought that I would Love driving it! The 6-speed Italian made tip-tronic automatic is a brilliant transmission! Shifts when you want it to & gives you a great power band. Its 101hp, so your not going to win any drag races... but you can throw this car into any corner, on ramp or off ramp almost at any speed and it will just go exactly where you point it! I was baffled by how amazing this car handled! In the sport mode, you will notice a difference in throttle response, shift points and steering feel. The Bose radio is amazing, the overall quality of the car is unparrelled in this price range!

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  Zippity Doo Dah! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By drmac_uk_us - April 22 - 12:46 pm

  OK, I had a Honda S2000: twitchy, fun, a tad evil. BUT the SO did not fit, the ride was rougher than roller skates on cobblestones, and a boring commute didnt warrant keeping it. (sigh.) - The 500-Sport (manual, natch) is zippy, fun, and a real kick to drive. Its comfortable, and Mr. 62" CAN fit into the pax seat. (0-60 in lots of seconds is OK in FUN seconds) Theres a lot of down-shifting (even at highway speeds), it tends to jack-rabbit from stop, and Ive not pushed the traction in rain. But it gets me to work with a smile. - Free for 36K miles, the free road-service is better than AAA premium. Nice sunroof, and the Bose rocks.

• 

  try it ,youll like it - 2012 Fiat 500
  By pbuehler - April 6 - 8:51 am

  just got through driving the sport version and it was pretty good. the driving position was more comfortable for my 62" frame that either the corolla or fit and had a softer feel to the interior. the sport is , sporty ,with painted brakes,ground effect panals and bigger wheels. it handled so cal freeways, and its big trucks ,with no problem and with 4 adults aboard it got around just fine. really, go drive one.

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  Great car - 2012 Fiat 500
  By breinke - March 10 - 8:05 pm

  I just drove this car today, and I have never driven a manual. It felt very easy to drive and very comfortable. Although it doesnt have much power, I didnt feel like I was going to be run over by a big texas truck or not be able to keep up with traffic. I did not sit in the back, but It looked like it could do a good job of hauling people under six feet.

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  Fun, Cute but No Power - 2012 Fiat 500
  By edcg - March 3 - 4:45 pm

  Ive been waiting for this car to come to the US ever sense the positive review on TopGear. The US Spec Sport version version looks nice and is comfortable but lacks real oomph from the engine. This car is still on my short list BUT Im going to wait for the Abarth variant.

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  Italy has returned!! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By carfreak24 - February 20 - 4:58 pm

  First off, I havent driven this car, but Ive seen it at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show. I absolutely love the styling of this car! When spending time in it at the auto show I first realized how comfortable this car was. I am looking for a car that is affordable, stylish, and good on gas mileage. I cant wait to be able to drive the car and see how it performs. When checking the car over I could just tell that it was built with fine craftmenship and the materials used are like a luxury cars materials. People should defently consider this before buying any competetive car.

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  FIAT 500E Do NOT BUY or Lease!! - 2015 Fiat 500e
  By SunB - December 22 - 11:29 am

  This car is cheaply made. I leased 2015 500e, already the charging cable is broken and the plugin part is loose and the prongs that fit into the outlet is burning y outlet. The house almost caught on fire! Customer service is really bad and could not even tell me if the charging cable is under warranty. My car has only 15K miles!!! Its now in the shop and cant drive it as cant charge it!!!

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  No not the tiny Fiat, the NEW Fiat with AWD! - 2016 Fiat 500x
  By Katrina Fernandez - November 23 - 12:22 am

  Pros: Very stylish! ( A cross between a Mini Cooper and a CRV) All Wheel Drive at a good starting price (around $24K) Easy to drive and easy to park Small, but not too small. Gas efficient Keyless entry and remote start Cons: Issues with the VIN#s, resulted in me having a hard time insuring the Car. It would have been nice if the dealership told me about this known issue before I drove off the lot!!! I was only able to find one insurer for my new car, which means I didnt get the best rate. I went back to the dealership and they provided me with a VIN # verification form- hopefully that does the trick. They slipped a piece of paper in my car, with information about the issue when I bought the car. Again, it would have been nice if they addressed the issue up front. I leased the car and the dealer didnt really go over what maintenance is covered under the warranty/lease. Where as we just leased a Toyota for my husband and they scheduled the first oil change in 6 months before we even left the dealership. Back seat is just large enough for passengers, but I imagine somebody 6 tall would have issues back there. Overall, Im very happy with the car so far.

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  Great little gem for the money. - 2016 Fiat 500e
  By Iwatobi - October 14 - 3:35 am

  Great little car for short distance commute and travel. Has plenty of space in the backseat even though trunk space is limited. Charging is easy but know that on standard 110V outlet it would take an entire day to charge up. 24V commercial chargers can do the same in 4 hours or you can install a 240V at home. Love the styling and its a hoot to drive. Instant torque and no shifting makes the car feel like it has way more power than it does. No problem at all passing cars with easy and it handles very well. Slightly wobbly on highway with high wind. One of the best EV out there that drives handles and performance as good with any gasoline vehicle - 500E is better than any other 500 variant including the Abarth IMO.

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  Customer service # 1 Priority??????/ - 2012 Fiat 500
  By Susan Riley - August 24 - 2:04 am

  I purchased this car from a dealer within 5 miles of my home. Within one year of purchasing this car the dealer went out of business. I then started to take the car to a dealer near to where I work but they are no longer providing any service that is under warranty for Fiat as they have a dispute with Fiat. My check engine light is on and I am now told that I can have the car towed to a dealer that is a 90 minute drive from my home but it is my responsibility to pick it up. Calls to and emails to Fiat go unanswered. It is a great car and I loved it but dont buy a Fiat. You cannot count on their relationships with their dealers.