Used 2014 FIAT 500L Wagon Consumer Reviews
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She's a keeper!
Ron Lakes, 01/12/2016
updated 08/10/2018
2014 FIAT 500L Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
54 of 54 people found this review helpful
We've had our 500L for 2 years now, though have only put on 14K miles so far, and it's my wife's daily driver. Ours is the Trekking trim with the 6 speed Dual-Dry-Clutch Transmission. In response to an earlier recent review where the reviewer gave the car just 1 star, my experience couldn't be more different. To start off, I love the transmission, but I've adapted my driving habits to ensure its longevity. It is, after all, an automatically shifted manual- not a slush box. What I'm talking about is, for example, to select the gear you want using the manual mode when in stop and go traffic, in particular when you're creeping along, and I always put it in neutral if I'm going to be stopped for any length of time. The reasons for driving the DDCT in this way are a bit technical, and maybe that's why dual clutch transmissions haven't caught on so well stateside. In any case, for 2015 all but the Pop trim come with the Aisin slush box if you opt for an auto transmission. I've had no problem with the car rolling backwards on a slight incline when pulling away from a stop, and hill hold assist works well when on any incline greater than "slight". The engine has proven to be plenty quick enough for merging with traffic etc. and frugal if you're easy on the gas. I've gotten upwards of 39 mpg when on back roads with no traffic, 34 or so on interstates, 25 to 27 in town (lots of cold starts routinely, so the economy suffers a bit for that). Some criticize the 500L for having too firm of a ride, but to me it is sublime, giving a very nice balance between ride and handling. The steering weights up nicely as you turn in, though I wish the turn-in response were a little sharper. It is very stable once into a corner, and it's fun to hustle it if you're in the mood, though the car is really excellent at just cruising on a sunny day, esp. if you've opted for the panoramic roof. The 500L is reasonably quiet at highway speeds, and for our small family it's a great road trip car. The upright seating position gives us long term comfort, and the expansive window area provides for an excellent view in all directions. We've found the front seats to be very comfortable with excellent adjustable lumbar support, though folks of longer inseam are more likely to have an issue with proper thigh support. For 2015 the front seat bottom cushions have been lengthened to address this issue. How I have the driver's seat adjusted allows me full view of the instrument binnacle, though I can see where some might have issues with that- perhaps running a lower seat height and a bit more recline would do the trick for them. The parking brake handle works OK, though ergonomically it could be better. Infotainment is intuitive, simple, and has been trouble free for us. It synchs up with my 160gb ipod classic pretty quickly too. I've had Honda's, Acura's, VW's etc. and this has become my favorite. We decided to buy a MOPAR extended warranty just for peace of mind. Our's has been stone reliable save for the recalls for an airbag and a transmission re-flash. Update: We've begun our 4th year of ownership of our 500L now, and I continue to enjoy driving it. So far we've accrued 22,780 miles and counting, so slightly less than 8,000 miles driven per year on average. It's given us zero problems, its economy continues to be excellent (about 27.4 mpg lifetime) considering that it's had a life of cold starts and short trips. The dual dry clutch transmission continues to perform flawlessly, no chattering that I've experienced when driving other makes' cars equiped with dual clutch transmissions. I continue to stick it in neutral at stops, manually select 1st gear when creeping along in traffic, etc. - these driving techniques are second nature to the point I don't really think about it, done primarily in the interest of minimizing clutch wear, however I personally enjoy the extra engagement in driving our 500L this way. The seats are awesome, and the interior has held up very well- looks almost new still, despite our Havanese's best efforts to scratch it up. And it is a solid car- no squeaks or rattles whatsoever. The suspension rides as new, which is to say, excellent. I would have to say this car has more European character, for better or for worse, than most euro imports, but there is nothing about it that is so different that you can't come to terms with it. It just feels a little special and different. If I were to down grade it relative to what is out there in the marketplace today, it would be for the tech, though that could be said of most vehicles of the 2014 model year. Spy reports show Fiat giving the 500L a face lift for the 2018 model year, and it should be available with most, if not all, of the tech you could want, including all the safety nannies- though that's just speculation on my part. update August 2018- Our 500L is now my commuter car, averaging about 15K miles/yr. Fuel economy is now averaging 34.8 mpg.
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Owned lots of cars- this is one of the best
randall118, 07/22/2014
2014 FIAT 500L Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
22 of 22 people found this review helpful
I've owned about 20 cars and trucks in my life and the 500L Trekking is one of the nicest vehicles I have owned. Nice design. comfortable, smooth ride. Fantastic pick up with the 6 spd. Trekking trim is really great. plenty of storage. The front side windshield windows make for great visibility. The only cons are the armrest is in the way of the hand brake. But it does fold up out of the way. And the driver side wiper does not lift up for easy window cleaning and snow clearing. You have to get the wipers in the "up" position and turn off the car so the wiper stays "up". Then you can lift it up off the window. That's an oddity.
Fiat 500L automatic
jimofdenver500, 08/13/2013
2014 FIAT 500L Lounge 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
42 of 44 people found this review helpful
I really like my new 500L but it does not like me. After 6 days, 350ml, it broke down in stop and go traffic on I-25 outside Denver. The twin clutch automatic heated up, smoked and therefore the system shut down. Had roadside assistance tow it back to the Fiat dealer. After setting for three days the car started okay and was drivable. The dealer could not find any problems, the engineer in Italy could not find any problem with the readout data. Their comment was that with the stop and go traffic the 500L twin clutch automatic acted "normally". So what am I to do?? Not drive the car in USA stop and go traffic?! Fiat USA is still working with me so hopefully there will be a positive outcome.
Undervalued, poorly reviewed car = great deal1
Scoutyspice, 12/19/2015
2014 FIAT 500L Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
27 of 28 people found this review helpful
CAR--2014 FIAT TREKKING MANUAL trans; BEATS Audio; fully LOADED (no sunroof, heated seats or visor-built-in garage door opener) PAID: $14,595 + tax/fees. (Last 2014 left on lot June2015, $9k discount.) NOTE: CAPS are used for easy reference of points in article. REPLACED--2003 VW PASSAT wagon 1.8lT ABOUT US—This is our SO CA 'family' car. We’ve owned mostly German cars (BMW & MB), my European husband was reluctant to buy it. This car cost half of the Subaru Outback wagon we intended on purchasing. We both have lived in Europe, so the look, size, & power of the car are not strange to us. We installed a THULE roof rack, a FIAT garage installed trailer-hitch for our Thule hitch-mounted bike rack. We are 5'8" & 6'3". SHORT REVIEW—We are impressed & got a great deal. I can’t stress enough: FIND A GOOD FIAT STUDIO/DEALER/GARAGE, as this will directly affect your satisfaction. INITIAL REVIEW-- The GOOD--Great bang for the buck. Fun to drive. A comfortable ride with DECENT SUSPENSION. PASSENGER SPACE comparable to our Passat with better headroom (friends 6’5” sat in the back, & another 6’6” in the front comfortably). Both front & rear seats are adjustable to customize needs and comfort. Intuitive layout & usage of COCKPIT & CONTROLS. We are enjoying the technology: SAT NAV, tech ports, 110v plug, dash trip computer, etc. Good use of SPACE (for a car this size). THE WEIRD-- Strange PARKING BRAKE. Stalled 1-2xs daily for first few weeks getting out of FIRST GEAR (different than other cars we've owned). Optical illusion of SIZE & SHAPE--Car is much roomier inside than appears. 6 MO REVIEW-- OVERALL—Still enjoying the ride & options. Car is now broken-in (& so are we), so we aren’t stalling out of first gear beyond normal occurrences. We’ve gotten used to the PARKING BRAKE. The GAS MILEAGE is decent (22-23/city & +26/hwy, with nearly 30mpg on long hwy trips. Seems to be improving.) The Trekking’s FABRIC SEATS (leather not available on this model) are more self-regulating than I would have assumed. After our hot SO CA summer and now our ‘cold’ weather, all is well. (I don’t miss having heated seats.) A 500L’s sunroof’s screen is perforated, so it will not fully shut out the sun even when closed, and roof racks are not compatible, so I am doubly glad we don’t have one. CRITICAL—NO DEAL-BREAKERS. But…The DOORS lack a ‘stop’ mechanism, they don’t ‘fly’ open, but don’t open in a controlled manner when exiting your vehicle. The BLUETOOTH: good as an mp3 player, bad for talking on the phone. The MIC picks up too much sound from the dash vent & such. We had the ‘DEAD BATTERY issue’ (as noted by other owners) because of a SOFTWARE UPDATE that didn’t take (our FIAT studio’s garage checked-off as ‘done’), which was remedied by another FIAT garage. This other garage is a combo FIAT/JEEP, so they had the knowledge & know-how to install our TRAILER HITCH. So,—FIND A GOOD FIAT STUDIO/DEALER. Many negative reviews stem from issues with a dealership rather than the brand. Hopefully FIAT can remedy this somehow, as they put out a decent product. We have heard about some transmission problems, but we since we have manual, we are hoping to avoid that.
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Second Fiat
bobfl3, 07/19/2013
2014 FIAT 500L Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
25 of 26 people found this review helpful
I loved my 2012 500c but found myself needing something a little larger. I traded in the cabrio for the new 500L and am very pleased with it so far. I've only driven 500 miles on the new one, so time will tell if it is as reliable as the little 500 was. I'm very happy with the Dual Dry Clutch Automatic. It is fuel efficient and has the pick up I need for merging into heavy traffic on the highway. Taller people fit well in the car, even with the sunroof. The car has an excellent ride quality and everything works as it should. It is comfortable, has great visibility, plus it's fun to drive.
On our 2nd 500L and my 5th FIAT total
roiscuba, 10/20/2014
2014 FIAT 500L Lounge 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
This has got to be one of the most underrated cars on the market today. When you strip away the funky exterior (to American tastes) it's a great car, especially in a market segment that has essentially been abandoned. We bought our 1st 500L (Trekking w/manual trans) back in February. Loved the car. Only had minor annoyances (armrest and hand brake operation) that we would have found in any car. Loved it for day to day driving, loved it on the freeway. Used it to haul our 2 Great Danes around with us. When my wife wrecked the car and the insurance company totaled it, we immediately went to another 500L (fully loaded Lounge) without hesitation, because my wife was not hurt at all.
Surprised at how much I like this car
clj1959, 08/31/2014
2014 FIAT 500L Easy 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
20 of 21 people found this review helpful
I downsized to a 500L Easy with a sunroof and automatic from a VW Tiguan. At first I thought "what have I done?" but after a couple of months, and now that I'm accustomed to the quirky transmission, I totally love this car. It's very peppy and incredibly easy to maneuver. I have a 25 mile freeway commute and the 500L handles it with aplomb, and the excellent visibility is a big plus when changing lanes. Another big plus is how unique it is. I'm very happy.
Glad I Waited for Six Months to Review
scrappy60, 03/29/2014
2014 FIAT 500L Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
20 of 21 people found this review helpful
I bought a Fiat 500L Trekking in September 2013. To be honest, it took me quite awhile to get used to its rather quirky transmission -- and I have a manual!! The issue was the six gears and the need for a quick shift between first and second. But now that I have gotten used to how and when to shift, I am very happy with my purchase. This vehicle has all the features of the pricier Honda CRV at about 5K less -- and it looks better and handles better on the road. Last month I took it on a 800 miles road trip and it was so enjoyable to drive. The gas mileage is also far better than I expected -- I am getting over 29 miles per gallon (combined highway/city).
Overall ok, now that we learned more
Jeremy Stewart, 01/29/2016
updated 02/06/2018
2014 FIAT 500L Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
Overall this has been a decent car for us. We've taken a number of long-ish trips (3-8 hours in the car), and we've never had an issue. It's a comfortable ride (I'm 5'10, my wife 5'4 and we both fit comfortably in front or in back. We now have a son who is almost 1 and he's spent his entire life thus far riding in this car. With the car seat in the middle, it's a little cramped in the back, but nothing bad. The trunk doesn't fit the jogger stroller very well, well just enough for the stroller and nothing else. It will fit in the front seat (upside down), but it makes reaching the shifter a bit awkward. We really should have gotten a larger car, but my wife LOVED the unique look of the car and the fact that you just don't see many of them around. The Navigation is acceptable, though I wish it had real time traffic updates and I wish the head unit had CarPlay (by Apple) support, it would make things noticeably easier for us, but after a few software updates the bluetooth connects to Siri and now we don't have the terrible default voice recognition software. Plugging your iPhone into the USB port gets you a few different experiences, but the bluetooth pairing has been pretty good now. The only thing I haven't liked about the car is the transmission, and probably more about the lack of education about it. When we bought the car, we were told about the different transmission, but never how it meant we had to treat the car differently than any other automatic. A few months after buying the car, a drive through Starbucks opened up near our house to which my wife has become a regular at. Sometimes she's had to wait in line quite a while and she'd sit in drive with her foot on the brake. After a few minutes she'd notice a smell. It smelled like burning coolant or something sweet like that. She tried to figure out the cause, but couldn't. Every time we took it to dealer they could never replicate it. Another time she actually had some smoke coming out from under her car. After some serious google-fu, I was able to track it down to the fact we should put the car in neutral when at a stop for "a while". There's no documentation that says what "a while" is or anything, so now so long as it's not a stop sign we put it into neutral (stop light, drive through, or stop & go traffic). We wish the dealer was more forth coming with this information when buying the car, in fact my wife may have actually changed her mind on the car with that information at hand, but all said she loves the car, just wishes it was a LITTLE bit bigger in the trunk. Update: 2/4/2017 - we've added another child to our lives and this makes the car feel even smaller. A double stroller will fit in the trunk but it takes some Tetris skills. There's no fitting an adult in the back with the 2 car seats. Maybe a super thin adult. When it comes down to it, when we are done with the payments this car will go to me and my wife will get a larger car to drive the kids around in. We should have gotten a larger car from day 1 unfortunately. If this car were larger it would be great. Repair wise it's been pretty trouble free, which is good considering our local dealer stopped servicing FIATs and we now have to go 30 miles to get dealer warranties. Update 2/6/2018 - December 2017 the car had transmission issues with a lack of power. Could force it into lower gears via manual selection and go but it was tough moving from a stop. Took it to the local dealer (who never stopped servicing fiats even though they told me they were going to) and had them look at it. They thought it was one thing. 2 weeks later they still had it and it wasn’t fixed so they had to replace the entire transmission. That fixed it. But a new transmission at 30k miles is ridiculous. It was outside the warranty but we had our extended warranty which covers it for 10yrs or 100k miles, so out of pocket for us was $100. Would have been roughly $10k without the warranty according to the service rep. I can’t with good conscience recommend this car. I know with the 2014 or 2015 model they redesigned the transmission (pretty much standard instead of some double dry clutch monstrosity), and maybe that will improve the reliability of the car for those models.
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great little/big car
Joseph Fiamoncini, 04/04/2016
updated 05/01/2017
2014 FIAT 500L Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
18 of 19 people found this review helpful
Easy to park due to small size yet very roomy inside, peppy engine when paired with the manual transmission, good cargo space, fold down rear seats are not flat unless you use the cover from the storage area in the raised slot to better align the floor of the storage area with the folded seats, stadium style rear seats so that you can easily converse with rear passengers and they can see the road and front seat rider, handles well in corners, can be choppy on poor road surfaces, generally get 28-30 MPG on mixed city/highway driving, both I and my wife own 500L trekkings which together have a combined mileage of 59,000 miles, so far no breakdowns at all and only one recall for airbags, we also opted for the lifetime warranties on both cars, it does have some features that may have led early buyers to think it has gremlins, when making turns the fog light on that side turns on which is great in the dark on sharp turns as it lights up the shoulder of the road for you, when we first bought the car we thought that was a electrical problem but it turns put the dealer had only just learned that it was a feature (which can be disabled from the touch screen controls), the dealer had actually been replacing units in an effort to fix what was not a problem, the GPS needs updated maps which we were told was due to the maps themselves that were being supplied for the system this is not really a major problem for the vast majority of the time the maps have been dead on, the biggest problem has been the owners manual itself, the index was compiled for a different manual entirely as the referenced page numbers don't actually take you to the information that you are trying to look up, also the information in the manual is very weak in useful content, the brakes can be grabby and take experience with the vehicle to learn how to modulate them (they still catch me off guard once in a while) but when needed they seem to stop the car quickly and in a relatively short distance, the air conditioning works well but does affect the gas mileage, the car did get good IIHS crash ratings which was a factor in our decision to purchase them, all in all a competent and reliable vehicle thus far, my other car is a 2007 mazdaspeed 3 so I know about and use quick cars that can handle and brake well; @@@@@@@@ 4/29/2017,,update- we are over 90,000 miles between the two cars, no issues, premium gas will get a little more pep, might be useful here in Florida with heavy air conditioner use but I don't bother, however this does not equate to an increase in gas mileage, don't be afraid to drop down multiple gears on the stick shift to get moving quickly as the top 3 gears are all overdrive ratios, initial pullout needs some revs, wonder if a lighter fly wheel would allow a quicker spin up on the first 1500 RPM's, that is getting a little more technical, Hey, FIAT engineers are you listening. Gas mileage remains around 28, a majority of in town stop and go will drop that to 23-24 MPG. Car does need several thousand miles of break in to get best acceleration(noticeable difference), hmm sounds like a lot of older American iron block cars.
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