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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  500 lounge, with every option - 2012 Fiat 500
  By phatgreatwall - July 12 - 10:06 am

  car is fun to drive, gets really good mileage, steering tie rod end was loose after 30,000km, replaced under warranty. buy this car only for the fun and new factor, definitely a chicks car, but i see too many old italian guys driving it......

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  Fiat 500-The City Dweller - 2012 Fiat 500
  By heiliner1 - April 24 - 7:37 pm

  Our household has two 2012 Fiat 500 Pops, 20 serial numbers apart. Both vehicles have around 2000 miles on them. On one vehicle the oxygen sensor has failed. On the other vehicle the glove box is out of alignment. We bought these Fiats because they are cute, easy to get in and out of, easy to park, and had low initial purchase prices. Considering the standard features there wasnt another car in that size range that offered as much.

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  loved my FIAt...for first 5 months...hated Chrysler/Bob Baker Carlsbad :( - 2012 Fiat 500
  By chiariello - April 3 - 8:00 pm

  bought brand new car, only 3K miles, sometimes it would start, sometimes it wouldnt...not a good feature in a car! at first dealer suggested I was doing something wrong, but after having it towed 3 X, they finally realized I wasnt making this up. It was there for 2 months, I asked them finally for replacement (lemon law, which my car, which was sadly the case) so they dragged their feet for another month, plus charged me for mileage on the poor car they sold me. It was extortion, but after 3 months I paid it just to get a car....I dont think the service dept was at fault, they simply couldnt figure out whats wrong, but the dealer didnt help us at all, and Chrysler was even worse.

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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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  Fun little commuter car - 2012 Fiat 500
  By f360f1 - August 15 - 9:02 am

  I bought my 2012 Sport as a replacement for a string of Volkswagens, most recently a GTI, mostly because I wanted something a little different and I was impressed with the design. The 500 has not disappointed so far. I get more compliments/questions about it than any car other than my Ferrari. I have had no problems with it so far, although I have only had it for about a month. It is fun to drive, recognizing that it underpowered and one really has to rev it to make it go. I am getting great mileage -- a real 33 mpg driving to work in city traffic if I drive like an old lady 31 or so otherwise.

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  Feeling Regret - 2012 Fiat 500
  By kiehen - May 30 - 11:26 pm

  Back in June of 2011 when I bought my 500, I cant even tell you how excited I was. I had been waiting for these to hit the States for several years. Loved (and still do love) the retro look. Efficient and fun to drive? Most definitely. Quality is where the 500 falls short. I understand cheap materials. Those are to be expected. The unexpected? I just scheduled my 8th service visit. It pains me to say that I have started looking at the best way to get rid of this car with the least amount of loss. With 13,000 miles on it, it acts like a car with 100,000, and that simply doesnt work. Amazing concept, questionable execution. Wish it werent so! My dealers attitude is no help.

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  Quick, Nimble and Fun Ride - 2012 Fiat 500
  By peden500c - April 30 - 9:29 am

  We purchased the 500C in November and have driven 6,000 with no problems. The rides comfortably, is very nimble and accelerates nicely to stay with the traffic. It is not a race car but very sporty. This car cruises the highway at 75 mph and accelerates well throughout the entire range of the speedometer. Driver visibility is excellent as the car sits higher than others of its size. Front seats accomodate all but the largest passengers. Rear seats are cramped for adults but just right for kids. This is a very fun car to drive and park. Its also easy to get in and out due to its height. Overall the car seems well made and we have had no maintenance issues.

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  CUSTOMER SERVICE IS PATHETIC - 2012 Fiat 500
  By lamorty - March 5 - 5:13 pm

  I also have had "issues" with my Fiat. Some are being rectified others...my loss. Will need to wait for 6-8 weeks for a part r/t the strut. Concerned with an event.. "slipping into drive" while idling. Not explanable nor able to recreate. Now I am concerned with safety Poor customer service including refusal to give reasoning in writing, an e-mail address and also to give me the persons last name that denied minor repair. Response: "I contacted Fiat Canada via phone and therefore my response was to be via phone". Requested an appeal and denied...told she was the final say and was speaking for FIAT. All I can say is buyer beware!!! Well with FIAT CANADA anyway!

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  That happy Italian feeling - 2012 Fiat 500
  By sruczko - February 8 - 4:44 am

  I traded in my Elantra for the FIAT and so far Im extremely pleased with the car. It is a very coherent design, with everything I need and nothing I dont. Im tall (65") with long legs and the Pop without sunroof fits me perfectly. A very tight little car with peppy performance IF you understand how/when to upshift and downshift to take advantage of the small engine. I have a base car with no options except alloy wheels and Im amazed at all the features FIAT built into this car.