The Fiat 500 will probably sell well in the Northeast US cities and in places like Seattle, Chicago, and Southern Calif. It’s very popular in Europe. It’s getting 41.5 mpg excellent safety rating and good handling. Insufficient data for reliability although the Panda is rated average.
This is from the July Consumer Reports. It quotes from a review from Which? the European version of Consumers:
“Which?, a U.K. publication that like Consumer Reports does not accept advertising, recently tested a 500 and offered some thoughts from their review to share with our readers. (For the full original test, visit the Which? new car buyer’s guide, a premium service.)
In a nutshell, ***Which? found the 500 to be a decent enough small car, but one best suited for cities.*** Its small size makes it easy to maneuver and park, but its stiff suspension made for a bumpy ride and testers found it tiring over long distances. They also found engine noise intrusive. The 500 did earn points for its handling, with responsive steering, little body lean, and plenty of grip. Brakes were also very good.
Our Which? counterparts tested a 500 with the most powerful engine available in their market, a gas-powered, 1.4-liter, 100-hp, four-cylinder. Which? recorded 41.5 mpg overall.
Electronic stability control is standard with the 1.4-liter engine, but optional with the 1.2-liter gasoline or 1.3-liter diesel-powered engines. Crashworthiness is a strong suit, and the 500 earned the top five-star rating in European safety testing. Room for two passengers up front is adequate, but limited in the rear— not altogether surprising for a car seven inches shorter than a Mini.
Unfortunately, Fiat reliability remains an area of concern. Like Consumer Reports, Which? conducts an annual reliability survey of car owners—the largest of its kind in the U.K. Their methods differ from ours, and some of the manufacturers and models are different, but Fiat, overall, ranks 35th out of 38 manufacturers. Because it is a relatively new model, there is insufficient data on the 500 for our colleagues to make a determination on its reliability. The larger, less expensive Panda on which it is based gets an average rating. “
After looking over a convertible Mini in a parking lot, at 6'2" I'm not sure I'd fit in a Mini, let alone something seven inches shorter.
Sounds like a pork-and-bean can to me. No thanks...