Wonderful visibility with lots of head room, easy to put three people in the back. Useful utility transporting space with fold-down seat. Easy to maneuver and park on city streets. I will hold on to this one for a while, which I dont usually do.…
Great City Car, with Chutzpah and 33 mpg
By Detroit Refugee | on Thursday, June 04, 2020
5.0
This former 850 Spyder owner is surprised to find himself owning another FIAT, but I'm not sorry! Most of the cars on my street are BMWs, Volvos, Lexus', etc. The idea of a rare Euro import that would thumb its nose at all these high-falutin' makes was too much to resist. I bought the base model about four months ago (with 86,00 miles), with the six-speed manual shift.
I don't understand why the car mags were so unkind to this car. All my friends and neighbors loved its looks! My other vehicles are a 2013 Chevy Captiva and a 2008 Scion xD. The Fiat has the best ride, best visibility, and is easiest to park. It's incredibly space efficient and the FCA infotainment center works very well. Although you sit hign, the car doesn't fell at all tippy on any axis.
The motor is a blast. This is my first turbo and I was delighted with the sound and the fury you get when it kicks in. The most important acceleration parameter for most of us is whether to car can get up to 60 mph on an upward-sloping freeway ramp with aplomb. My Fiat handles this with no sweat. The hard part is keeping my foot away from turbo territory: the sound and the acceleration are addictive. I'm getting 33 mpg, driving mostly on city streets with a lot of rolling hills.
You do a lot of shifting in this car. Generally I cruise in 5th at 40 mph, but I have to take hills in 4th to maintain 35-40. Sixth gear is strictly for flat Interstates. In general, the Fiat invites you to participate in the driving experience. This is not the car for someone who just wants a bland transport module.
There are some downsides, of course. The analog speedometer is shoved into the upper left-hand corner of the main display area. It's awkward, so it's a good thing that there's also a digital speedometer right in front of you. The engine runs a bit rough at 1100 RPM, but nowhere else. A/C is adequate, but may have a little trouble with St. Louis' hot & muggy summers.I'm not too crazy about the vent layout. The driver documentation is sparse.
All in all, I'm very happy with this car. I'd recommend it to any car lover in a heartbeat.…
Love it since rented 1 on our trip.
By Fiat 500L driver | on Tuesday, June 25, 2019
5.0
Love it. Rented 1 on one of our trip and it was just awesome.…
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