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Autocar - News and reviews from the original car experts Skip to content Home Car Reviews News Blogs Videos Forums Cars for sale 6 issues for £1 Fiat 500 1.4 Lounge review More Pics Email Print Test Data Your say Comments: 4 Join the discussion Fiat 500 1.4 Lounge Road Test Test date 19 September 2007 Price as tested £12,100 For Adequate space, well-executed styling, cabin materials, afordable pricing Against Unrefined engine, limited rear headroom, bouncy ride, not enough fun Background Design On the road Living Verdict Data First the Beetle, then the Mini and now, 50 years after the launch of its antecedent, the Fiat 500 is ripe for reinvention. The script is the same as it was with the Mini and Beetle: the small, cheap, utilitarian car that became iconic through its engineering purity and brilliance is relaunched as a heavily styled object, with the emphasis on premium build and desirability. The original Nuova 500 was so basic that it was conceived partly as an alternative to a scooter; there was one engine option and it had just two seats (at launch), plus suicide doors. Pore over the options list of the latest 500 and you’ll find up to 549,396 different ways of specifying the car. But despite the obvious emphasis on novelty and design with this type of car, done properly the appeal need not necessarily subside. Because it’s solidly built and great to drive, the latest Mini has morphed successfully into a second-generation car in a way that, say, the less capable Chrysler PT Cruiser has not. And once the initial gloss wears off, the 500 will be expected to compete as a car, too. The question is, does it have the substance to match the style? The most famous 500 was rear-engined but it wasn't the first to bear the '500' name; that was the Topolino of 1936. It was replaced in 1957 by the Dante Giacosa-designed 500 Nuova, Giacosa having convinced Fiat with his 1955 600 that a rear engine was best for packaging. The 500, or Bambino, stayed in production until 1975 (3.6m were made) and was replaced by the 126. The Cinquecento tag (that's Italian for 500, by the way) returned in 1993 as a front-engined front-driver. And a debutant at the 2004 Geneva motor show, the Trepiuno concept, formed the design basis for the new 500. Your say Comments: 4 Join the discussion Car reviews home  |  Next page Ads by Google Advertisement FIND A CAR REVIEW Select a car AC Alfa Romeo Alpina Ariel Artega Ascari Aston Martin Audi Austin Bentley BMW Bristol Brooke Bugatti Cadillac Callaway Campagna Caparo Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Citroën Corvette Dacia Daewoo Daihatsu Datsun DMS Dodge ECC Elfin Farbio Ferrari Fiat Ford Ginetta Gumpert Holden Honda Hummer Hyundai IFR Infiniti Invicta Iveco Jaguar Jeep Jensen Jetstream Ken Okuyama Kia Koenigsegg KTM Lamborghini Lancia Land Rover Leading Edge Lexus Lotus Marcos Marlin Maserati Mastretta Maybach Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz MG MG Motor Mini Mitsubishi Mitsuoka Monteverdi Morgan Morris NAC Nissan Noble Opel Pagani Peugeot Porsche Proton Qpod Radical Reliant Renault Roewe Rolls-Royce Rover Saab Saturn Seat Shelby Skoda Smart Spyker Ssangyong SSC Subaru Superformance Suzuki Tata Tesla Think Toyota Triumph TVR Vauxhall Veritas Volkswagen Volvo Westfield Zenvo Prices & specs Edition Price Fiat 500 0.9 Twin Air £12,000 Fiat 500 0.9 Twin Air UK £12,000 Fiat 500 0.9 TwinAir Pop S/S TBA Fiat 500 0.9 TwinAir Sport S/S TBA Fiat 500 0.9 TwinAir Lounge S/S TBA Fiat 500 0.9 TwinAir byDIESEL S/S TBA Fiat 500 0.9 TwinAir Blackjack S/S TBA Fiat 500 1.2 Pop S/S £9,465 Fiat 500 1.2 Sport S/S £10,865 Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge S/S £10,865 Fiat 500 1.2 Pink £11,700 Fiat 500 1.2 byDIESEL S/S £12,515 Fiat 500 1.2 Blackjack S/S £12,165 Fiat 500 1.4 Pop S/S £10,865 Fiat 500 1.4 Sport S/S £12,265 Fiat 500 1.4 Lounge S/S £12,265 Fiat 500 1.4 byDIESEL S/S £13,915 Fiat 500 1.4 Blackjack S/S £13,565 Fiat 500 1.4 T-Jet Abarth £14,155 Fiat 500 1.4 T-Jet Abarth Esseesse £16,655 Fiat 500 1.4 T-Jet Abarth 695 Tributo £29,600 Fiat 500 1.3 MultiJet Pop £11,865 Fiat 500 1.3 MultiJet Sport £13,265 Fiat 500 1.3 MultiJet Lounge £13,265 Fiat 500 1.3 MultiJet byDIESEL £14,915 More Now read this... Fiat's latest 500 special 07/12/2010 11:30:00 Fiat's £20k Elise rival uncovered 29/10/2010 00:01:00 Fiat launches Uno Cabriolet 28/10/2010 12:10:00 Fiat Mio concept revealed 28/10/2010 12:00:00 Wallpaper Right here, right now 800 x 600 1024 x 768 1280 x 1024 Video Fiat 500 video review 90-sec verdict view Watch as we do 227mph in a Bugatti Veyron Watch as we do 227mph in a Bugatti Veyron Today's hottest tests BMW 5 Series Audi A7 Citroën DS3 Volvo V60 Seat Alhambra Fiat 500 Advertisement Post this page to: del.icio.us Digg Facebook StumbleUpon Reddit Site links Home Car reviews News Blogs & Features Videos Forums Prices and specs Cars for sale All about Autocar About Autocar Contact us Terms and conditions Privacy policy Send to a friend Newsfeeds Subscribe to our news with our RSS feeds Advertise To advertise with Autocar contact us Buy our magazines Discover our titles at themagazineshop.com Great motoring sites What Car? Autosport Evecars NEW ISSUE OUT NOW FAST, EASY & SECURESUBSCRIBE NOW>> Autocar.co.uk is brought to you by Haymarket Consumer Media Autocar is part of Haymarket Cars and Aftermarket About Haymarket | International licensing | © Haymarket Media Group 2010 Fulfill your potential at Haymarket Careers > || Search the site About us Contact us New car deals Home News Road Tests Launches Features Gallery Insurance Used Cars New Cars ROAD TEST: Fiat 500 1.3 MultiJet Lounge by David Finlay (25 March 2008) View technical info Engine 1248cc, four cylinders Power 75 bhp @ 4000 rpm Torque 107 lb ft @ 1500 rpm Transmission 5 speed manual Fuel/CO2 67.3mpg / 110g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 12.5sec Top speed 103 mph Price From £11,218.80 approx Release date January 2008 Love this car? Request Brochure Test Drive Best Deals I stood with Peter, who delivers many of the cars I test, and we looked at the 500 just after it had come off the trailer. Now, I like to think that we're both manly men, able to discuss beer and football for hours on end (or at least we would be if I had any interest in either), but something about the little Fiat had clearly pointed us in the direction of fluffiness. "You just want to hug it, don't you?" I can't remember which of us said this - a phrase which I don't think either of us had ever used about a car before, and would not expect to again - but I do know that the other agreed immediately. The 500, if you didn't already know, is a throwback to a previous model in the same way that the MINI and the Volkswagen Beetle recalls earlier cars with the same name, and the Chrysler PT Cruiser more generally refers to 1930s American cars which were converted into hot rods after World War II. It was of great help to Fiat that the 500 of half a century ago was perhaps the cutest mass-produced car in the history of the motor industry, but even without that advantage I'd have to say that the designers have done a superb, possibly unrivalled job of giving a 21st-century car the flavour of a familiar classic. I expected everyone I knew to fall in love with the 500 as soon as they saw it, and most of them did - occasionally to the point where it seemed that a change of underwear might be advisable. Others were less convinced, and I suppose this is one of those cars which you either "get" or you don't. Fair enough: I would happily spend hours surrounded by kittens, but wouldn't walk five yards out of my way to see a puppy, yet plenty of people have the opposite opinion, which they're welcome to. So with the 500 - some will be indifferent to it, others will think it's a masterpiece. The 500's visual character is as important as it is successful. To some extent it doesn't have to be a particularly good car, at least to anyone who thinks that the looks justify the purchase. If you look at it in a detached manner, though, it is indeed a good car. I've been critical of several Fiat models in the past (resulting in a suspicion that I've fallen out with members of the company's PR department, which isn't true at all), and if I thought the 500 was a failure beneath its exterior charm I would say so. But no. It has many very good points, and the bad points aren't too bad - or at least I would be prepared to live with them in return for having such an appealing little car parked outside my house. (Ah, you see? It's so difficult to avoid returning to that theme.) Foremost among the good points is the fact that in 2007 the 500 became the smallest car tested by Euro NCAP to score five stars for adult occupant protection. That couldn't have happened without some really serious engineering, though it has to be said that the child occupant and pedestrian protection ratings were greatly inferior - you wouldn't want to land on the bonnet if one of these things ran into you, for example. There is, however, a great feeling of solidity to the 500. Everything feels properly constructed and well put-together; there's no hint here of earlier small Fiats which seemed as if they might break in half if the wind changed direction too abruptly. And there's plenty of equipment: the test car came in the range-topping Lounge trim level, so it had 18-spoke 15" alloy wheels (with - hurrah! - sensible-profile tyres on them so as not to harm the ride), extra chrome, a 50/50 split rear seat and a few other bits and pieces not available as standard on the Sport and the entry-level Pop. The Lounge and the Sport share the Blue&Me handsfree system which includes Bluetooth capability, voice recognition, a digital audio file player and steering wheel-mounted controls. This system has become common in the Fiat range, though I can't help thinking how utterly outlandish it would have seemed when the original 500 went on sale in 1957, or even when it went out of production in 1975. The interior - which is nearly as triumphant a piece of design as the outside - looks great, comes in a wide range of colour combinations, has very supportive seats and offers loads of room even for tall front occupants. There's much less room in the back, and with a capacity of 185 litres the boot isn't particularly useful, but if you rarely carry passengers and don't need to cart a lot of luggage around the place these things are not going to be a problem. Less forgivably, the steering wheel isn't adjustable for reach, which makes it difficult to find a truly comfortable driving position, and the rear visibility is absolutely terrible. At present, there are three engines in the 500 range. You can choose between 1.2- and 1.4-litre petrol units, but the test car had the third option of the excellent 1.3-litre Multijet turbo diesel. With just 75bhp available in the form used here, the Multijet isn't particularly strong, but it's certainly economical, with an official combined figure of 67.3mpg and a corresponding CO2 rating of 110g/km which leads to low annual Vehicle Excise Duty and a smile on the face of the present Mayor of London. The 500 is small enough for noise suppression to be a bit of a problem, and there's no doubt that Multijet makes its presence felt constantly (though there's a school of thought which states that it's a better choice than the quieter petrol engines for precisely that reason, since it recalls the gruff and unrefined clatter of the original 500). The lack of size also creates an issue of ride quality; there's a bounciness to the front end which is the inescapable result of fitting a heavy engine in the nose of such a short car. It's bearable most of the time, but you want to watch out if you're travelling quickly over a series of bumps. I don't think the suspension people could have done much about that, but it's obvious from the situations in which the car's basic layout was less important that they have done their work well. On fast but twisty roads (ones without too many bumps, at least) the 500 is splendidly sporty. It doesn't do much in the way of acceleration between the bends, but it behaves very nicely through them, with decent turn-in followed by a nice balance across the apex as the rear easily and unfussily mimics what the front has just done. Peter didn't come to collect the 500 at the end of this test; John did that instead. "I'll be coming for it on Wednesday morning," he said on the phone. I tried to persuade him not to bother, and to leave the car with me for as long as possible, but he made it very clear that that was more than his job was worth. Pity. There are a few things to complain about with the 500, but in most ways it's a very good little car, and - to me anyway - by far the best looker in its class. And the fact is that I want one. Fiat Gallery Fiat Road Tests More Road Tests Request brochure All the choice and model options delivered straight to you. More info Request test drive Try this car before you buy - get a test drive from your local dealer! 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Auto Express Car Reviews By Jack RixAugust 2009 Rating: The 500 is rolling back the years! Taking inspiration from the sardine tin-style fabric roof of the 1957 original, this is the new convertible variant of Fiat’s top-selling city car. And in recognition of the Brits’ love of drop-tops, the 500C goes on sale here in the UK before any other market in the world.At a glance, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the newcomer for its fixed-roof relative. In fact, thanks to the novel hood set-up, the four-seat layout, safety features and virtually identical boot space are all carried over, while the exterior dimensions remain unchanged. There are other benefits of fitting what is effectively an extended fabric sunroof, too. These include the opportunity to cut development costs, thanks to the hatch and convertible sharing a number of body panels. And, with the side sections still in place, the car’s overall rigidity is less affected by the lack of a lid.A glorified sunroof it may be, but with the hood fully retracted this car feels every inch a ‘proper’ convertible. Pick up the pace and there’s just enough turbulence to ruffle your hair. Close the hood up again and refinement is the same as with a metal roof. Operated via either a button above your head or the key fob, the top’s electric pulley operation is slick. You can choose between three stages – and you can change your mind at any point up to a speed of 35mph.The only real oversight is that with the glass rear window and heavy-duty fabric piled high at the back, the rear view is completely obscured, making roof-down manoeuvres tricky. Optional Parking sensors are essential – but they are only standard on this Lounge-trimmed model. Available in a choice of three shades – ivory, red and black – the soft-top has been designed to complement the paint colours buyers can specify. These include a trio of new creations for the 500C: Tech-House Grey, Ragamuffin Red and Goth-Metal Blue.We’ve already driven the capable 1.3-litre Multijet diesel, but here we try the 100bhp 1.4 petrol (31bhp more than the 1.2). And it doesn’t take long to realise that this motor is much better suited to the 500’s playful character, revving freely and offering a tuneful exhaust note. Dynamically there’s little to choose between drop-top and hatch. Thanks to bolstering of the windscreen’s top crossmember there’s no hint of wobble or shake from the chassis – so the 500C is just as keen in corners.You still sit very high, though, and the steering is too light in normal mode (yet too heavy in the Sport setting). Also, our car’s optional 16-inch alloys resulted in a harsh ride – we’d stick with the standard 15-inch wheels.The 500C is so lovable that most buyers will have made up their mind before even taking it for a spin – so its success hinges on the price. The convertible carries a £3,000 premium over the hatch – with options, our car came to £15,095 – but even so, it’s still one of the cheapest new cabriolets you can buy. And with prices starting from only £11,300 for the 1.2 Pop, there’s plenty of value on offer.Rival: Peugeot 207 CCPrettier than its predecessor, with a higher quality cabin and an even more usable folding hard-top, this picks up where the 206 CC left off. It’s not perfect, yet it remains one of the most attractive packages in this class. For an alternative review of the latest Fiat 500C visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk What Next COMPARE CAR LOANS COMPARE CAR INSURANCE For more breaking car news and reviews, subscribe to Auto Express magazine. We'll give you 6 issues for £1 and a free gift! < Previous Next > 0 Comment Be the first to comment on this article You need to register to post comments. Existing members can log in below to comment, otherwise click here to join. Email: Password: Sponsored Results More FIAT 500C 1.4 LOUNGE articles Car ReviewsCar Group Tests: Fiat 500C 1.4 Lounge Related Index Pages Fiat Fiat 500C Social Bookmarks Link to this article: For more details about purchasing this feature and/or images for editorial usage, please contact the Dennis Syndication team on pictures@dennis.co.uk Email a Friend Print this Pictures - Advertisement - Sponsored Results FIRST OPINION If the cute, retro 500 appeals to you, it will be love at first sight with the 500C. It offers top-down thrills virtually without compromise, drives as well as the hatch, has the same cabin layout and gives up only three litres in boot space. The only downside is roof-down rear visibility. A £3,000 premium over the hatch might seem steep, but this is still one of the cheapest and by far the cheeriest new convertibles money can buy. AT A GLANCE Price: £13,905 Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cyl, 100bhp Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 10.5 seconds Top speed: 113mph Economy: 46.3mpg CO2: 140g/km Equipment: Rear parking sensors, six-speaker CD stereo, remote central locking, Bluetooth, electric windows and mirrors, 16-inch alloys, chrome door handles On sale: Now - Advertisement - Company Website | Media Information | Contact Us | Privacy Notice | Subs Info | Voucher Codes | SitemapOur Other Websites: The First Post | Custom PC | Evo | IT Pro | IT Pro India | MacUser | Men's Fitness | Micro Mart | PC Pro | bit-tech | Know Your Mobile | Octane | Expert Reviews | Channel Pro | Know Your Cell | Know Your Mobile India | iGizmo | Digital SLR Photography | Den of Geek | The Week | Computer Shopper | Dennis Communications | Magazines | Mobile Phone Deals | Competitions | Health & Fitness | CarBuyer © 2010 Dennis Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.Licensed by Felden || || SG Petch Home Fiat 500 Home Accessories Bodyshop Merchandise Motability Parts Service Used Cars Get into something good You are here: SG Petch Home > Fiat > Fiat 500 > Lounge 1.4 3dr Manual Lounge 1.4 3dr Manual - New Fiat 500 2011 model year PETROL 6 Speed Manual 3 Door 4 Seats Prices From: £12,265 Features - Specification - Options More Fiat 500 Photos New Fiat 500 Reviews Similar Models Need Finance? Get A Quote Watch Video Fiat 500 Colours/Vehicle Images are shown for illustration purposes only Backbeat Grey Bossa Nova White Crossover Black Electrodash Grey Funk White Pasodoble Red Raggamuffin Red Rock n Roll Blue Tech House Grey Tropicalia Yellow Volare Blue Make your Fiat 500 Lounge 1.4 3dr unique There are a wheel-spinning 500,000 ways to personalise your 500, so the chances are there'll never be another one exactly the same as yours. Just pick your engine and your trim, then the fun begins.Colours There are 11 body colours to choose from and the Fiat 500 Lounge 1.4 3dr looks stunning in all of them. Eight solid colours (including six vintage replicas), three metallic and even a super-glam pearlescent white. Wheels Choose your boots - take your pick from nine sets of wheels. There are seven alloy designs including tasty 16 inchers, or the 15" sports alloys. Or go for the vintage wheel covers for a classic look. Accessories Take your pick from a whole heap of special extras you can add to your Fiat 500 Lounge 1.4 3dr. Go for an entertainment feature here, a cheeky styling touch there and create your perfect 500. Best of all, you can have anything you want on whichever trim you choose. The 500 doesn't make the rules - it breaks them. Call Fiat Darlington on freephone 0800 980 4532 or Fiat York on freephone 0800 072 0762 for more information on the all-new Fiat 500 Lounge 1.4 3dr. Similar Cars Used Fiat 500 Search: Make: Model: Similar Fiat 500 Models Fiat 500 Lounge 1.2 3dr Manual £10,865 Fiat 500 Sport 1.2 3dr Manual £10,865 Fiat 500 Pop 1.3 MultiJet 3dr Manual £11,865 Fiat 500 Lounge TwinAir 3dr Manual £12,065 Fiat 500 Sport TwinAir 3dr Manual £12,065 Fiat 500 Lounge 1.3 MultiJet 3dr Manual £13,265 Fiat 500 Sport 1.3 MultiJet 3dr Manual £13,265 Alternative Drives Call Us (Freephone) Darlington - 0800 980 4532 Middlesbrough - 0800 980 4533 York - 0800 072 0762 Enquiry/Test drive * Name: * E-mail: * Telephone: I want... 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