2012 FIAT 500 consumer reviews

I started with a Fiat 500 Prima Edizione (think Sport) and promptly traded it in for an Abarth once they were available for order. My advice is get the Abarth. It is a completely different machine. The power difference between the two cars is like night and day. I have 26,000 miles on my Abarth, so I think I have a good feel for the car and its reliability, Let's start with the tires. They come with performance tires that lasted about 25,000 miles before needing to be replaced. There are other good options for tires out there, so shop around. The engine and exhaust still sound amazing and perform very well. I have had to use the warranty to make two unexpected repairs. One was replacing a bearing in the steering column as there was a "knock" when I would turn the wheel. The second was a mysterious clutch pedal that would either stick to the floor or catch all over the place. It was very uncomfortable to drive the car like that, so I dropped it off at the dealership and they kept the car until they could find the problem. One week later and I had a new clutch master cylinder. The dealer said it was strange that it was faulty. Everything was fixed for free. The ride in the Abarth is a bit choppy as the suspension is firmed up for handling. I wouldn't hold this against the car as it is pretty typical for sport-tuned vehicles. Inside can be a bit cramped. I am 6'1" tall, and fit - just. I would recommend that if you are over 6' tall, do not buy your car with a sunroof. It lowers the headliner about two inches. I drove this car cross country during the summer of 2013. I left from California headed for Florida and then Massachusetts. I turned around for California one month later. I put almost 12,000 miles on the car that summer and I had no problems. I did meet a lot of people at various gas stations along the way asking about the car. I averaged about 30 mpg, although I must admit, I do drive with a heavy foot. Who wouldn't if you had this car? Just recently, I had my car in the shop for 1 week, and by the time that week was almost over, I was telling everyone how much I missed my car. This car evokes something emotional in me that I doubt not many cars starting at $22,000 would be able to make the same claim. I could not hand over the keys to my rental soon enough.

I bought my Fiat 500 Sport 6 months ago. I bought it with 18,000 miles on it and put on 26,000. I drive highway and city half and half. I have heated seats, Bose,automoatic, and Auto climate control. These things make me not miss my old Cadillac. I am surprised at how much I love driving this car. No problems with power at all for me, I can merge onto a 65 mile an hour freeway with no problem and turn on the Sport button for plenty of zip around town. I average 37 MPG. I feel like this car has the best value for your dollar. I tried a Fiesta, Focus, Veloster, and Accent. Fiesta was most comparable but had weird shifting. The Fiat made me smile the moment I saw it.

I knew I wanted to purchase a vehicle in the sub-compact category but there are more than ever from which to choose. I looked at VW GTIs, Ford Fiestas, Honda Fits, Toyota Yaris, and Mini Coopers but in the end I was blown away by how stylish, affordable, and fun the Fiat 500 Sport is to drive. It's only been a month but I just love it!

I am 6'1" snd have to put the seat up 1 notch on my basic Pop manuel 5. The seat is very comfortable. We have been on trips all over and have put some 41K in less than a year. I use the Pop to work in getting in and out ablut 7-10 times a day. The only problem I have had is the seat belt not retracting after about 3-4 months. I have had 2 replacements so far under warranty. I have tested the gas mailage several times. City driving not to easy getting about 38-41. I went Dal to Hou with plus fuel and got 52.3 going 65. tested at 60 only got 49. Not the gas that I got in the city was with the back loaded with all my tools about 250#. So far havent had any isues with any mech. problems. i have noticed that getting gas at a discount stor with the 10% ethonal I got about 2 mpg less. We have a Rav4 and my wife wants to sale it to get her own Pop.

After extensive research on small economic cars, I came to the conclusion that the Fiat was the best choice in style, cost and size. I would highly recommend it

This is one of three vehicles I get to drive on regular basis. Other two being Mini Cooper S and VW GTI. Compared among them as a car, Fiat 500 (Pop) is rubbish. It's slow, has the worst steering of them all, it pitches and rolls around through corners, and material quality is, well, I've seen better plastic in the bottom of cookie can (okay, that's not true, but it's pretty low rent in here). But, here's a big "but" for me. I love this thing, I just love it. I love the way it goes about its business, all the rolling and pitching and everything regarding the driving experience seems to have a lovely flare, and I just don't get bored. On one hand I compare the little Fiat to others as a car and think to myself what a lousy car it is, but on the other hand, I marvel at how emotionally involving driving a car can be. I think there's more than a "car" to a car, I'm in love, this is my favorite of almost all modern cars that I've driven.

I'm stuck with a car I wished I'd never even looked at. This car has been in my possesion 4 days brand new car and already in the shop twice for different problems . Now I don't trust it to go on any length of trip. My wife fell in love with it on the commercials but the real story is a lot different. Will never let a friend or family member buy one.

The 500 Turbo is a great little Fiat with plenty of power under the hood. Very comfortable to drive with lots of interior space for my 5'3" body. The Sirius/Beats audio system is great. I love the centrally located information location of the tachometer/speedometer. It's a car with power to get around town and great on the highway. It uses premium gas, but only sips it--great gas milage. I love my Fiat.

Been two years now. So far only problem has been clock loses about ten minutes per month. Mileage averages about 38 on highway and 33 in town. Gas tank is small but not a problem. Interior could be a little better quality but it isn't a 30,000 auto. Love the 5 speed. Dealer service varies but we have a great dealer in downtown Orlando. Would buy again.

I have had my Fiat 500 POP for seven months. This can a great car for a single person or a couple. Here are the positives: Performance- Positives: Great gas mileage. Very smooth and comfortable on the highway. responsive steering. Handles well for the most part. Negative: Not good on sharp curves at higher speeds. Too top heave to hug a curve like a sports car. Driving experience is very engaging. Driving even at lower speeds is exciting. Plenty of power if you get the manual transmission. I recommend learning to drive manual if you need rather that purchasing an automatic transmission on this car. It's that important to the experience. The car was designed for european markets where most people drive manual transmissions. The north American manual gear ratios are well designed for 35mph. 45 mph. and highway speeds. The north American engine (made in Michigan) is also well paired for North American roads. You can wring a lot of power out of the engine at 4000 rpm upshifts without worries because the engine redlines at 6700 rpm. Drives surprisingly well in the snow. Exterior: It's gorgeous! Incredible style. Harkens back to the old 500L wonderfully. Low wind noise. Easy to wash. Interior- Positives: Again, incredible style. Front seat area is very roomy even for ver tall people. Steering wheel is luxurious. Visibility is wonderful. Negatives: Large door openings mean seatbelt retracts too far behind you causing discomfort to reach it. Given the size of the car, it's no surprise that the back seats are not confortable for long rides. Leg room and hard seating surface are issues even for shorter people. Overall- Amazing combination of fun, function and style.