Fiat 500 and 500C 2016 Review

Fiat 500 Pop and Lounge / Fiat 500C Lounge
Local Launch Review
Melbourne, Victoria

Series Four of the Fiat 500 has arrived in Australia. Priced from $18,000 (plus on road costs) for the base 1.2-litre Pop manual model, there’s no doubt that the refreshed model has been improved. But there’s a notable list of equipment omissions and aged drivelines underneath the updated facade. This begs the usual question: Is the 500 still a matter of style over substance?

Fun and distinctive to look at, the fourth-generation Fiat 500’s styling is bang on point in terms of what it delivers from behind the wheel. Fun is self-explanatory, but ‘distinctive’ could perhaps be construed either positively or negatively. It’s a matter of personal taste.

Beyond the stylistic and spec upgrades detailed previously the diminutive Fiat offers an engaging driving experience given its rather disappointing on-paper specification.

The bad points first: At 51kW, the entry-level 1.2-litre Pop’s engine is simply inadequate, a feeling exacerbated by the paltry 102Nm torque output.

If you’re in the five-speed manual you find yourself constantly shifting gears to maintain momentum, especially when an uphill gradient is introduced. Around the city, when dodging through side streets and tram-backed traffic in the first three gears, there is some pleasure to be derived from the snappy gearshift action, but it soon grows tiring on the open road; especially when confronted with a slow-moving truck to safely overtake.

Unfortunately there wasn’t the ability to sample the 1.2-dualogic five-speed automated manual combination; however, a move to the up-spec two-pedal Lounge Cabriolet variant – the most expensive of the new 500 range, at $26,500 (plus ORCs) – shows the single-clutch system is even further behind the competition… and that’s with an additional 23kW and 29Nm on-tap from its enlarged 1.4-litre power unit.

The best driveline combination, then, is the Lounge’s 1.4-litre engine (previously found in the mid-spec 500 S, which has been discontinued) coupled to the six-speed manual. Like the five-speeder in the Pop, the six-speed’s shift action and elevated placement in the cockpit makes it fun to use, and with more torque on-tap from the larger engine, there’s a more of a sense you are keeping up with the traffic. The larger engine is also more willing to rev and generates a pleasing snarl as revs rise, and there’s a sport mode which sharpens the electric steering and throttle response.

The Lounge hatch also gains key items such as satellite navigation, rear parking sensors and a fixed glass sunroof which doesn’t impede on what is truly impressive front-row headroom for a car of this size. Slipping into the rear, the body line still allows reasonable headroom, though legroom is as you’d expect from the segment. The omission of cruise control and a reversing camera does take away from the overall package, however.

Riding on the same-size 185/55-series eco tyres (Continentals on the tested Lounge, Goodyears on the Pop, on 15-inch wheels) the Lounge demonstrates a pleasingly comfortable ride, though there’s noticeable tyre roar. Being a relative flyweight at 952kg (tare) the 500 also does well on the other side of the ride/handling equation, a bit of roll being revealed before it keenly tips towards the apex, with decent traction assured on corner exit.

The 7.0-inch TFT cluster is easy to read but the overall cabin feel lets the vehicle down, despite looking funky at first glance. Items such as the dim climate control switch means you can never tell if you turned the thing on, the plastics are cheap to the touch and the control switches flimsy.

Moving from the Lounge manual hatch into the aforementioned Lounge ‘auto’ cabriolet (known as the 500C), there’s a couple of extra items that draw attention beyond the three-stage automatic mechanism that downs its fabric roof (and even caters for when you want to open the boot).

Firstly, the automated manual works best in its manual setting, when you can time a slight lift on upshifts with the gear change to smooth things out as much as possible. Personally, the shift delay and harshness in auto mode doesn’t cut it, but I know of 500 dualogic owners who, with more time in the car, think of it as a “distinctive quirk” rather than a disadvantage.

Secondly, any dynamic prowess the hatch demonstrates is largely negated by the solid roof’s removal.

Roof-up there’s more road noise, something furthered by the tested Lounge 500C being fitted with the $2500 Perfezionare Pack option package that ups the wheel size to 16 inches and moves to a 195/45-series, but still eco-branded, tyre. It also ads Xenon headlights and a choice of leather interior trims. Should you want to personalise your 500 in other ways, there’s 10 available interior trims, three soft-top colour options for 500C and 13 exterior finishes.

In the Cabriolet there’s far more shake over bumps, even allowing a margin for the removal of steel in favour of fabric. It’s a feeling exacerbated with the roof down, though you may be too distracted staring into Chapel Street clothing stores to notice this over the tram tracks.

The ‘tobacco frau’ leather trim with ivory leather inserts can be picked when ticking the Perfezionare Pack, but judging by the staining on the ivory steering wheel and driver’s seat showing jean marks, we’d suggest taking up the luscious Bordeaux red leather option or sticking to black.

Back into the base Pop manual you note the city steering feature replaces the sport button and the rear drum brakes. The fabric interior is comfortable enough, there’s digital audio and Bluetooth capability and you don’t really miss the updated TFT cluster found in the Lounge. You do miss navigation, though, particularly when unpicking those inner-city laneways.

Fiat offers a three-year / 150,000km warranty for the Series Four 500 range, with annual or 15,000km service intervals, whichever comes first. There’s also a three-year roadside assistance package on offer. A capped-price servicing plan is expected to be added shortly, though no details have been confirmed.

Fun enough to drive, comfortable riding and individually-styled, the 500 retains a retro appeal with enough modernity to make it liveable. Move beyond the pizazz, however, and chinks begin to appear in terms of value and spec.

If you want the coolest-looking Micro car (or one with a drop-top), it’s a no-brainer. But if you value substance over style, there’s a multitude of size-up machines within the 500’s price range to choose from.

2016 Fiat 500 Lounge pricing and specifications:
Price: $21,000 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 74kW/131Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 6.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 140g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA