Item: Fiat 500
Rating: 4.4
Author: CarMax

Fiat 500 Reviews

4.4 out of 5 (144 reviews)

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Overall quality is under par. I admit I enjoyed driving it. However, ride quality felt rough & plastic panels raddled. Electronics were intermittent ie rear wiper blade would randomly come on. A/c nee...

Pros: fuel economy, ease of driving, affordable, and adorable. Cons: need to be extra observant while driving, most people will cut you off or may not see you on the road due to the size of the vehic...

If you're a car nut, more specifically, a sports car nut, you can't beat a car like this in smiles per gallon. Yes, you can get a more comprehensive sports car (yes, Miata is always the answer) but in my experience, I find myself with that ear-to-ear maniacal grin that a small child gets when he gets a new toy more often in my Abarth then I ever had in a miata (with the top up). It's like a Neon SRT-4 in that it has a turbo to a straight pipe with no muffler, so this thing sounds like the devil, rasping for your attention (or, a small Lamborghini for you devil-fearing folks). But unlike the SRT-4, the Abarth has a sense of humor. It knows it looks dorky. The Fiat 500 Abarth is this emoticon () on wheels, both in style and substance.

Pros

Ride and Handling: The ride is stiff and bouncy as a small sports car tends to have, but despite its egg-like shape, it stays mostly flat in corners. It's flat cornering and stiff suspension combined with its quick steering (in sport mode) lends it to feeling like a stubby Lamborghini (no joke).
Power: Turbo. That says it all. The small turbo means boost comes on early, 160 HP and 175 Lb-Ft doesn't sound like much but given the car's proportions, it makes all those torques and powers seem very angry and eager to show you numbers don't mean much. You feel like you're speeding all the time.
Cabin Noise: Forget quiet. This is the best sounding car for the money. Straight pipes and a turbo are all you get. For those who know, it sounds like a baby Lambo. For those who don't, it sounds MUCH bigger than it is.

Cons

Fuel Economy: This is one of those questions that everyone asks. "That thing good on gas?" Unfortunately, no it isn't. This car lends itself to ripping away from lights and wide-open freeway entrances. that means 28 MPG. But hey. You want economy, buy the normal 500. This one is for kicks and giggles.
Interior Space: News flash. This car is small. Quite small. The longer you live with this car, the better you get at working with it. But if you're like me and came from a 4-door sedan, prepare for an adjustment period.
Visibility: Ugh. Modern car A-pillars. Everything in this car is meaty. The corners of windows are hard to see out of and the doors are up to your cheek. Not the worst but again, prepare for a shock if you're coming from an older car. Also, the rear headrests need to be down at all times if you want to see.

Which Fiat 500 gets the best gas mileage (mpg)?

The most fuel-efficient Fiat 500 is the 2014 Fiat 500 Pop which gets 31 MPG City and 40 MPG Highway.

It is important to remember factors such as driving style, weather conditions, and the use of features such as Eco mode can impact fuel efficiency. Fuel economy figures are based on EPA estimates for when vehicle sold as new. Fuel economy may vary for reasons like driving conditions and vehicle history. Unless specified, figures are for vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission. See fueleconomy.gov.

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This price does not include tax, title, and tags. Additional fees may also apply depending on the state of purchase.

Fiat 500 Reviews

Quick. so must have been the build time

Quick. so must have been the build time

Pros

Cute, fun, easy to park

Cute, fun, easy to park

Pros

Cons

A great car if you understand what you're getting into.

A great car if you understand what you're getting into.

Pros

Cons

Which Fiat 500 gets the best gas mileage (mpg)?

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