The Italians are famous among the automotive community for their Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Paganis. However, if there’s one company that precedes them all in terms of its history, it’s Fiat. Founded way, way back at the turn of the 19th century, Fiat is currently one of the world’s largest carmakers. Fiat is also responsible for making one of the most iconic cars on the planet - the 500. The Fiat 500 was first unveiled in 1957, and over the next many decades, several iterations of this small hatchback have been made and sold worldwide.
The current generation of the 500 first reared its head in 2007. Since then, the carmaker hasn’t really changed it much, save for a minor facelift in 2016. In the UAE, the Fiat 500 enters the court with larger rivals that include the Hyundai Veloster, Ford Fiesta, Opel Corsa, and Honda Jazz.
Exterior
Right away, the Fiat 500’s petite proportions become abundantly clear as you walk towards this car. Standing just over 3.5 meters in length and 1.6 meters in width, it wouldn’t be unfathomable if you lose sight of this thing in a large parking lot. However, that’s part of the charm of the Fiat 500. Despite its shoe-like dimensions, the retro 500 is dripping with personality that simply compels you to look at it over and over again. The friendly, puppy-like front fascia features a compact clamshell hood, rounded headlamps with ‘eye-brow’-styled turn indicators, round foglamps with LED DRL surrounds, narrow front grille with chrome detailing, and a chrome-studded lower grille/air dam.
The bubble-like side profile suits the 500 plenty well. This is further complemented by the chic 16-inch alloy wheel design, sporty wheel arch extensions, small fender-mounted side blinkers, and large door-mounted wing mirrors. The sloped rear of the Fiat 500 gets a few neat touches such as the unique ring-shaped LED taillights, smoothly carved bumper with integrated foglights and a thick chrome strip, plus another bar of chrome placed right above the number plate holder. On the downside, the 500’s short 2.3-meter wheelbase only leaves enough room for four, and a tiny 185-liter boot.
Interior
The playful character and chic of the exterior also makes it into the interior of the Fiat 500. The cabin of the 500 looks lively and its styling is gorgeously retro. With its body-colored dash trim mixed with a blend of various hues of white, and topped off with piano black and chrome trim all over, there’s a lot happening in here. This interior space is mostly about style over outright functionality. However, you do get goodies such as a panoramic sunroof, xenon headlights, keyless entry, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls and paddle shifters, and an Uconnect touch-multimedia display with Bluetooth and navigation.
The 500’s front seats offer decent comfort and loads of space, though sitting in the back is nigh-on impossible if you’re tall and/or have legs. The quality of materials is just as disappointing, though many might not even notice it. That being said, the 500 comes with a brilliant five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. This means you get 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, plus stability and traction programs.
Engine and performance
Just ahead of the driver’s footwell sits a 1.4-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with 100 hp and 131 Nm of torque. Sent to the front wheels via a 5-speed AMT gearbox, the Fiat 500 is capable of hitting 100 km/h in 10.7 seconds and a top speed of 182 km/h. Its fuel economy is rated at 6.3 L/100 km, which is actually pretty good.
Verdict
In the UAE, the ever-so-charming Fiat 500 costs between AED 62,900 and AED 78,000. With financing deals starting from just AED 980, the 500 is a true fashion statement on wheels.
