- convertible 123,332
- 1,921 below average
- 5,888 great
- Chantilly, VA
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- autoshopper.com
- 1,921 below average convertible 123,332 gasoline automatic
2012 fiat 500 review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. How tiny cars should be done: with italian spirit. introductionthe 2012 fiat 500 is like the mini or volkswagen new beetle, a modern recreation of a classic. It features seven airbags, a new 1. 4-liter engine with something called multiair cylinder head technology, state-of-the-art blue&me hands-free technology and a bose sound system standard in two of the three models, and a great 5-speed gearbox or optional 6-speed manual automatic transmission that's also fun. there are three models, although versions would be a better word than models, because they're so different, in a slight but meaningful way. the sport really means it. The ride is firm, brakes are amazing, steering is quick and gearbox terrific, so use it all or live with it. The seats are terrific and the special sport interior is attractive. the pop is that rare if not unique model, both the lowest cost and most all-around practical. For $2000 less than the sport, the fiat 500 pop is less aggressive with a better ride. All three models are named well. Which might not be possible for a while, as chrysler dealerships have to ramp up to sell the fiat 500. Production began in march 2011. lineupthe 2012 fiat 500 comes in pop, sport, and lounge versions. All fiat 500s use a 1. 4-liter engine. fiat 500 pop 15,500) comes standard with the air conditioning, am/fm/cd/mp3 radio with auxiliary input, power windows, power door locks, power heated mirrors, cruise control, vehicle information display, fabric seats, 15-inch steel wheels. A 5-speed manual gearbox is standard; a 6-speed automatic 1000) with manual shifting is optional. fiat 500 sport 17,500) comes with firmer springs and shock tuning, tighter steering calibration, and a sharpened exhaust note. It comes with the 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. It's distinctively styled, with front and rear fascias with black mesh openings, slightly flared fenders, rocker panel cladding, roof spoiler over the liftgate, and 16-inch aluminum wheels. Smaller touches include red brake calipers, chrome exhaust tip and foglamps. Inside, the sport features seats in what fiat calls a gray/black interior environment, six-speaker subwoofer bose sound system, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, and blue&me handsfree communication technology with usb port and ipod control. fiat 500 lounge 19,500) is the upscale model, with the 6-speed manual automatic, a fixed glass roof that makes it feel bigger inside, premium fabric seats, sirius satellite radio, 15-inch aluminum wheels with wagonwheel spokes, and more trim and chrome on the outside. It has the same softer suspension, steering, and body panels as the pop. safety equipment includes seven air bags, reactive head restraints, electronic stability control, and abs with brake-force distribution, brake assist, and brake override. walkaroundif ever a picture of a car were worth a thousand words, the fiat 500 is it. Granted, it's easier to be tidy when there's less to deal with, and the fiat is so small there isn't much. But the sport, especially, is perfect. There's a chrome strip on the nose like a pencil-thin moustache, that the cinquecento's designer added just because without it, he said, the car's styling was too perfect. Rarely does any manufacturer understand what clean really means, but italians do. For that reason alone we need them back in north america, to be a good influence. the face of the fiat 500, with round halogen projector headlamps and parking lights, combines the family resemblance of other fiat models sold in italy, with a modern interpretation of the original cinquecento, imported to the u. As a 600cc model back in the 1960s. It's a winning european design that's been brought to the u. On the sport, the best looking model, there's a horizontal cooling duct of black mesh that adds racy character, while the lower mesh grille integrates foglamps. The liftgate spoiler is a must. the distinctiveness of the fiat 500's shape appears from the profile view, more than front or rear. The black window outline on the sport enhances the good looks of the all-business roofline, while the chrome on the lounge, especially those chrome mirrors and door handles, detracts from it. The healthy rear taillamps are located between the edges of the liftgate and follow the door's vertical cutline. For a contemporary look, the rear glass spans the width of the liftgate and meets cleanly at the pillar. The optional sunroof is available as fixed or powered. there are five separate wheel designs of 15 or 16 inches, with at least three of them good-looking and eye-catching, and 14 vivid colors to choose from. Try nero (black), rosso (red), bianco (white), azzurro (blue), grigio (gray), argento (silver), giallo (yellow), verde chiaro (light green), rame (copper), verde oliva (olive green), rosso brillante (tri-coat pearl red), bianco perla (pearl white), and mocha latte and espresso, which apparently need no translation from italian. interiorif the exterior is the epitome of tidy, the interior is the epitome of neat. As roberto giolito, the head of fiat style says, it delivers absolutely everything that is required and nothing more. Unlike, say, the too-cute mini and too-boring yaris. the fiat 500 instrument panel gives the fiat the visual feel of a sports car, except for its one flaw: the tachometer is combined with the speedometer, and this takes some fun out of driving and shifting through the gears, in particular with the sport, because it ought to have a tach of its own. The tachometer ring is inside the speedo ring, and almost all of the space inside the ring is taken up by lcd information. So all that's left is the tip of a tach needle moving around a chrome ring against small white numbers that are hard to read, especially past 6000 where the numbers are red. And the stub of the speedometer needle, with all its numbers to 140 mph, moves around outside that. Standard cloth, premium cloth, sport cloth. It may be referred to as cloth, but it doesn't look like cloth. They're all different fabrics, all satisfying, as much like leather as cloth can feel. There's also optional premium leather, but the other seats are so sharp that leather isn't missed. And the fit is just right, although other reviews have complained that there's not enough bolstering in the sport seats. the top of the dash is vinyl and its design as simple as it gets: it's just there, and doesn't try to be anything, like for example the new focus that tries to be a cockpit surrounding the driver. Power Locks✔ Power Windows✔ Tachometer✔ AM/FM✔ Cruise Control✔ Bluetooth✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ Aluminum Wheels
5,888 Chantilly, VAChantilly, VA at autoshopper.com