2012 Fiat 500 Review: First Drive

Fiat’s return to America heralded by the iconic Italian car

The road snakes steeply upward as we zip from corner to corner, whipping up gravel on the road’s edge, the local greenery fluttering in the car’s tiny wake as we nearly miss larger chunks of rock jutting out on the tightest of curves. Tuscany comes to mind, but this is not Italy. No, we’re in California.

The car, however, is Italian. A Fiat no less. In fact, we’re one of the lucky few to sample the very modern, yet fabulously nostalgic experience of piloting the first Fiat to be sold on these shores in 27 years.

A sign of the changing times, the Fiat 500, or the more fun to say ‘cinquecento’, might be evidence of America’s changing perceptions of small cars. More practically, however, it has come to market as the result of Chrysler’s savior Fiat, which took over the American auto giant and ensured its bankruptcy did not end in liquidation.

Gathered together at the Culy Warehouse in downtown San Diego to introduce the 500, the folks at Fiat North America are seemingly unaware of the brutal irony that this place could be mistaken for a mechanic’s garage.

Along with the usual breakdown of specifications, it’s surprising to learn just who Fiat intends to target with this new model. On the one hand, there’s the obvious lifestyle competitor, the MINI Cooper. On the other hand, there are cars like the Ford Fiesta and Toyota Yaris.

Spending a day behind the wheel reveals that while pricing is a factor, with the 500 bridging the gap between these two disparate types of small cars, there are numerous other ways the 500 delivers a compelling halfway point between the transportation you need and the fun car you really want.

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Chinnu said:

Personnellement, je préfère me payer une Honda Fit bien bien bien avant une FIAT

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Chinnu said:

Je ne peux pas vraiment l'essayer, il ne le vend pas ici pour le moment...

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pricing for the Pop base model starts at just under $16,000, the Sport goes for $18,500 and the Lounge, $19,500.

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fastweel said:

sur une autre note

c'est pas si t'ant pire que sa finalement...meme moins cher que la Fiesta Hachback!

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Lexus said:

in Europe the Fiesta is in a higher and more expensive class than the 500.

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Lexus said:

in Europe the Fiesta is in a higher and more expensive class than the 500.

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fastweel said:

alors pourquoi commente tu allors:dunno: ..tu dit ses pas bon ..jaime mieux une fit...mais en fait tu ne le sais meme pas LOL:bigup:

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Chinnu said:

Le review parle de la Fiat 500, l'autre me dit d'essayer la Abarth vs une Fit (mais il a effacé son commentaire plus haut qui m'était destiné) mais la Abarth n'est pas encore dispo et il est 25 000$.... et pour 25 000$ j'irais me chercher par mal autre chose qu'une fit ou une Fiat surtout avec 135 hp dans un petit chassis = tape cul. Pour 23 800$ j'ai une Volks Jetta TDI confortline, quand même pas mal, une sentra SER pour moins de 25k ou pour 1k de plus, une civic SI.

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