Fiat 500 hatchback (2008 – ) expert review

The looks are what immediately identify the Fiat 500 as something rather special. Its cheeky face and dinky dimensions bringing smiles to passers by. The round headlights and front indicators are a direct evolution of those from the original car, as is the bulge where you’d expect a front grille to be. Even the bonnet shut line which runs along the front wing, rather than hidden on an angle, is a homage to the 1957 masterpiece. There’s plenty of scope to create a unique 500, with a huge range of options.

With an exterior like a fashion show, anything less than retro chic would be a disappointment. Fortunately, Fiat has done a great job of making the cabin a really nice place to be. The retro Fiat badge on the steering wheel beams back at the driver, while the instrument cluster features a rev counter around the outside, with a speedo inside it and the trip computer in the centre. On the move it’s as though the speedo needle is chasing the rev counter. The main dash facia is colour-coded and stretches from door to door, interrupted only by some retro buttons.

The Fiat 500 is a remarkable city car. It can thread through crowded streets with ease, and is possibly one of the easiest cars to parallel park thanks to its short overhangs. Considering its size, the Fiat 500 is remarkably spacious. Its 185-litre boot is just big enough for the weekly shop, and much bigger than that of the far larger MINI. There’s enough space up front for two adults, albeit in close proximity, and legroom in the back is surprising for such a short car. Rear headroom is less impressive, although it’s enough for short journeys.

Few will buy a Fiat 500 for its handling prowess; its appeal is far wider than that. But body roll is reasonably well restrained, and it feels surprisingly taut through the bends. The steering is a little too light for masses of feedback, but that makes it ideal for winding through tight urban streets. And if any extra steering assistance is required, a ‘City’ mode lightens the steering even more under speeds of 44mph. The ride is firm, but rarely uncomfortable, and even with the tiny 1.2-litre engine we tested, not too buzzy at motorway speeds.

Fiat offers the 500 with a choice of two petrol and one diesel engine. We tested the lowest-power model – the 1.2 petrol – and found it well suited to the urban crawl, offering sufficient low-down power from its 69bhp engine. It also proved capable of sitting in the outside lane of a motorway for hours on end. It can reach 62mph in 12.9 seconds, before reaching 99mph. Fiat’s award winning 0.9-litre Twinair engine offers more performance, with its 85bhp dispatching 62mph in 11 seconds before reaching 108mph. The 1.3 MultiJet diesel offers a 10.7 second 0-62mph time and a 112mph top speed. That said, none of the models are as engaging to drive as a Ford Fiesta.

All three engines in the Fiat 500 sip fuel, with the 1.3 diesel covering an average of 72.4mpg, the 1.2 petrol 58.9mpg and the Twinair covering 68.9mpg. Emissions for the diesel are a lowly 104g/km, the 1.2’s 113g/km places it in the same band, while the 95g/km Twinair is two bands lower. Insurance groups between 2 and 6 shouldn’t break the bank either. It should make a good long term buy, shedding just 50 per cent of its value over the first three years.

The Fiat 500 is built at Fiat’s modern plant in Poland, alongside the second-generation Ford Ka. It shares plenty of parts with the generally-reliable Fiat Panda, and the engines have been around long enough for most niggles to be ironed out. Only a couple of pieces of interior trim let the 500 down.

The Fiat 500 scored a full five-star rating in the EuroNCAP crash test programme, with three stars for child protection and two out of five for pedestrian safety. Standard safety kit includes driver, passenger, side, curtain and driver’s knee airbags and ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution.

The entry-level Fiat 500 Pop is sparsely equipped, although fans may claim this is in keeping with the spirit of the original. It features 14-inch steel wheels, electric windows and door mirrors, MP3-compatible CD/radio, Isofix rear child seat mountings, ‘City’ steering mode and body-coloured bumpers. Lounge models are more luxuriously appointed and feature chrome body detailing, a glass roof, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, air-con and 15-inch alloy wheels. The new Twinair trim level replaces the outgoing Sport trim and boasts a different styling theme, with 15-inch matt black alloy wheels, sports seats and an exclusive ‘Total Black’ interior.

The funky Fiat 500 is a chic fashion accessory as much as it is an excellent city car. It manages to pull off the retro look and feel without appearing as a shameless rip-off too.