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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  Wow in a small package. - 2012 Fiat 500
  By sherimed - March 19 - 11:11 pm

  I bought my Sport in January 2012. I didnt expect to buy one but, was absolutely hooked after a test drive. I had A Mini Clubman that was being fixed after an accident. When I got the news that the Mini was being totaled there was no hesitation. I was hooked. I had my seats upgraded to red leather (with black tops) and had a black stripe put on the on side doors. It looks adorable and hot!! Still waiting for the black and white checkered graffic for the roof. This isnt Fiats fault 3M is having production troubles. I love being able to make it my own. There are lots of things you can add for this car off the net. I got a fabulous shift knob etc.

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  Amazing little car - 2012 Fiat 500
  By paul_jacob - March 19 - 8:27 pm

  Being priced about 8K less than their Mini competition, this car proves an excellent value and backs it up with MPG and driving pleasure. It is quite literally impossible to be sad in this car. With a manual around the city its the perfect car! Fun to drive, and as long as youre not afraid to rev the engine, its peppy too. Great interior style is combined with very surprising space. My head hits in the back (60"), but the leg room is amazing for what it is. Although a bit bouncy on some streets, the composed ride is just right for a fun, "sporty" ride.

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  Prima Edizione - 2012 Fiat 500
  By genora - March 15 - 2:53 am

  [non-permissible content removed] My Prima was reserved on line and I took delivery March of 2011. Im a huge fan of the older 500s, particularly, the Abarths. After driving it for a year, I found NO problems. I missed buying a spyder back in the day and waited patiently for Fiat to return to the US after nearly 30 years. I traded in my Chrysler 300C and am now free from cringing at the gas pumps. People need to do their own research about the cars and be satisfied with their own personal results. I get a lot of inquiries from people and mostly "cute" as remarks.

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  Great Little Luigi! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By markj5362 - March 12 - 1:24 pm

  We bought a 500 Sport in January. 1100 miles on it. No issues other than the fact that the door panels are made of cheap plastic and will scratch easily. Combined mpg so far is 34. Not great but better the the Miata we sold. Our 500 with manual trans. can get 40 on the Highway. Hilly here in Western Washington State which may be dropping the combined mpg down. Feel we got a fair deal from Fiat of Tacoma...Would work with them again. The added cold air intake and reverse exhaust add to the fun factor. Highly recommend this car. First service due at 8500. Will post more later.

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  Superior to what I exepcted - 2012 Fiat 500
  By tedsaml - January 19 - 4:14 pm

  For sheer joy of driving, the 500 cant be beat. Pleasantly surprised by how quick it is. Lot of the reviewers must not know downshifting a manual, which a car like this demands. Ride is quite comfortable. Roomier than would have thought. Lots of the big truck/small package guys dumping on the Fiat but Ill take fun & 38 mpg anyday. 16 inch wheels look sharp and lots of ladies like to come to me to talk about my car. Reliability of the 500 tested in England for last 5-6 years (What Car, some other sites). It gets very good reviews and one site had it mid-pack in terms of long term reliabilty--ahead of BMW and Mercedes. Enjoying this car, and when is last time you said that?

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  And shell have fun, fun, fun..... - 2012 Fiat 500
  By calicurls - December 30 - 9:51 pm

  I absolutely love this car. I was looking for something small, easy on gas, budget friendly, and fun- Fiat fits the bill! I had read that the manual gets better MPG, so took the time to learn manual (automatic drive is like spellcheck, no one 27 and under has ever had to live without it). The clutch on this car is incredibly light, but once you get used to it, is a total blast. The base model comes with a lot of standard features, and the blue&me system is fantastic. The car turns on a dime, and for having such a small engine is actually really zippy. Even though its tiny, it feels spacious- my big man friends have no problem getting in and out of the car. I couldnt be happier with this!

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  Keep the small cars coming - 2012 Fiat 500
  By wmbradley - December 26 - 5:14 pm

  I spent a fair amount of time in Europe in 2008-2009 and was impressed and a little jealous of the high feature small cars available over there. I loved seeing the 500 on the roads (you still see some of the old ones as well), but thought "this will never come to the states." Enter the bankruptcy of Chrysler and here it is. I waited a few months after they came out, reading many of the new owner reviews here, as well as reliability reports on the European model (some adjustments were made for our market), and decided to trade my VW. A few months later I am amazed at what a great car this is, shockingly roomy in the front, enough for a few suitcases in the hatch, and not bad on gas..

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  Lots Of Bang For The Buck - 2012 Fiat 500
  By b52h - December 26 - 12:56 pm

  The Sport is the way to go for me. I think of it as a downsized Italian sports car. Rosso Red is awesome with those sport wheels and red brake calipers. At night the front end stands out with the bright zenon headlamps, driving lights and fog lamps all on. It says get out of my way. I love the exhaust note when in sport mode and I push down on the accelerator. Oh, due to my back problems I had to get the automatic but thats ok, because its comfortable yet still exciting. Blue and Me has a hard time with voice commands, but the heated seats, Bose sound system with Sirius satellite, Automatic temp control, Factory security alarm is all worth the price. How about no cost maintenance. Like BMW!

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  Cheerful fun - 2012 Fiat 500
  By 740driver - December 8 - 4:12 pm

  For years I considered buying a Mini Cooper but every time I drove one the rough ride and heavy steering made me walk away. The Fiat is much more civilized, especially on bumpy city streets in places like Washington, DC. The steering is light, making the car feel lighter and more agile than the Mini. With the ivory colored steering wheel, seat trim and headliner the Fiat is a delightful place to be. For me, the cheerfulness of the Fiat sold me over the aggressiveness of the Mini.

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  Loving the Fiat! - 2012 Fiat 500
  By scottishere - November 6 - 11:46 pm

  I actually got a Pop with the automatic transmission. This car is fun to drive and definitely gets noticed on the freeways. It definitely does not feel like a cheap car. Its well-built and solid on the road. I traded in a mid-sized sedan for my Fiat, so I expected a big adjustment. The car doesnt feel tiny inside. I have lots of head room (I didnt get the sunroof) and Ive been able to find a comfortable driving position. You sit high in this car. Its not a road-burner, but it scoots along pretty well. The SPORT option firms up the steering and adjusts the way the 6-speed transmission shifts gears.