The Fiat 500, based on the 500 from 1957, was launched in 2007 and has been a huge hit ever since, with the millionth car rolling off the production lines in November 2012. The popularity was boosted with the high amount of personalisation available, with over 500,000 different trim, colour and decals to choose from.
On the safety front, it scored five stars in the EuroNCAP rating, with 7 airbags, Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and a hill holder device to name but a few.
Below is a review by Lorraine Mackay, a current owner of a 500 1.3 Diesel Lounge model.
I chose the fiat 500 entirely on look of it, it is retro already but by choosing yeye green it became retro heaven. The colour is reflected in the inner surfaces and even the key matches! Design is flawless, and it is practical for town and city driving. it actually has a button you press for city which affords easier maneuverability.
It is the car equivalent of the queen sized bed, very easy to park and manoeuvre but decidedly cramped if you have passengers; i learned not to take teenagers and their rucksacks during a series of bad tempered exchanges. In fact a large food shop is the limit of the fiat's boot space.
The incredibly inexpensive road tax was a lovely surprise and the fuel consumption is good i believe although i have little to compare it with. On the subject of fuel i must admit that i find the fuel cap so difficult to replace that i always ask for help, my fault i am sure but i do wonder why this should be so fiddly-can't be to discourage fuel theft (does that even exist?) as the instructions for the cap are printed on it and i'm sure those who steal cars can also read.
Before i sound irrepressibly girly i should point out that i have a disability which may well be the origins of my cack handedness. I have become more confident about driving since i bought my little fiat simply because it is so easy and "nippy" in traffic. On the other hand i have recently had some problems with the computer which runs the engine-apparently cars have not escaped the newness of technology. On one occassion it refused to be steered and only went forward and backwards, luckily i was going slowly in a car park when this happened and not on a motorway at the time. I'm not really sure what happened and to be honest i prefer not to dwell on it.
The fiat garage here is lovely and i must admit i enjoy the admiring glances my, still unusual yeye green 500 gets. I intend to keep it as long as possible but when i told my teenage son that he could have it one day he was not impressed at the considerable generosity and love expressed in this gesture-"sure mum i really want girl car, that'll help, cheers".
Well, as i said at the time, I like it.
