Test drive Fiat 500: Italian for connoisseurs

Fiat 500 fans will forgive their pet for any shortcomings. However, in the 50 kilometer test, the Cinquecento wanted to prove to its critics that it was not only beautiful but also reliable.

Rimini, a few months ago. The hotel stresses the national importance of separate waste collection, even the shiny-haired carabinieri stop at zebra crossings, and the smoking ban is strictly observed by the owners of dubious pubs. Even south of the Alps, one can no longer indulge in one's favorite vices - just as one can no longer maintain faith in the unreliable reputation of Italian cars.

Heavy burden

Fiat's previous involvement in long-term testing of motor and sports cars was marked by a sense of inconsistency. In the late 90s, the Punto I covered 50-17 kilometers with seven unscheduled stops, ending 600 km with a serious transmission failure. A few years later, his successor achieved the same effect after 7771 km, and overall the Punto II kept up, having visited the service four times over 50 km.

Then came the Panda II, which has covered the same distance since 2004, with only rodent bites, but otherwise no accidents or "dolce far niente" (sweet idleness). Which may be due to the fact that the model is Italian only in theory, but is actually made in the Pacific region (Poland).

The Panda's brother, the handsome 500, rolls off the assembly line. Both models share much of the same engineering and basic architecture, so we expected the same iron health in this 50-kilometer test. The only difference is that while the Panda aims to provide mobility for car-indifferent and pragmatic consumers, the Cinquecento aims for the realm of beauty.

The function has the form

Its appearance is admired not only by those who fall in love with men - indeed, women accept it very well, but among other awards, it recently won the title of Fun Car of the Year. General sympathy is also caused by the fact that in this small model you look not like a person who cannot afford anything more, but like someone who simply does not need anything else. The little Fiat is a great lively car, and with it you have no reason to envy anyone.

However, one cannot fail to mention that the principle "Form follows function" is not only the reverse here, but also function lags far behind in many respects. The speedometer goes around the tachometer in a circle, which looks nice but makes it difficult to read. Despite its slightly larger size, the Cinquecento carries less luggage in its surprisingly complex spherical rear end than the fourth Panda (185 to 610 liters instead of 190 to 860 liters). In addition, the obstacles that the car encounters when trying to sit in the back, despite the Easy Entry system, should be interpreted as a warning: the rear seat is too narrow for adult passengers, the ceiling is low and the space in front of the knees is very limited. The definition of "four-seater" seems a bit too optimistic here, but most customers will use it as a two-seater anyway and will only put luggage in the trunk.

In this case, we can save the recent praise for the duty officers for how much the new subcompacts have grown and matured. When driving, the 500 creates a traditional small-model feeling, which is especially noticeable in comfort. The suspension does not absorb bumps well, so it often jumps and vibrates. Suitability for long trips suffers even more from the uncomfortable front seats. Due to the thin upholstery, the crossbar is recessed into the backrest, and the primitive height adjustment mechanism only changes the position of the lower part - so that in the lowest position there is a gap between it and the backrest. In addition, the driver cannot find the optimal position here, because the steering wheel is only adjustable for height.

Job well done

However, all this does not bother anyone and does not in any way affect the popularity of the Cinquecento, which hides its minor flaws with large portions of charm. During extended business trips, the test car traveled through Europe, for which its 69 horsepower was sufficient. The reason is not only that the 2000-liter petrol version with its 1,4 hp is 100 euros more expensive. it hardly seems more powerful, but also in the lively temperament of a small 1200cc machine.

The engine briskly pulls the one-color "Cinquecento" to the Brenner pass, accelerates on the highway to 160 km / h without painful howling, and its lack of traction in high gears compensates for a fairly fast acceleration. At the same time, the engine gets adequate support from a well-designed but increasingly annoying five-speed gearbox at the end of the test. The combination could not be called truly economical, although the average consumption of 6,8 l / 100 km can be explained by frequent short journeys or in the city, as well as by the fact that when driving on the highway, the range on a small motorcycle often squeezed out completely. The potential savings are evidenced by a minimum consumption of 4,9 l / 100 km, which is even below the optimistic ECE standard.

In terms of driving pleasure, the little Fiat in no way surpasses expectations. True, it drives neutral and safe in corners, but makes a rather clumsy impression. Feedback from the steering system is also blurry due to the overly assertive servo. Instead, in city mode, you can park the 500 in an empty parking space by turning the steering wheel with just one finger.

List of expenses

The repair concerned only trifles: after almost 21 thousand kilometers, a shaft ran next to the steering column, as a result of which one of the two emergency services stopped. The warranty covered the requested € 000 for repairs, as well as € 190 for the new radio, as one button fell on the old one. The last malfunction was recorded in the middle of summer, when the outdoor thermometer showed sub-zero temperatures, which every Siberian winter could be proud of.

In fact, we wouldn't care if the automatic air conditioner didn't go crazy with a faulty temperature sensor. As a result, during the second unplanned pit stop, the service replaced the side mirror, in which the sensor is located. Outside the warranty period, it will cost € 182, but this will not be necessary in the future as the manufacturer already offers a software update for the sensor.

Sounds pretty heavy for such a small car – and pretty expensive. In terms of regular maintenance costs, the 500 is on par with other cars in its class, at just €244, of which €51 is the price of three litres of engine oil. Otherwise, the car is frugal with lubrication – only a quarter of a litre had to be topped up over the entire run. The Cinquecento was also careful with its tyres, which is one explanation for the low overall cost of ten cents per kilometre.

However, the seat upholstery – bright red and sensitive to dirt – requires a lot of care. Otherwise, the interior, lovingly designed and stable in terms of materials and workmanship, still does not look worn after two years of use. Over time, we got used to the rather complicated manipulations, as well as the pessimistic fuel readings. When the signal appears that you are in reserve, there are still ten liters of gasoline splashing in the tank, which, with a total capacity of 35 liters, means that you will be invited to refuel after only 370 kilometers.

Winter troubles

The 500 was threatened with a forced stop in its second winter when, in minus 14 degrees Celsius mornings, it developed ignition problems. Starting the engine was accompanied by an excruciating whine and cough. In addition, the frozen windshield washer system took an hour to thaw and pump water – a phenomenon that has happened to significantly more expensive cars in marathon tests this winter.

The little Fiat is comparable in terms of equipment, and its basic Pop version fills you with a plethora of extras. Some of them were enough to increase the price of the test car by 41 percent. While extras such as ESP, automatic air conditioning and the Bluetooth/USB Blue&Me interface are worth recommending, you can safely forgo the parking sensors, as well as the chrome package and 15-inch alloy wheels. However, the small trim fits the model’s character and will come in handy when selling it. The estimate of 9050 euros is only about 40 percent below the cost of a new car – despite the relatively high mileage for this class.

So far, the description of the marathon with Fiat has taken up more than 200 lines - and where is the traditional drama? This happens when parting with a car. On a milky-white February day, 500 people left us. We will miss it - and this is another thing we can be absolutely sure of with this model.

text: Sebastian Renz

Evaluation

Fiat 500 1.2 POP

Two unscheduled service stays. Long service intervals (30 km) without intermediate service. Quite temperamental, but with a base engine of 000 l / 6,8 km, not very economical. Moral deterioration 100%. Low tire wear.

technical details

Fiat 500 1.2 POP
Working volume	—
Power	69 k.s. at 5500 rpm
Maximum torque	—
Acceleration 0-100 km / h	14,4 with
Braking distances at a speed of 100 km / h	—
full speed	160 km / h
Average consumption fuel in the test	6,8 l
Base Price	—