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Full 2014 FIAT 500 Review
What's New for 2014
The 2014 Fiat 500 receives a revised front passenger seat for additional headroom and also gets an available armrest. New 1957 and GQ special edition models also debut with mostly cosmetic flourishes.
Introduction
You typically have to look well outside the economy car segment if you want a car with a high level of style and personality. But leave it to the Italians to come up with an exception. The 2014 Fiat 500 looks like nothing else on the road, it's personable and, depending on the model, it's actually pretty fun to drive.
Though diminutive in size, the Fiat 500 has been a modest hit for the Fiat brand. From the outside, the charm of the original Fiat Cinquecento (500) from decades past lives on in the styling of today's modern interpretation. This little car is easy to park in tight spaces, it has a pretty comfortable ride quality and it returns very good fuel economy if you pick the base engine and the manual transmission. If stellar mpg isn't your top concern, the sprightly Turbo and sporty Abarth models are more likely to put a grin on your face. A retracting fabric convertible roof is also available on most trims for an al fresco driving experience.
Did we mention it's Italian, though? Yes, there are some functional issues with the 500, and depending on your feelings toward the car, you might call them problems or dismiss them as part of its character. Coupes with the optional sunroof are noticeably short on headroom. Fiat says it has lowered the front passenger seat to help out this year, but given the snug quarters in here, taller adults are still likely to have an issue. Opting for the convertible certainly cures this problem, but creates another in the process as rearward visibility is reduced. Besides these drawbacks, points are also deducted for the 500's slow acceleration with the base engine, tiny rear seats, unintuitive controls, limited automatic transmission availability, reduced cargo capacity in the convertible version and decidedly budget-grade interior materials.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
Classified as a two-door subcompact, the 2014 Fiat 500 is available either as a hatchback or convertible. The hatchback is offered in five trim levels: Pop, Sport, Lounge, Turbo and Abarth. The convertible 500C comes in Pop, Lounge and Abarth trims.
Standard features for the base Pop trim include 15-inch steel wheels, heated mirrors, keyless entry, air-conditioning, full power accessories, cruise control, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver seat, 50/50 split-folding rear seats, a trip computer, a tilt-only leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth phone connectivity and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, auxiliary audio input and iPod integration.
The Sport trim is only offered as a coupe and adds 16-inch alloy wheels, a few sporty exterior styling touches, a sport-tuned suspension, foglights, front sport seats, a front passenger seat armrest, a sport steering wheel and an upgraded Alpine audio system. The Turbo trim adds a more powerful engine, bigger brakes, a roof spoiler, perforated cloth seats and a leather-wrapped shift knob but goes without the audio upgrade.
The range-topping Lounge trim foregoes the sporty upgrades in favor of more luxurious appointments like 15-inch alloy wheels, chrome exterior trim, a fixed glass roof, automatic climate control, premium cloth upholstery and satellite radio. The 500C convertible models gain a three-position power cloth top and rear parking sensors.
To the Pop trim you can add the Beats Premium Audio package, which includes premium speakers with a trunk-mounted subwoofer and satellite radio. The Sport and Turbo trims are eligible for the Comfort and Convenience package that adds automatic climate control, satellite radio and heated front seats. A Luxury Leather package is available for Lounge models only and includes rear parking sensors, leather upholstery, heated front seats and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.
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