Home / Fiat / Fiat 500 Hatchback Review – Blend Of Retro & Modern Style

 
Car Review By:
eBest Cars
Version:
2012
Price:
£9,960 - £17,207

Reviewed by:
Rating:
3 Stars
On November 3, 2011
Last modified:January 29, 2012

Summary:

Fiat 500 is a small super-mini that is attractive, economical and fun to drive. The overall performance is adequate inside town. It is also one of the safest super-mini's in town.

The all new Feat 500 hatchback is one cute car on the road. Ever since 2004 Fiat has made a shift towards doing what they actually do best, which is producing cars that are small but have a very good appeal. This is true for both value and character. We need to understand Fiat 500 is one car that cannot be ignored when considering small cars. Fiat 500 is a blend of modern and old small cars.

Fiat 500 is basically the next model that was supposed to follow the huge success of Grande Punto and Panda. It managed to do this but with a twist. The Fiat 500 basically appeals to emotions because of the design chosen but it is a modern car with many extra features that drivers in the past wouldn’t have even thought about.

Fiat 500 now looks a lot like the original rear-end model, but it is modern enough to fit today’s high-quality standards. It is a safe car and stands out as really easy to drive. You have many possible customization options available, and we can say that the Fiat 500 has a lot of character for such a small car.

Fiat 500 Prices

As expected, there are many options available with the Fiat 500. The cheapest one will be the Hatchback 1.2 S/S Pop, which costs £9,900. The most expensive one is the 1.4 Hatchback T-Jet Abarth 695 Tributo, which costs £ 29,600. As you can see the difference is quite big so you need to pay attention to what you will buy.

Power and Performance

The Fiat 500 hatchback is a small car, and it needs to be nimble and be used mostly as a city car. It manages to live up to most possible expectations even if the 1.4 litre petrol engine would need a little more power. It does have 100 bhp but it is still not that recommended. The higher-end models are better. If you are looking for an economical model than the 1.3 litre Multijet is the choice for you with 67 miles per gallon. This car will accelerate slowly, but once it reaches 4000 rpm it is much easier to drive.

In handling the Fiat 500 hatchback will not be as great as the MINI but it is still pretty close. We have a firm ride and good grips. Most of the owners will usually drive at a higher speed because the car handles well even at higher speed. In the 1.4 litre models you are going to have stability control as standard but it is optional with all the others.

Interior and Exterior

The Fiat 500 is perfect for two adults who use the car on town trips. However, when going on a longer trip you are going to really hate the lack of a good lumbar support system. The engine will be a little noise at high rev. We gain much from the inclusion of air conditioning as standard on the Sport and Lounge models, which will most likely be what will sell most anyway. Electric windows are included in every single car sold.

Fiat 500 Hatchback is a small car and this immediately means a small boot. However, at 185 litres, it is bigger than other cars like MINI Hatchback and Toyota Aygo. There are even options for folding rear seats in order to gain extra space.

Safety and Reliability

Fiat 500 appears on the market as one of the safest cars of its size and got the maximum rating in European crash tests. Every single model will equip 7 airbags and on the 1.4 litre models we have Electronic Stability Control. Two Isofix Child Seat Mounting areas will be present in the rear bench.

Generally speaking the Fiat 500 Hatchback should be pretty reliable. Most of the main components are shared with Ford Ka and Fiat Panda. Both of them are really reliable vehicles. Sometimes, there are reports of poor reliability, but they are not enough to cause a real problem from this point of view.

eBest Cars Verdict

The Fiat 500 hatchback is a very interesting small car and it is among the best if you are looking for a small town car. The standard model is cheaper to run with high tax band the running costs are outrageous. However, you will require different models for extra features such as air conditioning. Compromises are made but we are happy to notice that the quality and safety are still high.

Fiat 500 Pictures

Fiat 500 is a small super-mini that is attractive, economical and fun to drive. The overall performance is adequate inside town. It is also one of the safest super-mini's in town.
 

About the author: Ahmad Wali

 

Ahmad Wali is associated with automotive industry from past 4 years. Also the member of the Cars Edition Magazine and critique for latest car reviews. Apart from Automotive industry he is an Entrepreneur running blog network including UK eBest Cars. Say Hello on twitter

 

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