Used 2018 FIAT 500L Consumer Reviews
Used 500L for sale
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2018 500L, so we've included reviews for other years of the 500L since its last redesign.
Awesome Car!
Jose Rojas, 02/15/2016
2015 FIAT 500L Pop 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
This car is a great value for my money. It's fun to drive and its comfortable for me and my family. Also, this car does not look like a cookie cutter car. It's unique and at the same time cute. This car is well worth the money.
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Best Kept Secret
Scott, 03/30/2017
2015 FIAT 500L Easy 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
Really do not understand the negative press reviews for this car. This is my second FIAT, trading up from the 500 to the 500L. I've come to the conclusion that people in this country reject things that are different or unique. The design of the 500L is ingenious - for its size it has amazing interior volume. The ride is very comfortable and it has a great seating position, sitting higher than many crossovers. I'm not sure why the press reviews say the car is under-powered. The engine is turbocharged and - at least in mine - when I hit the pedal that car MOVES! It handles quite well and is fun to drive, even for as tall as it is. Most reviewers have highly criticized the looks of the 500L but I have only gotten nice compliments on it. With all those windows, the high seating position, and spotter mirrors on both sides, all around visibility is amazing! FIAT has some quirky features and design elements, but I think they make the car all that more appealing. Some of the interior trim could be nicer, but most cars today are filled with hard plastics - most of the hard plastic surfaces are slightly textured, so I don't think they look cheap. I have almost 20,000 miles on mine and aside from routine maintenance, the only issue I've had was with a rattle in the back (fixed by the dealer on the first visit). FIAT stands behind their products with an impressive 4 year/50,000 mile warranty, too. On one hand, it is a shame this car doesn't sell better, but I have never been one to drive what everyone else is driving, so I like driving what I consider to be the best keep secret out there! I would absolutely but another one without any hesitation. Do yourself a favor - ignore the press critics and focus on the reviews of people who drive these cars day in and day out.
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2018 FIAT 500L for sale near you
Showing 3 of 23 listings
- Pop WagonMSRP: $15,900998 mi away
- Lounge WagonMSRP: $8,9001,069 mi away
- Lounge WagonMSRP: $12,9951,104 mi away
See all 23 listings
Very Happy!
tjmk, 03/23/2015
updated 04/12/2018
2015 FIAT 500L Lounge 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
At first I was skeptical about this car but I am thrilled with it. It is so comfortable and fun to drive Feels very sturdy and reliable. The exterior is a bit quirky but I think that makes it fun...I am sick of buying the same old same old. Very roomy vehicle with lots of bells and whistles.
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One Year of Ownership
Mike, 05/13/2018
updated 11/14/2018
2015 FIAT 500L Lounge 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
The 500L has been trouble free for my first year of ownership. Software updates by the dealer improved the 6 speed transmission. The best part of owning this car is how easy it is to get in and out of. It is tall so it feels like a much larger vehicle. Large doors and the back seat with a almost flat floor makes it easy for rear passengers. I am a fan of the U-Connect system. The outward visibility is aided by a high driving position.
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Our Italian Car -
Nguyen, 08/31/2015
2015 FIAT 500L Urbana Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Read a lot of reviews - Bad and good. Decided to visit OCFIAT, took a test drive (500L Urbana Trekking with BEATS sound) bought the car one week later. Love the car ever since. Bought mine at Orange County Fiat (Costa Mesa, CA.)
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Wish I’d gone with the Mini Countryman
Michelle A, 02/04/2019
updated 08/05/2020
2018 FIAT 500L Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I bought my 500L and have experienced nothing but annoying repairs and lousy handling. Within a year I have changed every single bulb-headlights twice! Both passenger and driver sun visors needed replacing. The sensors are glitchy. The brakes are grabby and annoying-and the ride is super loud. I wish I had noticed these things on my test drive but I didn’t realize them until driving the car a few weeks. The uconnect system on my 2015 is terrible. Voice recognition is awful and I have to constantly re sync the Bluetooth. I bought the car for it’s look and should have done better research. **Update** As I closed in on year 3, my car and it's sensor issues continued. The temperature was somewhere between 10-20 degrees off. The replace bulb turned on every 4-6 weeks. The airbag light was on, even though the dealer confirmed there was nothing wrong with the airbags. The Uconnect system is terrible. The voice recognition is a joke, and my sirius XM has more dead zones than good zones. I've had enough!! Traded in the Fiat for a Ford Escape. The only thing I miss is the panoramic sunroof.
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More spacious than it looks - Trekking way to go!
Liane, 11/14/2015
2015 FIAT 500L Urbana Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I had been waiting for the 2016 models to come out, but I found the body on the 2015 500L Trekking model to be a far more attractive and more Italian look. I ended up buying the 2015 500L Trekking with the "Beats" sound system with SiriusXM satellite radio, AISIN Heavy Duty 6-speed automatic transmission and U-connect touch screen. I use it for driving around San Francisco with all the hills and find it handles well. I love the headlights that move to follow your turns and curves. It is very easy to fold down the rear seats and create a spacious flat cargo area. The back seats also have the ability to recline to an almost flat bed like seat. The dual climate control keeps the front seat passengers happy and as the driver I enjoy the comfort of Power driver 4-way Lumbar Adjust. The visibility is amazing! With large windows all around and front pillar split by glass and wraparound rear windows. I also own a VW Touareg and honestly have better visibility in this Fiat. Features like the rear backup camera, rear park assist system and hands-free phone connectivity add to safety and convenience. The 17-inch wheels hold the road well even when driving on the freeway in rain. All in all for the price I paid I feel very satisfied with my new car and must admit I enjoy the compliments from those who notice it in the bright yellow and black combination. The gloss black instrument panel bezels are a beautiful upgrade included in the Urbana Trekking Collection 1.
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2nd Review: Still going
RW, 01/16/2021
updated 01/23/2023
2015 FIAT 500L Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
2015 500L 6-speed manual. I now have 107,000 miles. It has been surprisingly reliable. Plugs are easy to change. Use good gas. Use good oil. Don't go to the dealer!! The dealer caused the only issue I had by not putting the air filter assembly back together correctly. My regular mechanic found it and fixed it. I've driven it across the USA in a 5000+ mile round trip and several Arizona to Texas trips. I drive 115 miles a day to and from work. I never would have thought this car would work this well.
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This is our second "Elle" and we are quite pleased
CoachRick, 09/28/2019
updated 04/01/2021
2017 FIAT 500L Lounge 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
So, I had the '15 L (called her Elle, too...nicknamed the '17 Elle Marshma'Elle'ow)in for service and spotted a white '17L on the lot with a banner in the windshield(this was almost two years ago). Asked the salesperson to work the numbers on trading out their very last '17L with our '15L (both were Lounge models) and I had our new car that afternoon! The white '17L with pano moonroof was equipped the same as our '15 that had 34k miles on it...but with the addition of the moonroof on the '17). Seems FIAT re-mapped the throttle response a bit and made the '17 just a little quicker off the line; but, otherwise, the vehicles were darned near identical(BEATS sound and nav in both, btw). I knew I was trading too soon to get the value out of the '15; but I'm happy with the purchase roughly 21 months later. The L has quite a large cargo capacity for such a small footprint. My 29er mountain bike fits in the back and my wife's "light" home staging goodies will fit when no one thinks it's possible! The higher seating position and fantastic visibility are great pluses to me! Some people think the seating is too high and there is TOO MUCH glass all around(really??? You don't want to be able to see??? ) We are surrounded by a sea of large pick-ups and SUVs here in Texas and I don't mind one bit not looking out to see the door handles on those vehicles. In fact, it's one of the main reasons we bought the first 500L(people don't complain about the ride height of their "utility" vehicles, do they?). We've driven 3000 miles in two weeks on 75mph super highways and then mountain roads and find the ride quality just fine. The upright seating is a plus(of course, you can recline and adjust the seats to fit your fancy). The off-the-line performance is not that of a race car for sure; but it's got every bit the zip of many small wagon/hatch type vehicles. On-ramp speeds are fine as the car moves along smartly in 3rd-4th gears, making merging or leaving traffic on Texas highways safe and comfortable. I've cruised in the 80-85mph range for hours at a time, all the while getting over 30mpg on 87 octane with the AC howling in the 95-105 degree temps.(All that glass does invite an increased 'greenhouse' effect, so extra tinting is recommended if you live in a sunny/hot climate like central Texas) As with the '15L, we've had a couple of warranty issues with the '17; but nothing debilitating and nothing the dealer(studio) couldn't handle right zippy. I had many more problems with my near $40k Acura RDX than I've had with either FIAT. The FOUR-year, 50k mile warranty is a plus, just in case little gremlins do show up as Elle gets a bit of age on her. That's a significant boost in warranty coverage compared to some other eco-hatch/wagons. Parking the Elle is not as easy as parking the 'regular' 500 series as the L is almost two feet longer. HOWEVER, the turning radius is really tight and when you are pulling into a 90-degree parking situation, the L will surprise you with more nimbleness than you might expect...about 1/3-turn more! You turn to what would be the limit on many vehicles and the L lets you turn just a little more!!!) Backing the L is easy, too. Of course, the back-up camera helps; but there is nary a blind spot as you look "through" the right-side rear quarter of the vehicle(nearly all glass!). All in all, this is a very nice vehicle for what it is...economical, easy to drive, reasonably peppy and quite capacious. Would we enjoy a KIA Soul or Juke or CX-3 as much??? Not sure; but I like what we have with the FIAT 500L. After owning a number of vehicles costing nearly twice as much, we are tickled to find such a capable and comfortable vehicle in the low-mid $20k range!!! March '20 update of sorts... Taking Elle in for her 30k mile service this week(IF the Corona virus doesn't shut down the dealer service dept). Other than the radio gremlin(defaults to 670 AM or some such from time to time), I really don't have any issues with the little wagon. Mixed MPG on our stop and go Texas highways is pretty close to 30...and highway MPG still looks to be 15% higher than that...all on Top Tier 87 fuel. Not bad for a capable hauler. My plan is to keep this Elle until the 4/50 warranty runs out before seriously looking for another vehicle. Depending on how our '13 Volvo C70 is holding up at that time(roughly 2022), we might hang on to the FIAT or even ADD a 500C(onvertible) to the garage. Dealing with vehicles closer to $20K vs $45K has become a delight!! Oct 2020 Update... Shortly after posting the previous update, "Elle" developed a "leak" of some engine compartment fumes into the passenger compartment. At times, it smelled like exhaust from an old truck, on occasion the smell had a petro(oil?) component to the smell. This was quite disturbing as it continued intermittently for days until I could get back to the dealer. NO repair was available and we immediately traded the car for a Volvo XC40.
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A Fine Fiat 500L
Fiat Greatness, 03/02/2021
updated 03/08/2023
2015 FIAT 500L Trekking 4dr Wagon (1.4L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
The Fiat now has 94k on it. I’m still very satisfied with it though some wear has begun to show. The headliner came completely loose probably do to the extreme heat in south/ central Florida and my roof being black. I use it for small jobs and the room is perfect for just about anything. The Thule racks have allowed me to carry many things for job materials. Love my FIAT
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