2007 Fiat 500
SNAP
Unless you were raised like a Walton’s child or had a can too many Red Bulls at lunchtime, you don’t often find yourself smiling and waving at strangers just because they’re driving the same car but the Fiat 500 is proudly Italian and therefore emotion is good!
I have to say, I did feel a bit of a fraud last week when I was driving around in Fiat’s marvelous little super mini and two very attractive young females with the same little cult car wound the window down and asked me where was good to eat out around here? Tempting as it was to reply ‘Mario’s’ at 7.30 and then hang out there like a little lost school boy tapping my shoes together and willing them to appear, I resisted the urge. I had just about as much knowledge of Mario’s as I did of the Fiat 500 at that point as I’d only been driving it a matter of hours. Besides what if they found out I wasn’t actually the rightful owner of the car I was sitting in; hell it wasn’t even my petrol – what a cheap skate: ‘you don’t mind settling the food bill do you ladies?’
The thing is, I quite happily assumed this pretence all week and was rather miffed when I had to hand back the keys. You see it’s not just cool and pretty and retro and sociable, it’s also got its nuts and bolts just right or so we can gather at this stage. If we needed any further proof of its hardy underpinnings then the Panda is its best advocate as it’s held together in the pretty much the same way and that’s done a fair innings now. In all other respects it’s an authentic 500 from its dome-shape on wheels down to its psychedelic dials and laid back Mediterranean ambience.
Fiat has certainly succeeded in creating the most organic remake; one that really holds true to the grass roots values it had back in 1957 – a fun, affordable, patriotic run-around. Even its silhouette is as close a match to its predecessor as can get. It was obvious that it would always be held up against MINI which of course can keep re-inventing itself better than Madonna. However the 500 is just as trendy and iconic as well as cheaper to buy and insure. It will still therefore appeal to the ‘quite poor but beautiful’ although it’s also stylish enough to be passed off as vintage couture for the rich.
Fiat has outdone VW too with its 500 re-incarnation; everybody awaited the new Beetle back in the 90’s but it was so loosely based on its predecessor that we didn’t really feel any of the nostalgia. Instead it turned on a modern female audience to the world of motoring which we guess is an achievement in itself although let’s be honest we all miss Herbie! Enough with the hankies, we have the original city car and its well worthy of our fondest affections. Even when you get past the 500’s National Herritage and hundreds of different trim options, it’s a practical day-to-day choice (not hoard a herd of giraffes in the back practical) but now at least you can fit your kids and their car seats in there comfortably enough. The rear seats split and fold down too but the majority of the time you won’t need to bother as boot space is fairly adequate by small car standards. The seven airbags made us feel rather well looked after and all the controls are right at your fingertips (especially the steering wheel mounted ones).
Even the entry level 1.2-litre Pop version of the 500 is well equipped (radio/CD/MP3, power steering, electric mirrors all as standard) and you only need pocket money to run it - its average consumption is 55mpg. Its original 13bhp engine has now been upgraded to 69bhp and will reach 100mph rattle-free. The 0-60mph dash can be undertaken in 12.9 seconds and it emits a measly 119g/km of C02. If you want to get a bit more of a sprint out of the 500 then there’s also the 100bhp 1.4-litre petrol which will meet 60mph with a 10.5 second shove and bomb along at 114mph. Whereas stability control is standard across the range this flagship model gets additional traction control and also ventilated disc brakes all round. The 1.4-litre is still cheap to run with a typical return of 44mpg, C02 emissions are up by a smidgen at 149g/km but you’d still call it green.
Then there’s the 1.3-litre diesel Multijet, our personal favourite which just wouldn’t empty its fuel tank despite giving it a hearty little run around. The actual combined figure is 67.3mpg which even when you blast the air con, load the boot up with heavy floor tiles and keep the revs fairly high doesn’t alter much. With 75bhp burbling away under the bonnet and 145Nm of torque, it was quite happy swanning around A-roads as well as easing in to the flow of busy city streets. It cornered tidily, changed gear smoothly and ground to a halt promptly. The windscreen on the 500 also promotes good visibility although the rear screen is a little compromised by the bubble design. Thankfully because all four wheels are at each corner thus limiting the overhangs, you can easily judge how much room you’ve got to park.
Everything else in the budget car category feels a little bland, processed and obviously mass produced in comparison to the Fiat 500. Kind of like an Italian recipe that’s been handed down through the generations, all the 500’s ingredients feels like it’s been home-grown and hand-picked and they’ve really waited by the stove until it was cooked thoroughly.
FOR: Honestly priced, authentically styled and contagiously happy in nature!
AGAINST: We could criticize the ride and the rear visibility but on the scale of things they don’t ruin your enjoyment one iota.
VERDICT: The Fiat 500 really does pull on your heart strings for all the right reasons and is a true disciple of Italian heritage. It’s fun, it’s chic, it’s affordable and its finished with tender loving care. Bellissimo!
SPEC:
ENGINE: 1.3-litre Diesel Multijet (lounge spec)
POWER: 75 bhp
TORQUE: 145Nm
C02: 111g/km
0-62mph (sec): 12.5
TOP SPEED: 103mph
PRICE: £10,700
RIVALS: Citroen C1, Peugeot 107, Toyota Aygo, Mitsubishi I, Subaru Justy, Daihatsu Sirion