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:

• 

  Great car with Trekking collection 5 - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By kuk1 - June 28 - 5:14 pm

  Have been driving it for a week now Pros: Excellent visibility 360° Great engine with turbo Awesome seats and tech features. Cons: None yet Wish: The headlights turned on when doors unlock

• 

  AWESOME FUN MY LITTLE TIGER - 2013 Fiat 500
  By cynthia25 - May 28 - 9:25 am

  Abarth is ultimately more fun than my old mustang or Z a little power house that doesnt shy away from a fight love the engine growl and the kick more room than you think awesome bang for the buck . Fun the most fun than any car I have ever own worth every penny a pleasure to drive.

• 

  Its been a Great Car! - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By steelg - April 18 - 2:16 pm

  I ve had the car since November of 2013. Its a Trekking with the 6 speed auto. I love the trans as it reacts like a manual without the fuss. Ive had the computer flash done, but other than that no issues. I love the car. Ive read all the complaints that other customers have been having and they have not arrived with my purchase.

• 

  11k miles and counting - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By fazzster - April 2 - 10:27 am

  Our L family hauler just turned 11k miles. The dual clutch transmission has performed flawlessly despite the recall for the reflash. The winter here in New England has been extremely cold yet we have none of the cold start issues some owners have reported. Warmer spring weather has brought 32-37mpg around town driving. The roads around here are very beat up yet the L remains solid and rattle free. Our family of 5 fits great and any extra luggage goes on the roof. The L is a great buy. Dont let the negative reviews turn you off. Though many are certainly legit, just keep in mind many people abuse their machines and are often the ones who cry the loudest.

• 

  Glad I Waited for Six Months to Review - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By scrappy60 - March 28 - 8:33 pm

  I bought a Fiat 500L Trekking in September 2013. To be honest, it took me quite awhile to get used to its rather quirky transmission -- and I have a manual!! The issue was the six gears and the need for a quick shift between first and second. But now that I have gotten used to how and when to shift, I am very happy with my purchase. This vehicle has all the features of the pricier Honda CRV at about 5K less -- and it looks better and handles better on the road. Last month I took it on a 800 miles road trip and it was so enjoyable to drive. The gas mileage is also far better than I expected -- I am getting over 29 miles per gallon (combined highway/city).

• 

  Love Our Trekking! - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By markj5362 - February 21 - 9:09 pm

  Traded in a 500 Sport to get a bit more space. Our Sport had 8,500 miles with zero problems. We now have 2500 miles on the L. Very well built. Both cars were ordered with the manual transmission which I think is a better option. The negative reviews all seem to be on cars with the auto/dual clutch trans. Combined mileage is 27.3-mostly around town. 33 mpg on highway.

• 

  Fantastic value and just plain fun to drive - 2014 Fiat 500L
  By jabird101 - February 16 - 4:56 pm

  I purchased my 500L in early July 2013. When I tried to insure it, Progressive had no rate for this vehicle. This is how early I got in on the 500L. After 7 months I am more than pleased with the performance, quality, economy and just plain fun. There have been reports of transmissions issues, and while there were some that had issues, this was caused by a faulty version of the controller software, and has since been corrected. Those affected became a very vocal group of three or four people who have plastered false info every where they can. This is proven by the 25,000 plus units with the DDCT, the tens of thousands of Dodge Dart DDCT units and the 100,000+ good units world wide.

• 

  Amazing car for the money - 2013 Fiat 500
  By grizzinwi - February 15 - 11:42 pm

  Im very pleased the Fiat 500 Sport thus far. Very comfortable for my 6 frame despite its diminutive size along with better ease of ingress/egress than its rivals. Handles well and is surefooted in snow. Fits in parking spots others wont. Feature rich- AM/FM/CD power windows, a/c, heated mirrors, fog lights, cruise, automatic door locks, Bluetooth and alloy wheels are standard. Excellent fit and finish. Current incentives for 2013 models make the 500 a steal. This is one small car that doesnt feel like a penalty box. It brings a smile to my face every time I drive it.

• 

  Love It - 2012 Fiat 500
  By joshproducts - January 22 - 5:12 pm

  We bought our Fiat 500c last Jan. We have had no problems with our fiat at all. We have gone to Az, Tenn 3xs, and back to Pa three times. Love it great gas mileage. Only one thing has popped up in the back seat there is a radling going on not sure what it is. But its not a big thing. We want to trade it in for the 500L now. Not that we dont like our 500c but we want more room for traveling.

• 

  Love the retro Pop! - 2013 Fiat 500
  By linfletch - January 9 - 8:13 pm

  After 2 months of ownership, I can tell you great things about my blue green Pop. Its retro styling is so fun--it makes me smile every time I see it. I love the manual transmission it is fun to drive and very fuel efficient. I average 36.5 mpg combined, and reached 44mpg using premium gas on a highway only trip. I am still evaluating using premium gas in town, but performance is definitely worth it for a highway trip. The seats are comfortable, and I love all the manual climate control. The bluetooth works well from both front seats. The standard audio system is really good and versatile. There is good headroom without a sunroof for taller drivers.