About the Fiat 500
James A purchased this Fiat 500 new with additional options for $26,000 (including all on-road costs). James A would buy this car again because: “If it was 2016, I’d buy it again. The car looks great and it’s so much fun to drive. The small size is perfect for parking where I live in inner-Sydney. In 2023 though, it feels very dated, despite still being on sale. “
How reliable has your car been? Tell us about any issues.
This has been the most reliable car I have owned. It was bought new in 2016 and has only recently needed a coolant leak fixed.
Apart from that I’ve had no issues. The car remains rattle free and everything seems well put together. I’d definitely recommend Fiat as a reliable brand.
What do you think of the ownership experience with your car?
This car often gets reactions. From children to elderly men, people often point and smile at the car when stopped at traffic lights or pedestrian crossings.
I’ve had people compliment the car when filling up or parking. It’s definitely a car with personality. I think it looks great and I love zipping around Sydney.
How has the purchase and aftercare experience been with your car?
They sent the wrong car up from Melbourne! They’d sent a manual version of the same car when it was supposed to be auto. They were polite and apologetic but it did seem a bit unprofessional.
The car I finally received was in good condition and the overall sales experience apart from the delivery mishap was fine.
Are you happy with the price and features of your car?
I purchased the top of the range version of the car with the ‘Competizione’ pack which added bigger wheels, leather and xenon headlights. I also added window tint and an Italian flag racing stripe. The final cost was $26k which seemed quite expensive for such a small car back in 2016.
The black and cream two-tone leather looks really cool and feels premium. I love how the car exterior looks too. It definitely looks more premium than mainstream hatchbacks.
The digital driver’s display is still quite advanced compared to other small vehicles under $30k even in 2023 with its crisp colour graphics, basic navigation instructions, radio, music streaming and other information. It’s obviously not as good as the benchmark set by the Volkswagen Group but you’ll be spending over $30k drive away for that.
The infotainment system is small and low resolution. The car has standard navigation in-built to the infotainment system powered by TomTom which is an inclusion I appreciate, however it’s slow to respond when navigating the menu or typing in an address, and it can get lost sometimes (It left me 10km in the wrong direction when attempting to go to IKEA!). I’ve spent hours online trying to work out how to update it but with no success.
For the price, the car should have included cruise control but annoyingly it does not. Auto headlights and wipers would have also been nice given the price I paid.
What do you think of the performance and economy of your car?
It’s great fun driving this car as you can really floor it and explore the rev range without losing your license. Generally speaking it’s pretty nippy and can keep up with traffic on the highway. Annoyingly though, hills and air conditioning are a combo it really struggles with and you really need to push it hard even in normal driving.
The transmission isn’t a regular torque converter auto, it has a robotic clutch and works best when you change gears manually like a tiptronic. Driving it in auto mode works well at low speeds in flat parking lots, but gets confused in most driving situations, especially when confronted with its arch nemesis, the hill.
I enjoy changing gears manually but if you prefer a proper auto, you’ll find it a jerky and rough experience.
Fuel economy has been a big disappointment. At 8.0L/100km with an urban driving bias, I expected better given the small engine and light kerb weight.
What do you think of the technology in your car?
There’s not a lot of impressive technology in this car. It lacks even basic things like cruise control. Compared to most cars in 2023, it’s lacking in a lot of safety tech too.
The car has rear parking sensors and the drivers digital display shows how close you are to obstacles when reversing. It also has tyre pressure monitoring.
The infotainment connects to your phone through a USB cable, although there’s no Apple CarPlay or android auto. It gets upset when I change the song sometimes and has a stubborn preference for playing music through the more tinny sounding Bluetooth connection rather than the usb connection.
What do you think of the ride comfort and handling of your car?
Ride comfort is great for most city driving although you do notice the bumps on our poorly repaired roads.
The car is very nimble and is one of the car’s most appealing features. It’s so much fun zipping around inner city streets.
The turning circle is enormous for a car this small at 10.6m for this model with the 1.4L engine. I believe the smaller engine in the 1.2L model currently on sale has a better turning circle.
On a trip into the Blue Mountains, driving on 80-100km/h backroads near Oberon, a passenger described the ride comfort and handling as like being thrown around like a rag-doll, but to be fair to Fiat, this car is intended for the inner city.
Do you have any additional comments about your car?
I’m excited about the next-gen EV Fiat 500 but sadly I think it will be out of my price range.
The number of small hatchbacks on sale is dwindling and it’s becoming harder to find cars with personality. Not sure what my next car will be but after seven years, this car is feeling dated and I need something else.
Keyword: 2016 Fiat 500 owner review