2019 FIAT 500 Review
2019 FIAT 500 Review





+59
Used 500 for sale
Appraise This CarFIAT 500 model years
FIAT 500 types
- Hatchback
- Abarth
- Convertible
- C Abarth
See Edmunds pricing data
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Edmunds' Expert Review

byTravis Langness
Reviews Editor
Travis Langness has worked in the automotive industry since 2011. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career.
Pros
- Nimble size for easy parking
- Fairly comfortable ride quality for a car of this size
- Lots of personality for the price
Cons
- Disappointing fuel economy given the slow acceleration
- Cramped interior
- Poor rear visibility with the convertible's top lowered
- Abarth model isn't very quick or much fun
What's new
- New 1957 Edition exterior and interior appearance package
- Part of the first 500 generation introduced for 2012
The 2019 Fiat 500 answers a very specific question: What do you buy if you want a tiny car that combines a bit of nostalgia with distinct European styling? As a two-door subcompact, the 500 is certainly small. And with styling cues that clearly harken back to the original Fiat 500 of the 1950s, it's got the nostalgia and styling angle handled. But how does it do as a modern daily driver? That answer isn't as rosy.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 FIAT 500 Pop 2dr Hatchback (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.93 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$162/mo for 500 Pop
500 Pop
vs
$168/mo
Avg. Compact Car
To the 500's credit, it's one of the easiest cars you'll ever park. Its scant dimensions make it ideal for crowded cities, and its nimble nature lends an advantage in traffic. Unfortunately, those same dimensions mean your people-carrying space is limited. Most adults in the front seat will be relatively comfortable, but the back seat is basically a glorified shelf. The trunk is just as small.
Under the hood, the 500 gets an equally tiny turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine. It provides a certain amount of personality that helps the 500 feel eager and spritely around town, but the reality is that the 500 is still one of the slowest cars in the segment. Fuel economy is disappointing as well.
Ultimately, the 2019 Fiat 500 is an interesting option for subcompact shoppers, but it's not our first choice. Competitors are less expensive in many cases and offer more amenities. If you need a bit more space, we recommend looking at four-door subcompacts such as the Kia Rio or the Honda Fit. And if you've got your heart set on a two-door city car, we suggest looking at the standard Mini Cooper or even an electric Fiat 500e, which we prefer to the gasoline-powered model.
Edmunds' Expert Rating
Driving
While it may be nimble and maneuverable, the 500 definitely isn't sporty. Even the Abarth model, with 160 horsepower, can spin the front tires at full throttle but instrumented acceleration numbers are less impressive. It can barely keep up with the base Mini Cooper Hardtop, let alone the Cooper S model.
Comfort
Limitations to the seat and steering wheel adjustability compromise comfort, and the contouring of the front seat will bother some drivers. The lack of adequate elbow padding and the drone of the engine and exhaust further hurt comfort scores. The ride quality is decent enough.
Interior
While the 500's minimalist interior has a certain retro design appeal, it also serves to limit the functionality of many systems. The limited passenger space leaves it trailing rivals by a considerable margin.
Utility
The cabriolet's trunk only measures 5.4 cubic feet, roughly half the capacity of the hatchback model (9.5 cubes). The tiny opening hampers usefulness. It's a struggle to get a carry-on suitcase to fit. Interior storage is minimal, with shallow door pockets and cramped cupholders.
Which 500 does Edmunds recommend?
With only three available trim levels, choosing your particular Fiat 500 should be relatively easy. The entry-level Pop might be tempting, but we think the best pick is the midlevel Lounge trim. It's a significant price difference, but you get lots of extras that make the 500 more livable, such as automatic climate control, leather upholstery, rear parking sensors, and heated front seats.
2019 FIAT 500 models
The 2019 Fiat 500 is a small city car with seating for four, although the rear seats are only suitable for very small children. It's available as a two-door hatchback or convertible (Fiat calls this the 500C) that uses fixed roof rails and a folding center portion. Three trim levels are available: Pop, Lounge and Abarth.
All three trims are powered by a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, while a six-speed automatic is optional. In the Pop and Lounge models, the engine produces 135 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. Abarth models receive a modest but noticeable power bump: 160 hp and 170 lb-ft.
Standard features for the Pop trim include 16-inch alloy wheels, a rearview camera, hill start assist, heated mirrors, foglights, keyless locking and unlocking, air conditioning, full power accessories, cruise control, cloth upholstery, a height-adjustable driver's seat, a 7-inch color driver information display, 50/50-split folding rear seatbacks, a tilt-only leather-wrapped steering wheel, a cargo cover, and Fiat Chrysler's Uconnect infotainment interface with a 5-inch center touchscreen, Bluetooth, voice controls, and a six-speaker Alpine audio system with an auxiliary audio input and two USB ports (one for mobile device integration, the other for charging). The Pop convertible also comes with rear parking sensors.
The Lounge trim is a bit more luxury-oriented so it includes all of the above, plus chrome exterior trim, a fixed glass roof, rear parking sensors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, automatic climate control, heated front seats, leather upholstery and satellite radio.
At the top of the Fiat 500 food chain is the performance-focused Abarth. It includes the parking sensors from the Lounge and adds a more powerful engine, a rear spoiler, sportier suspension tuning, upgraded brakes with red-painted calipers, a performance exhaust system, distinctive exterior and interior styling tweaks, premium cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped shift knob, a sport steering wheel and front floor mats.
Some of the Lounge's extra features can be added to the Pop and the Abarth as options. Other notable options include a 1957 Edition package (special colors and badging), a sunroof for coupe models, 17-inch wheels for the Abarth, a BeatsAudio sound system, a navigation system, and a variety of exterior and interior styling enhancements.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2019 FIAT 500.
5 star(89%)
4 star(0%)
3 star(0%)
2 star(4%)
1 star(7%)
28 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
5 out of 5 stars
Most smiles per dollar available!!
Brandon, 12/26/2017
2017 FIAT 500 Abarth 2dr Hatchback (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
I have owned this car for about 8 months and have put just over 6k miles on it. I drive it daily in city traffic, take it for spirited drives through the mountains, and have taken it to the local track day a few times. This car has never let me down, had any real issues, or made me regret buying it. The dealership has been very helpful with the 2 issues I have had(a bad clamp on the … A/C condenser and a bad clamp on the coolant overflow reservoir). I am 6'2" and simply don't fit in a lot of the sportier cars on the market. I tried the MX-5, Toyota 86, and Ford Fiesta ST and this was the most comfortable to me and I don't even have to put my seat all the way back to fit! Incidentally this car is faster than every one of those cars that cost at least a couple grand more. My 8 year old that is 4 and a half feet tall fits easily in the rear seat and I have room in the hatch for a surprising amount of groceries. The interior is good quality and I have yet to hear a single rattle or squeak. The driver's screen is very easy to read and all controls are intuitively placed and easy to reach. The window controls in the middle throw people off but to me it just makes sense since my hand is already there for the shifter anyway. Is this the most practical or fastest car....not at all. Will this car have you looking for any excuse to do a rev-matching downshift and cost you hundreds of dollars in plastic surgery to remove those smile lines....DEFENITELY!
5 out of 5 stars
Not a clue
JM, 11/10/2019
2019 FIAT 500 Abarth 2dr Hatchback (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
Article missed the mark. Abarth owners don't buy this car for the vanilla conveniences of an ordinarily car. Engine drone??? This is Carl Abarth's signature exhaust sound. Fast no, quick yes, and you'll be hard pressed to find a better deal for track performance off the floor. This is an Italian car enthusiast's entry level dream. The Fiat 500 racing heritage transferred well to this … modern Cinquecento, Ciao!
5 out of 5 stars
Makes me feel like I’m in a ‘50s movie
Bill Kupersmith, 03/26/2019
2019 FIAT 500 Pop 2dr Hatchback (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
What I like best is the feeling of safety. That may seem paradoxical for such a small car. But being able to manouevre quickly whilst using little space is the easiest way to avoid other cars and obstacles. Quite love it.
5 out of 5 stars
Cutest car ever owned
Brian Pawlak, 04/25/2018
2017 FIAT 500 C Pop 2dr Convertible (1.4L 4cyl 5M)
This car gets so much attention, convertible, easy to park, good on freeway, surprisingly fun car, runs/drives very good. Virtually a two seater, they should redo speedo cluster pkg, don't need tach, somewhat confusing overall interior gage itinerary just simplify, no spare tire, AC good, handles well. Retro look very snappy, not a cheap car. They don't need rear seat headrests, … throw those out, better visibility, has some Chryslers good features, buy one if you can drive a smaller car, however I am 6'2 and @275 lbs, pretty comfortable, this is our Florida winter car for city driving. Have a Chrysler 300 for total comfort..
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2019 FIAT 500, so we've included reviews for other years of the 500 since its last redesign.
2019 500 Highlights
Hatchback
Pop
Base MSRP | $16,245 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 30 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $162/month |
Seating | 4 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 9.5 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
Safety
Our experts like the 500 models:
- ParkSense Rear Park Assist System
- Sounds an alert as the Fiat 500 approaches an object behind the car.
- ParkView Rear Backup Camera
- Displays an image of the area directly behind the car in the central touchscreen.
- Hill Start Assist
- Keeps the brakes applied even after you let your foot off the pedal while on a hill to prevent rolling backward.
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverall4 / 5Driver4 / 5Passenger3 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of Rollover14.7%
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestPoor
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalGood
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestGood
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintGood
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