Fiat 500 2018 review

Fiat may have released its hatchback over 10 years ago, but thanks to its award-winning design, the 500 looks like it hasn't aged a day.

It's a great, shiny thing - especially in the Sicilian Orange - but can it still cut mustard when delivered two hours north of Sydney to the hipster-dominated suburb of Newcastle? Because despite being a small car, the Anniversario costs a whopping $21,990 (excluding travel expenses and extras).

However, if we bought everything with our minds and not our hearts, we would probably all be eating tube-shaped meal replacement pasta.

Saturday:

With only 60 built, the 500 Anniversario is one of the most exclusive cars on the market today - even rarer than some of today's Ferraris. And for less than $22,000!

As I realized after arriving at my sister's home in Newcastle, Anniversario's visual style and rarity make a big impact. I had already noticed the looks and repeated looks leaving Sydney that day, but that didn't prepare me for the answer I was about to receive. After a few hot seconds in my sister's driveway, her camera went out and flashed. She never does. I'm half surprised that Instagram has handled the coming heat!

In addition to the regular Fiat 500 Lounge it's based on, the Anniversario gets some extra visual touches like chrome stripes on the hood, sills and mirror caps. They sound like minor details, but they help emphasize the special edition's individualism.

You can also choose from three color options: Riviera Green, Ice Cream White and Sicily Orange. None of them makes such a strong impression as the bold 16-inch alloy wheels in the style of the era. With a one-piece design and Fiat chrome caps, they are great in their own right.

Design is not free from problems; the wide three-quarter rear arch, while elegant, creates a large blind spot from the driver's seat. You turn to do a critical safety check before changing lanes and... plastic. Great big beam of it.

Bold, period-inspired 16-inch Anniversario alloy wheels are one of the car's most impressive features.

As I continued walking around the car, my sister's astonished smile continued to grow. The dash-mounted shifter, sunroof, and digital instrument cluster were impressive features she hadn't seen in cars before. There were no Anniversario-specific details inside, such as an orange plastic dashboard, striped partially leather seats with orange piping, leather door inserts, and an Anniversario sign showing my test car was number 20 out of 60.

It's a comfortable long-distance cabin and is sure to evoke '60s nostalgia while still being original enough to challenge the European subcompact status quo.

As the evening sun began to set behind the Fiat, my sister and I started arguing over dinner. I wanted to get something on the main road and see how pedestrians react to Anniversario's stupid wheels, and she wanted to go shopping and make a storm at home. In the end, we chose the latter.

Having collected all the necessary ingredients from the local woolly ones, the trunk was quickly filled to half. Only 185 liters are offered - a noticeable effect of the 500's compact dimensions - as opposed to the class-leading 255 liters in the back of the Kia Picanto, so it fills up quickly.

The two rear seats can be folded 50/50 to reduce tiny cargo space, but they don't drop all the way down and leave a big lip.

As fantastic as the big 16-inch Anniversario wheels are, I was a little worried that they would ruin the 500’s ride. The evening itinerary around Newcastle included a fair amount of rough terrain, speed bumps and paved intersections, but neither of us were thrilled by the overall experience. It's slightly stiff, but nowhere near as stiff as the RunFlat Mini.

On Sundays:

Wanting to know how the Fiat 500 Anniversario performs in heavy city traffic, I thought the best thing to do would be to take it out for an early Sunday breakfast.

On paper, the Fire's 1.2-liter four-cylinder petrol engine doesn't look particularly powerful. Producing just 51 kW/102 Nm, the 500 performance limit is quickly reached through confident driving on open roads. But when cruising at a more practical pace in urban settings, the Italian engine's flatter torque curve impressively props the car up with enough verve and enjoyment to keep up with most traffic.

The fuel consumption of the 500 is also quite good. Despite tossing around in a wide variety of conditions, I achieved an average trip computer consumption of 5.6L/100km compared to Fiat's official combined figure of 4.8L/100km.

All Fiat 500 models require at least premium unleaded fuel, meaning regular 91 octane petrol is out of the question.

Sticking to Newcastle's city roads, I found that relatively quick steering and good brake feel translate into sprightly city driving. It may not be as karting-like as the sporty Mini Cooper, but it's much sharper than the longer-wheelbase Kia Picanto and better suited to tighter spaces.

Plus, you can even make your Fiat steering easier with the city feature. Press the small button to the left of the danger and the assistance from the power steering system will be boosted, making lock-to-lock turns even easier.

While getting the brekka wasn't the solo ride I was hoping for, it did at least give some feedback on the backseat experience. My sister volunteered to be a guinea pig, a job she soon tired of once the 15 minute envelope had passed. Legroom and headroom were reportedly "cramped" behind my driving position, but given the size of the car, I can't really criticize that. You don't buy a two-door microcar to squeeze people in from the back.

But it's in terms of toys and safety equipment that the 500 Anniversario is starting to fall behind its comparable-priced competitors. While all 500 models have an impressive five-star ANCAP safety rating (since July 2007), the lack of blind spot monitoring, rear view camera and AEB results in a limited safety net that leaves the driver feeling vulnerable behind the wheel.

The steering of the 500 is excellent. It's nicely weighted and the steering wheel is wrapped in quality leather.

For $21,990 you get a 7.0-inch Android Auto/Apple Car Play compatible multimedia touchscreen equipped with USB and auxiliary input, satellite navigation, DAB and Bluetooth, cruise control, digital instrument cluster, daytime running lights and rear fog lights . .

Some would expect Fiat to include automatic headlights or windshield wipers for the money, as some manufacturers do, but Europeans aren't as generous when it comes to standard equipment.

There also seems to be a slight oversight in smaller things like the positioning of the driver's seat height adjustment. Usually the lever (or dial) was located on the outside of the seat, facing the door. But due to limited space in the 500, Fiat engineers placed a large, long, gray lever on the inside of the seat. Great! Except it's just inches away from the big, long, gray handbrake...

The 500's 51kW/102Nm 1.2-litre engine is light enough to move around town, but feels overwhelmed when overtaking on the highway.

These are minor niggles, but for a car that costs about $8000 more than a Kia Picanto (which is a very good thing), you at least want the basics sorted.

But as disappointing as the Fiat 500's ergonomic or value for money shortcomings may be, the automated guidance overshadows them. Likely due to packaging, as well as the fact that conventional automatics drain engine power, the automatic transmission in Fiat is a single-clutch automated manual transmission. Simply put, a five-speed mechanics controlled by a computer. Italian computer.

As expected, this generates some theatricality. Unlike a conventional torque-converting automatic transmission that "creeps" forward in place, Fiat's "Dualogic" system requires depressing the accelerator pedal to engage the clutch. Without it, the clutch remains disengaged, allowing the car to roll freely forward or backward as far and as fast as it wishes.

A temporary spare tire is located under the floor of the 185-litre boot to save space.

On flat ground, the system performs relatively well when driving. But on a slope, the gearbox constantly twitches between gear ratios, losing an average of about 5 km / h for each shift. Eventually it will stick to the gear, but only after most of the speed has been lost. You can fix this by either putting it in "manual" mode and running the system yourself, or by applying an aggressive amount of throttle. None of them is an appropriate answer.

There's also the dubious issue of noise and reliability, as every gear shift and clutch action is accompanied by the sound of complex electronic actuators clicking, humming, and whirring loudly underfoot. Although none of the components fell short of their minimum operating parameters during testing, over time the question of reliability arises.

On top of that, the system costs $1500, bringing the original sticker price up to $23,490. We will stick to the standard five-speed mechanics.

The 500 Anniversario is covered by a 150,000-year Fiat/12 15,000 km warranty with no limit to the price of service and service intervals set at intervals of XNUMX months/XNUMX km.

Despite the small value for money, the Fiat 500 Anniversario still deserves attention.

Although it lacks the sophistication in areas where its competitors excel, the 500 Anniversario surpasses its urban rivals in flair and style. This is a car for people who want an accessory to drive or an extension of their personality, and not just another corny "product".

Although there is little demand for such a niche car, the Fiat 500 Anniversario is still a tempting alternative for those looking to stand out from the crowd.

Would you be happy with Anniversario on your CD? Let us know in the comments.