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Fiat 500
Starting at $16,000
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365 Rt. 17 South
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

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Fiat 500: The Only Time Smaller is Better

You couldn’t help but notice it in JLo’s video for “Papi”…and we’re talking about something quite a bit smaller than the singer’s trunk, the new Fiat 500 and 500C.  We recently paid a visit to Fiat of Ramsey  to take a peek at Fiat’s glossy new competitor to the Mini Cooper and Smart Car, and to see, for fun, if our reviewer’s 6’-5” frame could be wedged into the tiny “Italian Stallion-ette”.

Size (or lack thereof) is not the 500’s only strong suit, the cute compact dares you to not be attracted to it’s retro nod to the original 500’s seen weaving through a sea of Vespas in Roma.  Despite the small body, the 500 rewards passengers with a relatively spacious interior, appointed with a tasteful balance of gloss finishes and well thought out controls which reminded us a bit of a high end espresso maker. While the rear seats are not generous, they will accept two adults for short jaunts but cargo space is limited.  If it’s just you and a special someone for a weekend escape, then the rear seats conveniently fold doubling cargo capacity.

The 500 is a true Italian, despite being built in Mexico, and is available in fourteen colors.  The vehicle is well priced in three models: Pop, Sport and Lounge. The 500C convertible is only available in the “base” Pop and Lounge.  Fiat enthusiasts are invited to visit your local Fiat Studio (it wouldn’t be very Italian to call them dealerships) where so many additional options are available that even a Cooper would get “Mini Envy.”

It’s our understanding that a quicker Abarth version will be out within a year for the stoplight racers, but for now, the current engine is adequate for city use and returns very good fuel economy numbers (30 city and 38 highway).

With prices for the Pop level starting at around $16,000 and the Pop Convertible at $20,500 with an automatic for ease in the city, the 500 is the right scale for many reasons!

By Craig “Moose” Ploth
Automotive Editor – The Showt