Fiat 500: Driving impressions from the U.K.

Fiat lists some 24 different cars and minivans on the company Web site, and Alfa Romeo, which is owned by Fiat, shows nine more on theirs. There has been a lot of speculation about which, if any, of these models might make it to the United States in the wake of Fiat taking an ownership stake in Chrysler. The only model the new Chrysler has confirmed it plans to bring here is the Fiat 500. Company officials have said the goal is to begin U.S. sales of the 500 in about 18 months, allowing time for government safety and emissions testing. (See "Is there a Fiat in your future?")

A two-door hatchback with retro styling and slightly smaller than a Mini Cooper, the 500 is already a hit in Europe. But Americans know little about this stylish four-seater, and whether it will succeed here is anybody’s guess. Younger Americans will likely not be familiar with Fiat at all, or know that Fiat had a poor reputation for reliability when it pulled out of the U.S market in 1983. And those who owned Fiats (or will admit to owning a Fiat) don’t always have the fondest of memories.

Which?, a U.K. publication that like Consumer Reports does not accept advertising, recently tested a 500 and offered some thoughts from their review to share with our readers. (For the full original test, visit the Which? new car buyer's guide, a premium service.)

In a nutshell, Which? found the 500 to be a decent enough small car, but one best suited for cities. Its small size makes it easy to maneuver and park, but its stiff suspension made for a bumpy ride and testers found it tiring over long distances. They also found engine noise intrusive. The 500 did earn points for its handling, with responsive steering, little body lean, and plenty of grip. Brakes were also very good.

Our Which? counterparts tested a 500 with the most powerful engine available in their market, a gas-powered, 1.4-liter, 100-hp, four-cylinder. Which? recorded 41.5 mpg overall.

Electronic stability control is standard with the 1.4-liter engine, but optional with the 1.2-liter gasoline or 1.3-liter diesel-powered engines. Crashworthiness is a strong suit, and the 500 earned the top five-star rating in European safety testing. Room for two passengers up front is adequate, but limited in the rear— not altogether surprising for a car seven inches shorter than a Mini.

Unfortunately, Fiat reliability remains an area of concern. Like Consumer Reports, Which? conducts an annual reliability survey of car owners--the largest of its kind in the U.K. Their methods differ from ours, and some of the manufacturers and models are different, but Fiat, overall, ranks 35th out of 38 manufacturers. Because it is a relatively new model, there is insufficient data on the 500 for our colleagues to make a determination on its reliability. The larger, less expensive Panda on which it is based gets an average rating. (See "Chrysler and Fiat reliability – Merger of equals?")

We look forward to testing a 500, and we’ll keep you posted as its U.S. debut approaches. Let us know what you think of the 500, or would like to see in a U.S.-spec model.

—Jim Travers

Comments

[philipd]

any car feels like a bumpy ride on poor quality UK roads...and the Fiat 500 actually has more interior space than a Mini...so if a Min i will do, the 500 will probably do it better and cheaper; what will be key to the US reintroduction is the quality of the dealers selected to sell Fiat. Unfortunately Fiat dealers in the UK consistently receive poor marks and this is reflected on the overall satisfaction rating by owners...in our family we have owned 7 Fiat Group products since 1984 and together must have covered over 700,000kms without any breakdowns and specially the newer ones are are very solid, 'squeak-less' and zero mechanical or electrical faults - one or two very small things that one can put down to wear and tear. So, if they are built well, and taken care of properly, they are as good as the best.

[Matt]

I love the styling of the 500 and can't wait to see it in person and drive one. It also has lots of color and trim combinations to personalize it a bit. I would hope that a car with the significance and history of the 500 for Fiat, that they would have put the effort into making it more reliable. You wouldn't think Fiat could afford to have the 500 flop after a couple years if they start breaking down all the time. I guess time will tell. The good things is that by the time it goes on sale in the US we should have a couple/few years of repair history on the European models. Looking forward to CR and other car mag reviews of the 500. I joked with my wife that if we bought a 500, the Fit would be our "big" car.

[Derrick G]

"any car feels like a bumpy ride on poor quality UK roads" has to be one of the sillier things I've read lately. Obviously, Which?'s reviewers have ridden on said roads many a time and are well able to tell which cars are so stiff in ride that commenting on it is warranted.

[Dave H]

On my third Fiat car since 2005. So far I've had a Punto, Grande Punto and now on the 1.6L Bravo Eco with the sport interior. She's got some oomph and is the biggest sub 2Litre Torque of any car on the market here. Getting plenty of Kilometers per fill and because she's clean my road tax is very cheap too. I live in Ireland - and I find the car great to drive. My sister has a 500 similar to the one in the picture above but with the glass roof and red leather interior. They're so funky. In a nutshell after my thrid Fiat I'd definately buy another. I love Italian cars. The interior quality of my Bravo is also of much better quality compared to the much celebrated Ford Focus (too much tacky plastics inside). I've had no trouble with any of my Fiats and with a 4 year 100,000km warranty I feel 100% satisfied that even if I do have anything wrong that my fiat dealer would have the car fixed quickly. Any car company that can give that kind of warranty on Irish roads has to be confident in their products. We're not in the 1980's.

[everett whitney]

The New Fiat - Chrysler ??

The ~ ~ 18 months question becomes very quickly ... WILL there still be any such organization around in the U.S. to see IF the '500' might sell ?

That's a Very Long time to expect things to "mark time" W/O any new or appreciably-improved model line up.

My "bet' is that it will be long-gone / chapter 7 next time, as should have already happened! This U.S. market does not need / can not support the "Detroit 3."

everett

[Ben]

In the article it was stated that "Which? recorded 41.5 mpg overall." However, it does not say whether this is using imperial or US gallons. 41.5 mpg(US) is impressive, 41.5 mpg(UK) is considerably less so.

[Mel Bird]

Fiat 500. Worst car I have ever driven. Looks cute,bloody awful to drive. Bought one last week, swapping it for a nissan micra!