The Fiat 500

[bronsin]

What is the word about this car? Is the quality comparable to Toyota Ive heard its made in Mexico? How is the gas mileage it has a 1300cc engine an improvement over the Tpyota. What is it good at? What is it bad at?


Thanks!

[Betrivent]

It's got a nice interior.. otherwise it feels mushy and gutless.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Betrivent

It's got a nice interior

I agree. It doesn't grab me the way the Mini interior does, but it stirs some of the same feelings.

[UTVitz]

The Fiat 500 is a car to be avoided by people who are use to toyota reliablity. The 500 is made in Mexico, but is full of design and quality quirks so common to the European brands. I work for a company that rents a few of these 500's and they are riddled with issues from check engine lights to creaky drivers doors. Sometimes they give a warning of overheating and they are not. I've driven the car a lot with the want of falling in love with it, but it didn't happen-too many flaws. The engine is insanely hard to give basic service to-it's packed in there. This car is nothing more than a fashion statement as the J-Lo ads on TV only confirm. Test drive for fun, but walk away knowing it is no Toyota when it comes to ownership costs, repair, maintainablity, and reliablity.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by UTVitz

The engine is insanely hard to give basic service to-it's packed in there.

^^^^^ This. I looked under the hood and sat in one at a car show and was struck by this. Probably wouldn't buy one just on that alone.

[bronsin]

Just what I needed, a cold hard slap in the face to snap me out of it.

We need small cars like the 500 though and we arent getting them.

But we dont need lousy small cars.

Yeah that SmartCar is a fashion statement too. That interior is nuts.

[daf62757]

Look up dependable in the dictionary and you won't find a photo of a Fiat next to it! Won't find a Toyota either, but ask any Toyota owner if they would buy another Toyota and I would bet that 95% of them would say yes they would.

I can go to the casino to gamble. When I spend my hard earned money on a car, I buy a Toyota!

[Killchain]

Designed by Fiat, ordered by Chrysler, and built in Mexico............

http://www.motorweek.org/reviews/roa...2012_fiat_500/

No thanks, I'll stick with the Yaris. I wish I had the cash for the Scion IC.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Killchain

Designed by Fiat, ordered by Chrysler, and built in Mexico............

http://www.motorweek.org/reviews/roa...2012_fiat_500/

No thanks, I'll stick with the Yaris. I wish I had the cash for the Scion IC.

The street behind me just added another tC and abother Camry. That makes 8 tCs and 8 Camrys within 2 long blocks (one Yaris sedan too that STILL has a missing wheel cover).

[Hamster]

I don't understand buying the European car made in Mexico....how does that make it European?

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Hamster

I don't understand buying the European car made in Mexico....how does that make it European?

.....and it renders the 'driving in the ocean from Italy to the U.S.' TV commercial disingenuous (IMO).

[padre1964]

Fiat recommends premium fuel in the 500. Thats enough to keep me away from them.

[Idahotom]

Fiat stands for: Fix It Again Tony

[Thirty-Nine]

Here is my review, FWIW.

http://www.subcompactculture.com/201...-fiat-500.html

In a nutshell: Nimble, a bit noisy, comfy but small interior, lots of personality. Felt well put together. Not a fan of the dash

[matthewai]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IMUbzjxPa8

okay okay OKAY not bad not bad......it actually seems better than this >>> haahhaah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHiYSAenanM

granted its 2 different scenarios

[joe keeney]

They use to sell that junk back in the 70's, After 50,000 look for the nearest bone yard.

[Deathegg]

Originally Posted by joe keeney

They use to sell that junk back in the 70's, After 50,000 look for the nearest bone yard.

Car and Driver had a long term 500, used for 40,000 miles. Just three things went wrong in that period: they had to tighten the handbrake, replace a bulb, and replace a fuse. Don't base a modern car on antique notions from the '70's.

As for 0-60 times, 9.9 seconds. With the turbo Abarth, it's about 6.9, and I've heard the Abarth exhaust, it sounds like no other 4 cyl I've ever heard; just an amazing sound.

[TLyttle]

just like the BMW Mini, I find the 500 to be an overinflated bogus shadow of what the original was. Anyone who has driven a REAL 500 will know what I mean.